What is Zen is simple. History of Zen Buddhism

Our today's conversation will be about subtle, like the scent of a flower, full-flowing, like the Amazon, and a very elegant direction of Buddhism - about Zen Buddhism, as well as about the philosophy, history, essence and principles of this amazing and probably the most unusual teaching on earth.

The essence of Zen Buddhism

Its strength and depth is always impressive, especially if a person is just beginning to get acquainted with the basics and then with the very essence of Zen Buddhism, deep as the sea and boundless as the sky of ZEN.

It is unlikely that the essence of this doctrine of “emptiness” can be expressed in any words at all. But his condition can be philosophically expressed as follows: if you look into the sky, birds leave no traces in flight, and Buddha nature can be understood only when you can take the reflection of the moon out of the water.

History of Zen Buddhism

No less interesting is the very history of the emergence of Zen Buddhism, as one of the wisest branches of this world religion.

Once upon a time in India, Buddha Shakyamuni taught his teachings. And the people, having gathered, waited for the first word of the Buddha, who held the flower in his hand.

However, the Buddha was significantly silent, and everyone froze in anticipation of when the sermon would begin. And yet, there was one monk who suddenly began to smile looking at the flower.

It was the sudden enlightenment of Mahakashyapa, the disciple of the Buddha. Buddha Shakyamuni said that Mahakashyapa, one of all those present, understood the meaning of his teaching, the teaching beyond thoughts and forms, and became enlightened, and also became the holder of this great teaching.

Spreading the Zen Teachings

It can be said that Zen began its march around the world when the great master Bodhidharma, who is considered by many to be the first patriarch or founder of all Buddhism, arrived in China from India. After him, this doctrine was divided into schools.

I met Bodhidharma chinese emperor and asked the question, what is his merit, because he built many temples and takes care of the monks.

To which Bodhidharma replied that he had no merit, that everything he did was an illusion, and in addition said that real essence emptiness and emptiness is the only way, which confused the emperor a lot. From China, Zen Buddhism spread to Japan, Vietnam, and Korea.

Origin and Meaning of the Word Zen

Zen is translated from Sanskrit (ancient Indian) as dhyana – contemplation.

You should also know that in different countries it has a different name. So, in Japan it's called - zen; in China - Chan; Korea - sleep; Vietnam - Thien.

The essence of Zen Buddhism

The teaching of Zen Buddhism essentially relies on the empty nature, the nature of the mind, which cannot be expressed in any way, but can only be realized.

And to realize not with the mind, but that part of the mind that knows everything without reflection and analysis. Such consciousness is called awakened., unlike the usual human consciousness, which divides everything into good and bad, into likes and dislikes, and which constantly makes judgments.

Despite the fact that the teachings of Zen Buddhism are beyond words and concepts, on a relative level, Zen practitioners follow the generally accepted moral concepts of Buddhism: the rejection of hatred and bad deeds, and also follows other knowledge of traditional Buddhism.

Consequently, other knowledge from traditional Buddhism: the concept of karma - do not become attached to loss and profit; have no attachment to externals, since they are the source of suffering; and of course to follow the principles of Dharma - all phenomena are free from "I" and there is no essence in them.

According to Zen, all things are empty by nature. And this emptiness, both of our mind and of all phenomena, can be comprehended only by contemplating them.

After all, as you can understand, the mind itself cannot comprehend emptiness, because it is constantly moving, one thought clings to another.

The ordinary mind is blind and this is called ignorance. The mind constantly divides into good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant - this is a dual vision and it brings suffering and subsequent rebirths. Here is the ordinary mind - it sees the pleasant and rejoices, and seeing the unpleasant we suffer. The mind divides and that is the cause of suffering.

Philosophy of Zen Buddhism

Zen does not rely on intellect, philosophy, and texts, but directly points to the nature of the Buddha and the enlightened one in each of us. Sometimes Zen masters betray the meaning of the teaching in a very peculiar way.

For example, a student may ask the master what the essence of Zen is, to which the master may answer something like this: “ask at that tree over there,” or he may grab the student by the throat and choke him, saying: “I want to know from you,” or even hit him on the head with a meditation stool. In this state, the mind of a person stops and instant enlightenment occurs.

