Zen is the doctrine of full awareness of the nature of reality, of enlightenment. It is believed that this type of Buddhism was brought to China by the Indian monk Bodhidharma, and from there spread to Japan, Korea and Vietnam, and in the 19th and 20th centuries to the West. Bodhidharma himself defined Zen Buddhism as "a direct transition to awakened consciousness, bypassing tradition and sacred texts."

It is believed that the truth of Zen lives in each of us. You just need to look inside and find it there without resorting to outside help. Zen practice stops all mental activity by focusing your thoughts on what you are doing at the present moment, here and now.

Zen style life

- Master, you have reached a venerable age and deep enlightenment. How did you do it?
- All because I don't stop practicing Zen.
- Zen - what is it?
- Nothing special. Knowing Zen is easy. When I want to drink, I drink; when I want to eat, I eat; when I want to sleep, I sleep. As for the rest, I follow nature and the laws of naturalness. These are the basic ideas of Zen Buddhism.
But doesn't everyone do the same?
- Not. Judge for yourself: when you need to drink - you go over your problems and failures in your head, when you need to eat - you think about anything but food, when you need to sleep - you try to solve all the world's problems. Drinks, eats, sleeps only your body. Your thoughts revolve around money, fame, sex, food and much more. But when I'm hungry, I just eat. When I'm tired, I only sleep. I have no thinking, and therefore I have no inner and outer.

The challenge for a Zen practitioner is to see the uniqueness, simplicity, and essence of each thing. And seeing this - to find harmony with the world, every thing in it and with oneself.

The man of Zen Buddhism does not attach to anything, and does not reject anything. He is like a cloud that moves wherever he wants. He lives with an open heart and allows life to flow calmly through him, accepting all its gifts: grief and joy, gains and losses, meetings and partings. To be Zen means to do everything perfectly. Being completely deluded, suffering from stomach pain, watching a butterfly, making soup or writing a report.

In this way, you are able, by discarding prejudices and limitations, to penetrate into the essence of life itself. Right now. Zen philosophy is directly in front of you at this moment.

What is Zen? 10 Rules of Zen Buddhism for Harmony

- Be mindful of everything you are doing at the moment. If you wash the cup, wash the cup. Invest 100% with your mind and heart in what you are doing right now, and then you will achieve really good results. The mind will always be sharp and fresh if you learn to focus on the present moment. It's easy, you just need to remind yourself to be careful. When you eat, be aware of the taste and texture of food - by the way, it is very easy to lose weight this way, because you will no longer automatically eat too much. As you walk down the stairs, focus on the descent, don't think about the papers waiting for you in the office or about the person who lives in another city. Monks practice walking meditation, where they become aware of their feet touching or leaving the ground. A great way to get rid of thoughts is to listen to your breath. And when such attentiveness becomes a habit, your efficiency will increase several times. You will learn to concentrate easily, not to be distracted by anything. Become a great negotiator, subtly feeling the interlocutor. And in general, in work you will not be equal. (But for you zen, ambition doesn't matter.)

- Act, don't just talk. Here is the real secret to success. In the East, words without practice are worthless: mastery can be achieved by laying bricks every day, but not by reading books about it. Bodhidharma asked his disciples to burn scriptures so that they would not become slaves to words instead of practicing the teaching expressed by the word. Knowledge is a map on which the ultimate goal is indicated, but in order to achieve it, you need to go through the entire route yourself.

- Take direct action. Many hours of thinking about "what will happen if ..." - this is not about Zen. It is simple, direct and immediate. So if you want to say or do something, just say or do it without complicating it. For example, hug your father with the words: "You know, dad, I love you very much." Or tell your boss that you need a raise. (Or hug your boss and say, "You know, dad, you need a raise for me.")

- Relax. This is the most enjoyable part of everyday Zen. True, if the world is illusory, is it worth straining? Why bother if events cannot be changed? And if you can, then there is nothing to worry about. Let yourself live a little, like grass, go with the flow ... Accept yourself and your manifestations: there are no shortcomings, it is people who invented them. You are perfect. And stop blaming yourself for everything. When you reproach yourself, you reproach the divine principle, the Absolute in yourself, as if it could be imperfect. It's like blaming the moon for not being yellow enough and the sun for being too hot.

