What is Zen Buddhism?
Introduction
Zen is the Japanese name for a Buddhist tradition practiced by millions of people worldwide. Historically, Zen practice originated in China , Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, and later spread to the West. Zen takes many forms, as each culture that has adopted it has done so with its own characteristics and preferences. Because teachers play such a significant role in Zen, the tradition emphasizes respect for "dharma ancestors," or lineage, influenced by the Confucian teachings of filial piety. Simultaneously, throughout Chinese history, Zen has challenged other Confucian ideas by emphasizing the absolute equality of all beings and the capacity of women to achieve enlightenment.
See the collection of Buddha statues
Traditionally, the term "Zen" is not an adjective. Zen is a Japanese transliteration of the Chinese word Chan (禪) , which is itself a transliteration of dhyana, the word meaning concentration or meditation in the ancient Indian language, Sanskrit . (Zen is Seon or Son in Korean and Thiền in Vietnamese.) When Buddhism arrived in China from India about 2,000 years ago, it encountered Taoism and Confucianism , absorbing some elements while rejecting others. Chan is the tradition that emerged from this. In this context, Chan refers to the quality of mind cultivated through seated meditation, called zazen (座禅) in Japanese, which many Zen Buddhists consider the most important practice in the tradition.
Zen is as diverse as its practitioners, but its common characteristics include an emphasis on simplicity and the teachings of non-duality and non-conceptual understanding. Non-duality is sometimes described as "neither one nor two," meaning that things are neither entirely unified nor entirely separate from one another. Zen recognizes, for example, that the body and mind are interconnected: they are neither identical nor completely separate. Non-conceptual understanding refers to the understanding of "things as they are," which cannot be expressed in words.
Zen Buddhism in a few words
Zen can be a little difficult to understand, as people have many preconceived notions about what it is and what it isn't. Here's a quick overview of what Zen Buddhism is.
- Zen cannot be explained, it must be experienced .
- In Zen Buddhism, enlightenment is not a particular state of mind, it is simply the return to your original nature, your Buddha nature.
- Zen is not overly concerned with rebirth or metaphysics and prefers to focus on the present moment .
- Zen tries to go beyond thoughts, beyond logic and theories.
- Zen is not a philosophy or a religion, it is the spirit of man .
- Zen is not a philosophy or a belief system, it is a practice.
- Without the practice of meditation , there is no Zen.
- The goal of Zen is to prevent your mind from creating a separation between subject and object.
- Like all forms of Buddhism, prayer does not exist in Zen.
- Zen is beyond religion; you can be Christian or atheist and still be a Zen Buddhist.
Definition of Zen
Defining Zen is like trying to describe the taste of honey to someone who's never tasted it. You can try to explain the texture and aroma of honey, or you can try to compare it and correlate it with similar foods. However, honey is honey! Until you've tasted it, you're under the illusion of what honey is.
The same is true for Zen, because Zen Buddhism is a practice that must be experienced , not a concept that you can intellectualize or understand with your brain. The information we provide here does not cover everything that Zen is, but it is a starting point for experiencing Zen.
So, what is Zen?
At the heart of Japanese culture lies Zen, a school of Mahayana Buddhism . Zen is primarily a practice transmitted continuously from master to disciple, tracing its origins back to the enlightenment of a man named Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni Gotama in Japanese) – the Buddha – 2,500 years ago in India. Historically speaking, Bodhidharma is considered the founder of Zen Buddhism in China.
The practice of Zen meditation, or Zazen (座禅 - za meaning seated and zen meaning meditation in Japanese), is the heart of Zen Buddhism: without it, there is no Zen. Zen meditation is a path of mindfulness and self-discovery practiced while seated on a meditation cushion. It is the experience of living from moment to moment, in the here and now. It was through the practice of Zazen that Gautama attained enlightenment and became the Buddha.
Zazen is an attitude of spiritual awakening which, when practiced, can become the source from which all actions of daily life flow - eating, sleeping, breathing, walking, working, speaking, thinking, etc.
Zen Buddhism is not a theory, an idea, or a body of knowledge. It is not a dogma or a religion; rather, it is a practical experience . We cannot grasp Zen intellectually, because human intelligence and wisdom are too limited—the dojo (the room where Zazen is practiced) is different from the university.
Zen is not a moral teaching and, since it is without dogma, it does not require belief in anything. A true spiritual path does not tell people what they should believe, but rather shows them how to think, or, in the case of Zen, what not to think.
Zen Buddhism is not concerned with metaphysical theories and rituals and focuses entirely on the conscious practice of Zazen. Zen is very simple . It is so simple, in fact, that it is very difficult to grasp.
In the silence of the dojo or temple, sit quietly, stop moving, and let your thoughts drift. Focus solely on your Zazen posture and your breath. Keep your back straight. Allow your ego and unconscious to dissolve, to merge with the universe.
That's what Zen is.
Zen Buddhist Beliefs
Since the dawn of time, man has been searching for the truth. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors, sitting under the stars and around the campfire, discussed and asked themselves the same questions that we ask ourselves today.
Who am I? Why am I here? Does God exist? Is there life after death? Are we alone in the universe?
Zen is very pragmatic and down-to-earth. It is essentially a practice , an experience, not a theory or dogma. Zen does not adhere to any specific philosophy or faith and has no dogma that its followers must accept or believe, but it traditionally accepts the concepts of karma and samsara. For Westerners, this is very different from Christianity, which is full of dogma.
Furthermore, Zen firmly believes that no one knows the answers to these questions and that it is impossible to answer them due to our limited understanding. Life is a dream, a grand illusion that we perceive through the filter of our personality, our experiences, our ego. It is a grand play in which we do not see all the actors and in which we barely understand the role of those we do see.
Zen readily accepts the idea that humans are merely humans and nothing more. Human beings, being what they are, cannot answer life's impossible questions without falling into the trap of illusion. No one knows the answers to the profound questions about life and death .
"Zen does not seek to answer subjective questions, because these are not important questions for Zen. What really matters is the here and now: not God, not the afterlife, but the present moment, here and now."
It is impossible to answer these questions, given the limited sphere of knowledge that accompanies the condition of being human. As Master Taisen Deshimaru said, "It is impossible to give a definitive answer to these questions unless one suffers from a major mental disorder."
Does this mean that Zen closes the door to metaphysical phenomena? Absolutely not! Zen can neither confirm nor deny them. Therefore, it is best to remain silent and simply live in the present moment .
Zen does not seek to answer subjective questions related to God, life after death, reincarnation, and spiritualism.
So what does Zen think of religious beliefs? As a great Zen master once said, "Faith is like painting your bedroom walls with mud and then trying to convince yourself it looks good and smells nice." Faith is an illusion , a dream we strongly believe to be real, but which in reality only impoverishes true human spirituality. The strength of our faith and conviction has nothing to do with whether a belief is true or not. The truth of our faith resides within us alone, nowhere else.
Religions feel compelled to provide answers to everything as a sign of their "great wisdom," but for Zen, not providing an answer at all is actually the great wisdom.
A true religion shows man how to think, not what to think. Therefore, we must learn to ask big questions rather than seek big answers.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Zen Buddhism offers practitioners ways to heal their hearts and minds and connect with the world. These ways have varied over time and across cultures. In medieval Japan, for example, Zen monks served as doctors to the poor, distributing medicine and magical talismans, and also acted as pastors, offering funerals and memorial services. Today in the West, many practitioners turn to Zen to find peace of mind and mental clarity through meditation. Like all schools of Buddhism, Zen is based on the premise that human beings suffer and offers a solution to this suffering by recognizing the interdependence of all beings and learning to live in accordance with this truth.