However, one should not think that it will be for a long time, but by repeating such short states of enlightenment or satori, as such a state is sometimes called, it deepens and becomes longer.

And so, when a person is in this state for 24 hours outside of thoughts, then, in accordance with the philosophy of Zen Buddhism, complete enlightenment occurs.

Principles of Zen Buddhism

The main principle of Zen Buddhism says that by nature every person is a Buddha and everyone can discover this enlightening basis in himself. Moreover, to open without effort and without deeds on the part of the ordinary mind. Therefore, Zen is the straight path, where the Buddha is inside and not outside.

Also one of essential principles Zen is that the state of enlightenment can only be achieved in the state of non-doing.

It means that only when the ordinary mind does not interfere with the inner nature of a person, the nature of the Buddha - only then can one find a happy state, beyond the limits of samsara and nirvana. That's why the path of Zen is sometimes called the path of non-doing. Interestingly, the Tibetan Bon Dzogchen also speaks of non-action. This is the special way of the two great teachings.

Zen parable

Here we can cite one Zen parable, the story of a Zen master and student.

There was a Zen master who was also an archery master, and a man came to study with him. He mastered archery well, but the master said that this was not enough and that he was not interested in archery, but was interested in the student himself.

The student did not understand and said, I learned to shoot at ten, and I'm leaving. He was about to leave when the master was aiming his bow at the target, and then he understood everything without a mind.

He approached the master, took the bow from his hands, aimed and fired. The master said: “Very well, until now you have been shooting concentrating on the bow and target, but now you have concentrated on yourself and gained enlightenment, I am happy for you.”

Practicing Zen Buddhism

In Zen, all practices are only auxiliary. For example, there is a practice of bowing: to a teacher, a tree, a dog - this is how the practice for oneself is expressed, the practice of taming one's ego.

After all, when there is no egoism, a person already worships his own essence, the essence of the Buddha within himself.

What is the difference between meditation in Zen Buddhism

And meditation in Zen Buddhism differs from the usual ones in that the very contact with reality and the knowledge of one's essence through this contact is the meaning of meditation.

So the master Tit Nat Khan said: “When I eat, I just eat; when I walk, I just walk”. Here there is only a pure observation of the process of everything that happens, without being involved in the thought process. In the same way, dear readers, you can join this meditation, and your life itself will become an ideal meditation.

Ordinary mind is just a dream

What each of us needs to understand is that man is asleep. Man sleeps at night and also sleeps during the day. He is asleep because he does not see the inner light, the inner state of a Buddha.

This life is just a dream, and you are also a dream, each person is not a reality yet, but a real reality inside. Therefore, all the masters said - wake up and become awakened, that is, the Buddha.

Zazen meditation

Meditation to help normalize blood pressure: called zazen, this is when you look, for example, at a dot on the wall for a long time, or concentrate on your breath or some kind of sound, for example, uttering a mantra. Then the mind stops by itself and you realize yourself.

Koans in Zen Buddhism

Koans are little stories in Zen Buddhism - which are based on paradoxical thinking, which, like shock therapy, helps to stop the mind.

For example, the master asks: “what color is the wind?”, and the student answers “with what blows in the face of the master.”

After all, in Everyday life we are always conditioned by our mind and how it thinks about something external. And now imagine that the mind for a moment does not understand what the mind was told and what was said to it.

Let’s suppose that if the master answers the student’s question, “Where did Bodhidharma come from,” “ask that tree over there,” the mind of the student or just a person will become confused and for some time only inner depth will arise without support and beyond thinking.

This is how the so-called satori or enlightenment can arise. Let and on a short time, but the person will already be familiar with this state and will embark on the path of Zen.

Practicing martial arts in Zen

According to the martial arts legend, the world-famous Shaolin Monastery was brought by the Indian master Bodhidharma.

He said to be prepared for anything. Of course, this was due to the fact that Zen monks had to move around the country a lot, and in China there were turbulent times and you had to fend for yourself.

However, real masters in martial arts sometimes have to act not logically, more with intuition and inner instinct, when the usual mind no longer works or is not enough to win against a much stronger opponent.

It turns out that the actions in fighting styles based on the philosophy of Zen Buddhism are ahead of the mind, and the fighter moves rather due to the body and "inner mind", which helps him to experience the state of Zen or contemplation.