- Rest. Use the quiet moments that arise during the day as a time of self-observation and calmness, meditation or a short nap. Even young people can benefit from a short afternoon break. Learn some of the qigong exercises or learn how to breathe with your stomach. Contemplate something pleasant. Don't forget to recharge the internal batteries.

- listen to your heart. Reach out to him every time you make an important decision. Don Juan warned: if your Way has no heart, it will kill you. Stop doing what you don't like and do what you love. If you have not yet chosen the Path, remember your dreams. About the most secret childhood desires. Maybe this is just what you need right now?

- Accept things as they are. Get used to them. Events happen the way they happen, and we divide them into good and bad instead of looking at the facts directly. You know, anything can become a source of conflict, threat or violence. But maybe - compassion, love and joy. It all depends on the angle of view. Watch life and move according to its flow: this will help you live and develop.

- Be open. Listen to people not only with your head, but with your whole heart, and not for the sake of continuing your monologue when there is a pause. Embrace new ideas and principles, no matter how wise and experienced you feel. Open up to change and unexpected opportunities - sometimes what seems like a detour turns out to be the shortest path to your goal. Keep looking for new friends, do not shut yourself off from strangers - one of them can change your life and be of great help.

- Find funny things in everyday life. Give free rein to your sense of humor, don't take everything too seriously. Seriousness is a way of making simple things complex. Read the beginner meditator's guide: "You've been set up. You've been scammed on every dime of your money. All money is an illusion. You have nothing. There never was." Or: "Don't be afraid to be alone with yourself. You don't bite."

- Just be. Enter your pure existence without boundaries. Zen contains nothing that fetters human nature. Among the stories about Zen there is this: a student comes to the Master and asks to show him the way to liberation. "Who does not want you?" the Teacher asks. "No one," the student answers, and immediately attains enlightenment.

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.

Bodhidharma was met by the Chinese emperor himself and asked what was 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 the real essence of everything is 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., in contrast to the ordinary 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 the most important principles of Zen is that the state of enlightenment can only be achieved in a state of non-action.

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. So 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. Albeit for a short time, but a person will already be familiar with this state and 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 at how the 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.

Etymology

Of all the names of this branch of Buddhism, its Japanese name (actually "Zen") has received the widest popularity in the West. The etymology of this word has its roots in the Sanskrit-Pali term "dhyana/jhana" (Skt. ध्यान, dhyāna, from ध्या, dhyā, "concentration, reflection"), meaning "(mental) concentration".

The pronunciation of this word has undergone a transformation in Chinese into "chan" (cf. Vietnam. thien; box sleep or sen), then, spreading in Japan - in "Zen".

At present, the word zen stand for (1) the actual teaching and practice of Zen; (2) the tradition in which these teachings and practices are transmitted - zen buddhism, zen school. Another (official) name for the Zen tradition is Buddha's Heart (Chinese Fo Xin); can also be translated as Mind of the Buddha.

Story

It is generally accepted that Zen spread in China in the 5th century AD. e. The Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidharma (in the Chinese tradition - Putidamo or simply Damo, in the Japanese - Daruma), often called the successor of 27 Indian Patriarchs of Buddhism, who later became the first Patriarch of Zen (Chan), is considered to have brought this teaching of the Buddha to China. Bodhidharma settled in the Shaolin Monastery, considered today the cradle of Chinese Chan Buddhism. During the 6th-8th centuries, Zen spread to the territory of Korea, and then to Japan. Subsequently, over the centuries, the teaching was passed from patriarch to patriarch, gaining more and more adherents. Currently, it has become widespread in the West (Western Europe, North America).

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") are more likely to say not "attain enlightenment" but "see one's own nature." (Enlightenment is not a state. It is a way of seeing .))