Many people know that the way of the samurai is death. As you can see, the samurai martial art is also based on Zen.

After all, when it doesn’t matter for a person when he dies - after all, he died already during his lifetime, then only the state of mind or consciousness is important, which does not depend and does not fluctuate because of the external.

How to do Zen meditation?

Usually, when you walk down the street, you notice everything that you can see, but you do not notice the most important thing - the one who is watching it.

So everyday meditation from Zen Buddhism is very simple - when you walk, you just walk, watching who is walking (watching yourself). When you do something: dig, cut, wash, sit, work - watch yourself, watch who is working, sitting, eating, drinking.

Here is a quote from an enlightened Zen master: “When I walk, I just walk; when I eat, I just eat”. Therefore, even this is the only way to develop clarity of mind and become enlightened.

How to stop your mind?

When you observe your mind, you begin to notice the gaps between two thoughts. It is impossible to force the mind to stop, it stops by itself, watch and do not try to stop your mind.

Just watch your mind, be a witness. After all, the mind is constantly busy thinking about past events or fantasizing about the future.

Watching the mind, a person wakes up from a dream, from a long hibernation in an unreal world. Hinduism speaks of a wheel, a wheel of reincarnations and it is all the mind that creates repetitions.

How to achieve enlightenment in Zen?

Zen philosophy says that whatever you do in this life - just walking, eating, or just lying on the grass or on the seashore - never forget that you are an observer.

And even if the thought takes you somewhere, return to the observer again. You can watch every step - here you are lying on the beach, watch yourself, you get up and go to the sea, watch yourself, you enter the sea and swim - watch yourself.

After a while you will be amazed how internal dialogue starts to slow down and disappear. You can watch your breath, or when you walk, watch that you are walking.

Just be an inner witness. The mind and feelings will stop and only a great depth will remain, the depth of inner silence, you will feel that you are touching the whole universe from within.

The day will come when watching you go to sleep at night, your watching will continue in your sleep – the body is sleeping and you are watching.

Our thoughts are unconscious, our actions are unconscious - we are like robots moving in this world. It's time to become conscious and aware. And this path is effortless and beyond action – just be a witness, just be an observer.

Even when death comes, you will simply watch how the elements of the body that make up a person dissolve. And then, the bardo of clear light comes, and just by observing this light you will remain in nirvana, you will receive enlightenment and liberation at the time of death.

Three Stages of Zen Contemplation

Conditionally masters of Zen Buddhism the state of the enlightened mind is divided into 3 levels.

The first is when, like being frightened by something, our mind stops.

The second stage is when a person has established himself in a state of thoughtlessness and when all phenomena are equal for an empty mind.

And the 3rd step this is the perfection in Zen, where there is no longer fear of any phenomena of the world, when the mind simply flows beyond thinking in the state of the Buddha.

Epilogue

Undoubtedly, life is full of mysteries and the main mystery or mystery in a person is his inner nature or Buddha nature. It turns out that there is a happier state of mind when one is beyond thoughts and feelings.

The answer to the question of what is Zen should be known to every person who is starting to get acquainted with Buddhism. This concept forms a strong personality capable of a reasonable analysis of their actions and contemplation of them from the outside. The goal of this process should be true.

Zen - what is it?

There are several key principles in Buddhism, such as faith, the desire for self-determination, and respect for nature. Most Buddhist schools have general concept about understanding what zen energy is. They believe that it is revealed in such aspects as:

Knowledge and wisdom that are not transmitted by letter, but from teacher to student during personal communication.
The mystery of Tao is the nameless source of the existence of earth and sky.
Rejection of efforts to understand Zen: It is believed that the more you try to understand it, the faster it moves away from consciousness.
Many ways to understand Zen: Throughout the history of mankind, Zen has been transmitted completely unconsciously from person to person through emotions, touch, jokes.

What is Zen Buddhism?

Zen Buddhism is the most important school of East Asian Buddhism, the process of formation of which was completed in China in the 5th-6th centuries. In his homeland, as well as in Vietnam and Korea, he remains the most popular monastic form of religion to this day. Deen Buddhism is an ever-changing belief that has three strands:

« Intellectual Zen»- a philosophy of life that has moved as far as possible from religion and has become popular among artists, philosophers and scientists.
Psychedelic Zen- a doctrine that involves the use of drugs in order to expand the boundaries of consciousness.
Beat direction- it is known among young people for its simplified rules that promote moral and sexual freedom.

How is Zen Buddhism different from Buddhism?

The desire to achieve Zen means a willingness to sacrifice oneself on the way to it - for example, to show meekness and humility in front of a teacher. Zen Buddhism insists on the observance of a system of rules by the student when the classical direction does not require any kind of worship and testing in the name of religion. Zen is like a technique that is suitable for people who do not want to spend a lot of time on the religious component of the teachings.

Zen and Tao

Both directions originated from the same teaching, so the differences between them are minimal. No one can express Tao in words, because it expresses the naturalness of human existence. The Zen state is absolutely real, but it can be accurately described. In the main books of the teaching - the works of sages commenting on koans and sutras, this knowledge is stored.

Zen Buddhism - Basic Ideas

The depth and power of this teaching is amazing, especially if a person is just starting to get acquainted with it. It is not possible to fully understand what Zen means if we deny the fact that emptiness is the real essence and goal of enlightenment. This teaching is based on the nature of the mind, which cannot be expressed in words, but can be realized. Its main principles:

By nature, each person is equal to the Buddha and he can discover the enlightening basis in himself.
The state of satori can only be achieved through complete rest.
Receiving a response from one's own, which is inside a person.

Koans of Zen Buddhism

Koans are short instructive stories or dialogues similar to the suras of the Qur'an. They reveal the essence of the questions that arise both for beginners and experienced religious followers. Zen koans were created to give a psychological boost to the student, to motivate him. The value of each of these stories is revealed in his decision:

The master gives the student a koan for which he must find the correct answer. Every statement is made with the intent to provoke a contradiction in the inexperienced follower of Buddhism.
Being in a meditative state or close to it, the student reaches satori - enlightenment.
In the state of samadhi (the unity of knowledge and the knower), a person understands what real Zen is. Many consider him intimate with a sense of catharsis.

Zen Meditation

Meditation is a special psycho-physical state of a person, which is easiest to achieve in an atmosphere of deepest silence and concentration. In Buddhist monasteries, the need for preliminary preparation to immersion in it was not, because the members of the communities initially protected themselves from all temptations. The monks answering the question about what Zen meditation is, they say that this feeling pure consciousness without content. You can achieve it by following the steps below:

First you need to sit on the floor, facing the wall, placing a pillow or a blanket folded in several layers under the buttocks. Its thickness should not prevent you from taking a comfortable, stable posture. Clothing for meditation is chosen loose so as not to restrict movement.
For a comfortable fit, it is recommended to take or half lotus.
You should close your eyes and abstract from problems and thoughts.
When the emptiness replaces the mental noise, there will be a feeling of incomparable relaxation and contentment.

What does it mean to "comprehend Zen"?

A person who wants to find an answer to a question that interests him turns to this oriental technique, as a rule, being in despair. He seeks to know Zen after simple ways the solutions to the dilemma have been exhausted. For some, this process is a kind of fasting with abstinence from food, relationships with the opposite sex and active labor activity. Most Buddhists adhere to more traditional ways awareness of the subtle matter of Zen:

Following the advice of the first teachers of Buddhism. They advised to remain calm even in difficult situations and renounce life's troubles.
Finding the source of evil. If a religious person is overcome by a series of failures and problems, then he must look for the cause of the vicissitudes of fate in himself or his enemies.
Crossing the boundaries of classical thinking. Zen rules say that a person is too accustomed to the benefits of civilization to know his essence. He needs to get out of his comfort zone to hear the voice of the soul.

Zen Buddhism - books

Each religious school and method of scientific knowledge has its own literary works, allowing even inexperienced beginners to understand its concept. Zen philosophy also involves familiarity with a whole library of books, which includes:

A team of authors with comments by Alexei Maslov "Classic Zen texts". One book includes the works of the first masters of Chan Buddhism, which affect all areas human life both in antiquity and in modern life Asian countries.
Shunryu Suzuki, "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind". It reveals the content of the conversations of an experienced mentor with his American students. Shunryu managed not only to comprehend what Zen is, but also to learn how to focus on the main goals.
Won Kew-Kit, Encyclopedia of Zen. The book is devoted to the difficulties of understanding being, the simplest understanding of its laws and concepts. The path of Zen, according to the author, ends with a mystical experience of experiencing the Absolute - a flash of comprehension outside of time and space.
Tit Nhat Khan, The Keys of Zen. The work of the Japanese author contains only comments on the sutras and koans of southern Buddhism.
Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings. Warrior Musashi 300 years ago wrote a monograph on the management of the state, people and his own emotions. The medieval swordsman considered himself a Zen teacher, so the book is written in the format of a conversation with student readers.