Besides, way to a vision of one's own nature - for each his own, since each is in his own conditions, with his own baggage of experience and ideas. That's why they say that in Zen no definite path, there is no one specific input. These words should also help the practitioner don't change your awareness 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 quiet the mind; try harder";
• “don’t try to achieve enlightenment, but just let go of everything that happens”…

According to general Buddhist ideas, there are three root poisons from which all suffering and delusion arise:

1. ignorance of one's nature (cloudiness of the mind, dullness, confusion, anxiety),
2. disgust (to "unpleasant", the idea of ​​​​something as an independent "evil", generally hard views),
3. attachment (to the pleasant - unquenchable thirst, clinging) ...

Therefore, awakening is promoted by: (1) calming the mind, (2) liberation from hard views, and (3) from attachments.

The two main types of regular Zen practice are sitting meditation and simple physical labor. They are aimed at calming and unifying the mind. When the self-churning ceases, "the haze settles", ignorance and restlessness decrease. A clearer mind can more easily see its nature.

At a certain stage, when the practitioner has calmed the mind, a good mentor - seeing the "obstruction" in the practitioner's mind, such as hard views or attachment - can help to get rid of it. (Thus, the path of the Zen practitioner is both the opening of "one's" wisdom and not the closing off of "their" wisdom. Rather, it is the removal of the false barrier between "my" wisdom and the "alien".)

Many Zen masters claim that the practice may be "gradual" or "sudden", but the awakening itself is always sudden - or rather, not gradually. It is simply discarding the superfluous and seeing what is. Since this is just a discard, it cannot be said that it somehow achieved. Or that there are "disciples" and "mentors" in it. Teachers can transfer Dharma teachings- that is, the ideas and methods of Zen. Dharma Mind, that is, the essence of enlightenment, is already present. She doesn't need any achievements.

So, the practice and teaching of Zen is aimed at: (1) calming the mind, (2) liberation from rigid views, (3) letting go of attachments. This facilitates the vision of one's own nature, which itself is beyond all practice and all paths.

In general, the same is true for the rest of the Buddhist traditions; this school - Zen - aims at maximum simplicity and flexibility of methods and concepts.)

Zen Buddhism denies the superiority of the intellect over pure experience, considering the latter, together with intuition, to be faithful helpers.

The main principles of Buddhism on which Zen is based:

The main difference between Zen and other branches of Buddhism

In Zen, the main attention on the path to achieving satori is paid not only (and not so much) to the Holy Scriptures and sutras, but to direct comprehension of reality based on intuitive insight into one's own nature.

According to Zen, anyone can achieve satori.

The four key differences of Zen are:

1. Special teaching without sacred texts.
2. Lack of unconditional authority of words and written signs.
3. Transmission through direct reference to reality - in a special way from heart to heart.
4. The need for awakening through awareness of one's own true nature.

"Don't Make Written Instructions"
"Pass on the tradition without precepts"
"Point Directly at the Human Heart"
"Look into your nature and you will become a Buddha"

According to legend, the beginning of the Zen tradition was laid by the founder of Buddhism himself - Buddha Shakyamuni (5th century BC), who once raised a flower in front of his students and smiled (“Flower Sermon of the Buddha”).

No one, however, except for one person - Mahakashyapa did not understand the meaning of this gesture of the Buddha. Mahakashyapa answered the Buddha by also holding up a flower and smiling. In that moment, he experienced awakening: the state of awakening was given to him by the Buddha directly, without instructions, verbal or written.

One day the Buddha was standing in front of a gathering of people at Vulture Peak. All the people were waiting for him to start teaching awakening (dharma), but the Buddha was 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's moment of awakening happened when the Buddha raised a flower over his head. The monk saw the flower for what it was and received the “seal of the heart,” to use Zen terminology. The Buddha transmitted his profound understanding from heart to heart. He took the seal of his heart and made an impression with it on the heart of Mahakashyapa. Mahakashyapa was awakened by the flower and his deep perception.

Thus, according to Zen, the tradition of direct ("from heart to heart") transmission of awakening from teacher to student began. In India, awakening was passed on in this way for twenty-eight generations of mentors from Mahakashyapa to Bodhidharma himself - the 28th patriarch of the Buddhist school of contemplation in India and the first patriarch of the Buddhist school of Ch'an in China.