This article describes the basic rules, principles and philosophy of Zen Buddhism.

There are many branches of different religions. Each of them has its own schools and founders, teachers and traditions. One such teaching is Zen. What is its essence and what character traits? Find the answer to this and other questions in the article.

Zen teaching: the direction of what religious philosophy?

Zen teaching: a branch of religious philosophy called Buddhism

Zen is an inaccurate name for a religion that has undergone changes in our days, and it is not really a religion. At first this philosophy was called Zen. In Japanese, Zen means: 禅; Skt. ध्यान dhyana, chin. chan. This word is translated as "think right", "focus inwardly on something".

Zen teaching is the direction of religious philosophy from the Buddha. It follows the heritage of the Mahayana, which originated in the Celestial Empire and after that it was known throughout the Far East (Vietnam, Korea, Japan). But followers believe that Zen is the philosophy of Japanese Buddhism, which was brought to this country from China in the twelfth century.

What is Zen Buddhism: definition, basic ideas, essence, rules, principles, philosophy

After the 12th century, the traditions of Japanese and Chinese Zen found their place in life separately from each other, but before today they retained unity and acquired their own characteristics. Japanese Zen is taught in several schools - Rinzai (Chinese: Linji), Soto (Chinese: Caodong) and Obaku (Chinese: Huangbo).

The word Zen has its roots in the Sanskrit-Pali era "dhyana/jhana".
The Chinese used to pronounce "Zen" like "Chan".
The Japanese pronounced "Zen" correctly, so the name and sound of this word has come down to our days.
Now Zen is a popular philosophy and practice of Buddhist orientation.
This philosophy is taught in Zen schools. There is also another official name for this religion - "Heart of the Buddha" or "Mind of the Buddha." Both options are considered correct.

The main ideas and essence of Zen teachings are as follows:

Zen cannot be learned. Teachers suggest only the paths through which the follower can achieve enlightenment.
It is worth noting that the masters of this religion do not use “to achieve enlightenment” in their vocabulary.. It will be correct like this: "to see the light and see your own "I"", to change yourself for the better.
It is impossible to specify one path for everyone, since each person is individual.- with their ideas about life positions, experience and living conditions. Man must find his entrance without substituting consciousness for special practice or following ideas.
Human language, images and words are meaningless. With their help, it is impossible to achieve insight. Such a state will become accessible through traditional Zen guidelines and even stimuli from outside - a sharp scream, a strong blow, and so on.

The principles of Zen Buddhism are four truths:

Life is suffering. When a person understands this, he will take everything for granted. People are not perfect and the world is not perfect. If you want to reach Zen, then this must be accepted. The Buddha recognized this and accepted it. He realized that a person has to go through a lot during his life: suffering, illness, deprivation, unpleasant situations, grief, pain.

The following 3 truths are in desires:

Desire for affection. The Buddha argued that the main cause of psycho-emotional disorder is attachment to one's desires. If we cannot get something, then life is not nice to us. But do not get angry and annoyed because of this, you need to accept it.
End of suffering. If you get rid of attachment to desires and free yourself from torment, then the mind will be cleansed of anxiety and anxiety. This state of mind is called nirvana in Sanskrit.
Walking the Path to the End of Suffering. Nirvana is easy to achieve if you lead a measured life. Follow the eightfold path which represents self-improvement in one's desires.

The teacher must see his nature in order to teach this to his students. In addition, he must see the real state of the student. Only then can the master give right advice and directions to push awakening.

Philosophy of Zen Buddhism consists of the doctrine of the three poisons. It is because of them that all the troubles, torments and delusions appear in a person’s life. Such evils include the following:

Man does not understand his nature- the mind is clouded, there is a constant restless internal state and even stupidity.
There is an aversion to specific situations, things- the presentation of something as an independent evil, hard views on life.
Exorbitant affection- to something pleasant, tenacity for unnecessary things in this life.

Therefore, the rules of Zen Buddhism say:

Calm your mind. Be calmer, do not be nervous over trifles, so that life flows peacefully and harmoniously.
Get rid of hard views. Understand that a person creates evil around himself with his own hands. If we look at life differently, then everything around us will change.
Break free from attachment. Understand that little is good, otherwise life will lose its taste and bright colors. There should be no unquenchable thirst for the pleasant. Everything good in moderation.

Pupils are given different tips, but such that they are understandable to a particular person. For example:

Practice meditation to calm and calm your mind. At the same time, try and follow all the advice of the teacher.
Do not try to achieve peace and enlightenment, but let go of everything that is happening around you.

Followers of Zen practice a lot of meditation in a sitting position and perform simple job. This may be the cultivation of some crops in the mountains or ordinary cleaning. The main goal is to calm your mind and unify your thoughts. Then the self-churning stops, the clouding of the mind disappears (Zen masters believe that modern people everyone's mind is clouded) and the restless state is stabilizing. After enlightenment, it is easier to see your natural essence.

Japanese and Chinese Zen: Are They the Same?

Japanese or Chinese Zen

Japanese and Chinese Zen are one and the same, but with their own distinctive features.

Chan Buddhism is what the Chinese call the Zen religion.. Many followers at the beginning of their journey cannot understand Ch'an Buddhism. It seems that this is something unattainable, irrational and even mystical. But Zen insight is endowed with universal characteristics.

Influence of Zen on the cultural heritage of Japan makes us recognize this school as important and relevant in the study of the ideas of Zen Buddhism. It helps to reveal the ways of development of philosophy and thought.

Psychological aspects, psychotherapy of Zen Buddhism: practice

Psychotherapy Zen Buddhism

To achieve satori, a person should not just sit under the Bo tree and wait for indulgence, enlightenment. A special relationship is built with the master and specific system procedures. Therefore important psychological aspects and psychotherapy of Zen Buddhism to free the individual for spiritual development.

Many psychologists use the foundations of Zen Buddhism in their practice.
Especially good is the psychologist who is inspired by the ideas of Zen and is familiar with them firsthand.
People are complex by nature. Someone has obsessive ideas to take revenge on another person, another seeks to get into the future faster or, conversely, worries about what might happen, and the third is absorbed in his past.
A person can repeat actions that cause him trouble, but on the subconscious and in words, he wants to break out of this circle.

Zen psychology shows that all these addictions and fixations interfere with living and experiencing the present. The real and correct Zen path will lead to enlightenment and the correct awareness of being by a person.

Zen Buddhism as a Philosophy and Art of Living: Examples

Zen Buddhism - Philosophy and Art of Living

The main goal of Zen Buddhism is to achieve enlightenment or satori. For Europeans, such a philosophy and art of life as Zen is something unattainable. But there is nothing supernatural in this teaching. These are common skills that have been honed to perfection by Zen masters.

Here are some examples of this art of living:

The teacher talks to his student:

- Are you convinced of the truth?
- Yes, master.
- What are you doing for your upbringing?
- I eat when I'm hungry and go to bed when I'm tired.
But that's what everyone does. It turns out that you do not educate yourself, but live like all people?
- Not.
- Why?
- Because when eating food, they are not busy eating, but are distracted by conversations and other extraneous objects; when they rest, they do not fall asleep at all, but have many dreams and even experience emotions in a dream. Therefore, they are not like me.

Explaining this example-parable, we can say that ordinary people experience constant fear and mixed feelings of self-doubt, and also live in a world that is not real, but an illusion. People think they are tasting and feeling something rather than actually experiencing all the emotions.

Another parable reveals another example of Zen philosophy:

The master of this teaching tells about himself: “When I did not yet know Zen, the rivers for me were rivers, and the mountains were mountains. With the first knowledge of Zen, rivers ceased to be rivers, and mountains ceased to be mountains. When I fully comprehended the teaching and became a teacher myself, the rivers became rivers again, and the mountains became mountains.”

This is evidence that after enlightenment, what is here and now begins to be perceived differently. We take shadows for believable things, and being in darkness at this time, it is impossible to know the light. For Zen, it is important that a person knows himself from the inside, and not with his mind. Zen must go deep human soul and his beings.

What does it mean to know Zen, the state of Zen, inner Zen?

Among the people you can hear: "Knew Zen". What does it mean to know Zen, the state of Zen, inner Zen? It means: "a state of constant meditation" And "absolute unruffled mind". But if a person talks about this and even claims that he knows what Zen is, then he lives deceived. To know the essence of Zen is given only to selected people, and the teachings of this philosophy are built in such a way that a person will not talk about himself in such a way.

The Zen state is peace from within, a bright mind and soul. Zen within a person is equanimity. A person who knows Zen cannot be unbalanced. In addition, he can independently help his opponent find inner peace.

How to reach the state of Zen?

Entering a Zen state is not a game at all. The follower focuses on his ordinary life position. To achieve a state of Zen, everything must be in harmony.

Harmony in everything is the most important thing.
You are confident and know that you can achieve this.
All the problems around disappear, special energy fills the world. Something perfect appears to help solve problems.
Your skill is up to the task- everything works out harmoniously. For people who are familiar with sports, this moment is called "being in the zone." In science, this process is called "flow".
You should feel like you're in a dream. In the "flow" time and consciousness are lost. You seem to melt into everything around you. It is easier for a child to enter a state of Zen, for adults it is more difficult. They understand the definition of time. But it is more difficult for a small person with his unstable psyche to break back into transience, so for a child the state of Zen can be dangerous.

When you enter the Zen state, you will realize that there is no need to plan anything. It is the habit of making different plans that "stifles" the creativity in each of us. There is nothing more awakening and tonic than being in the “flow”, a “zone” or “white moment” specially created by your mind.

What is Zen Meditation?

Zen meditation is meditation technique relaxation from the Buddha. It is the most popular technique in the world and is the heart of the Buddhist teaching. Benefits of Zen meditation include:

Learning good concentration
Possibility of self-knowledge
Getting peace and joy
Health Improvement
The emergence of willpower
Increase in internal energy

A warning: If you do everything right, then an emotional storm will occur inside you. This condition can be observed after a few days or weeks of practice. Your repressed emotions will rise up into consciousness. At this point, it is important not to fight them, but to give them the opportunity to splash out. After that, peace, clarity of mind and joy will come.

Zen Meditation Technique:

There are two main Zen meditation techniques: intermediate and advanced:

Two Basic Zen Meditation Techniques

Advice: Do not artificially try to realize the secret of Zen. Don't focus on inhaling and exhaling. The most important thing will happen between these processes: the secrets of the Universe will be revealed, you will know yourself, and so on. Just meditate properly and everything will happen naturally.

What is the difference between Zen Buddhism and Buddhism: difference, difference, features

Regarding the understanding of Zen Buddhism, it is worth noting that if you try to understand, then it will not be Zen Buddhism. Man must comprehend reality as it is. If we talk about the differences between Zen Buddhism and Buddhism, then there is no difference, since such a practice is Buddhism. All practices of Buddhism are divided into:

Samathi- calming the mind and body, understanding peace and tranquility.
Vipassana- allows you to observe the appearance of the phenomena of the mind. A person discovers something new for himself in feelings, thoughts, emotions.

All the practices of Buddhism help the mind get rid of suffering, get rid of wrong views, and cultivate the right worldview. Simply Zen helps to acquire important elements correct thinking and way of life, eliminating the destruction of the mind. It is not necessary to follow the rules, it is important to understand the world order. There are no rules, assumptions, hypotheses in Buddhist practice. If a person learns to comprehend Zen, then he will get rid of delusions and will live in peace and tranquility.

Symbols of Zen Buddhism and their meaning: photo

In Buddhism, as in Zen Buddhism, there are many different symbols. But in Zen, the most important and significant is considered enso- the circle of enlightenment and freedom. Such a symbol of Zen Buddhism is made in the form of tattoos, painted on the walls of houses, especially in China and Japan, and interiors are decorated with its image.

Enso means enlightenment, strength, grace, emptiness, universe. The circle itself is a continuous karmic rebirth, and the inner space is a sign of liberation from life's burdens.

Symbol of Zen Buddhism

This symbol can be depicted with a lotus flower inside, as evidence that a person has become whiter, more majestic and inseparable from nature - peaceful and calm.

Symbols of Zen Buddhism with lotus

Actually in a circle enso you can depict symbols or even the Buddha. It will still have the correct meaning of Zen - enlightenment, purification and peace.

Koans of Zen Buddhism: Examples

Koans of Zen Buddhism are small narratives with questions and dialogues. They may not have logic, but they will be understandable to a person who wants to know Zen. The purpose of the koan is to create a psychological impulse for the student to understand and achieve enlightenment. This is a kind of parable, but the koan does not need to be translated or understood, it serves to understand the true reality.

Here are examples of koans:

Koans of Zen Buddhism: Examples

Koan of Zen Buddhism: an example

Koan of Zen Buddhism

Don't try to understand Zen Buddhism. It must be within you, it is your true being. Practice self-discipline, know the joy of existence, believe, accept, and then you will be able to comprehend Zen and take it into yourself.

Video: A Conversation with a Zen Master Jinin on Truth and Meditation

Zen Buddhism comes from India. The Japanese word "zen" comes from the Chinese word "chan", which, in turn, comes from the Sanskrit "dhyana", which translates as "contemplation", "concentration". Zen is one of the schools of Buddhism, which was formed in China in the 5th-6th centuries. Taoism had a great influence on the formation of Zen, so there is much in common between these currents.

Zen Buddhism

Today, Zen Buddhism is the main monastic form of Mahayana Buddhism. ("great chariot") widespread in South-East Asia and Japan.

In China, Zen Buddhism is called "Chan Buddhism" in Vietnam - "Thien Buddhism", in Korea - "sleep-Buddhism". To Japan Zen Buddhism came relatively late - in the XII century, however, it was the Japanese transcription of the name of this branch of Buddhism that became the most common.

In a broad sense zen is a school of mystical contemplation, a doctrine of enlightenment. Under zen understand the practice zen schools, also referred to as "dhyana" and is the most important part of Buddhist practice.

How did Zen Buddhism come about?

Traditionally, Buddha Shakyamuni himself is considered the first patriarch of Zen. The second patriarch was his disciple Mahakashyapa, to whom the Buddha, after a silent sermon, gave the lotus symbolizing awakening. Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk and author of books on Buddhism, relates the story this way.

“One day the Buddha stood before a gathering of people at Vulture Peak. All the people were waiting for him to start teaching the dharma, but the Buddha remained silent.

Quite a lot of time has passed, and he has not yet uttered a single word, in his hand was a flower. The eyes of all the people in the crowd were turned to him, but no one understood anything.

Then one monk looked at the Buddha with shining eyes and smiled.

And the Buddha said:

"I have the treasure of seeing the perfect Dharma, the magical spirit of nirvana, free from the impurity of reality, and I gave this treasure to Mahakashyapa."

This smiling monk turned out to be just Mahakashyapa, one of the great disciples of the Buddha. Mahakashyapa was awakened by the flower and his deep perception.

Deen Buddhism is an ever-changing belief that has three strands:

« Intellectual Zen»- a philosophy of life that has moved as far as possible from religion and has become popular among artists, philosophers and scientists.
Psychedelic Zen- a doctrine that involves the use of drugs in order to expand the boundaries of consciousness.
Beat direction- it is known among young people for its simplified rules that promote moral and sexual freedom.

How is Zen Buddhism different from Buddhism?

Brief essence of the doctrine

It is believed that Zen cannot be taught. One can only suggest the way to achieve personal enlightenment.

More precisely, there is no such thing as enlightenment to be possessed. Therefore, Zen masters ("masters") often say not "to achieve enlightenment", but "to see one's own nature." (Enlightenment is not a state. It is a way of seeing.)

In addition, the path to the vision of one's own nature is different for everyone, since everyone is in their own conditions, with their own baggage of experience and ideas. That is why it is said that in Zen there is no definite path, there is no one definite entrance. These words should also help the practitioner not to replace his awareness with the mechanical execution of some practice or idea.

It is believed that the Zen teacher must see his own nature, because then he can correctly see the state of the "student" and give him the appropriate instructions or push for him. At different stages of practice, the “student” may be given different, “opposite” advice, for example:

* “meditate to calm the mind; try harder";
* “don’t try to achieve enlightenment, but just let go of everything that happens”…

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