Bodhidharma said, "The Buddha directly conveyed Zen, which has nothing to do with the scriptures and doctrines you study." So, according to Zen - the true meaning of Buddhism is comprehended only through increased self-contemplation - "look into your nature and become a Buddha" (and not as a result of studying doctrinal and philosophical texts), and also "from heart to heart" - thanks to the tradition of transmission from teacher to student.

In order to emphasize the principle of the immediacy of this transmission and to eradicate the students' attachment to the letter, image, symbol, many Chan mentors of the early period defiantly burned sutra texts and sacred images. One could not even speak of teaching Zen, because it cannot be taught through symbols. Zen passes directly from master to student, from mind to mind, from heart to heart. Zen itself is a kind of “seal of the mind (heart)”, which cannot be found in the scriptures, since it is “not based on letters and words” - A special transmission of the awakened consciousness from the heart of the teacher to the heart of the student without relying on written signs- the transmission in another way of what cannot be expressed by speech - "direct indication", a kind of non-verbal way of communication, without which the Buddhist experience could never be passed on from generation to generation.

Zen Practices

Satori

Satori - "Enlightenment", a sudden awakening. Since all human beings inherently possess the capacity for enlightenment, the task of the Zen practitioner is to realize it. Satori always comes suddenly, like a flash of lightning. Enlightenment knows no parts and divisions, so it cannot be perceived gradually.

Awakening Methods

It is believed that in comparison with practical training "from heart to heart" - even the instructions of the Buddha himself play a secondary role in Zen Buddhism. For modern students - in addition to transmission from heart to heart, listening, reading, reflection are also necessary. The direct methods of pointing in Zen are more effective than reading books, but they do not imply complete abandonment of reading either.

For training, the master can use any method, but the most widespread practices are zazen (sitting meditation) and koan (a parable-riddle that does not have a logically substantiated answer).

Zen is dominated by instantaneous, sudden awakening, which can sometimes be brought about by specific techniques. The most famous of them is the koan. This is a kind of paradox, absurd for ordinary reason, which, having become an object of contemplation, stimulates awakening, as it were.

Meditative practice

Zazen practice

Zazen - meditation in the "lotus position" - requires, on the one hand, the utmost concentration of consciousness, on the other hand, the ability not to think about any specific problem. “Just sit” and, not paying attention to any thing in particular, perceive everything around you as a whole, to the smallest detail, knowing about their presence in the same way as you know about the presence of your own ears, without seeing them.

“The perfect man uses his mind like a mirror: he lacks nothing and rejects nothing. Accepts but does not hold

Instead of trying to clear or empty the mind, one should simply let it go, because the mind is not something that can be mastered. Letting go of the mind is the same as letting go of the flow of thoughts and impressions that come and go "into the mind". There is no need to suppress them, or hold them back, or interfere with their course. It is in zazen meditation that the action of the Taoist "wu-xin" - "no-mind" is practiced.

Koans

Stages of the Zen State of Mind

There were several stages of achieving "emptiness" of consciousness:

• "single-point consciousness" (yi-nian-hsin),
• "consciousness devoid of thoughts" (wu-nian-hsin),
• "non-consciousness" (wu-hsin) or "not-me" (wu).

These are the stages of “emptying” the consciousness and achieving shunyata or kun (Chinese), that is, emptiness, because one of the goals of Chan art is to create special conditions when the psyche is left to itself and works spontaneously, being globally holistic or transpersonal (in sense of co-existence or co-knowledge with other people and with the world).

Martial Arts Zen and Samurai Zen

Quite unexpectedly, the way to comprehend Buddhism has become something that contradicts one of the five fundamental Buddhist prohibitions - "refrain from killing." Probably it was in China, where Buddhism was subjected to the liberating influence of Taoism, that Zen destroyed the conventional ethical framework of Buddhism and, as an effective psycho-training, first joined the military disciplines. Today, Zen is already applied to all areas of activity, from playing the guitar to sex.

“Of all those gathered, only the closest disciple of the Buddha, Mahakashyapa, accepted the sign of the Teacher and barely perceptibly smiled in response from the corners of his eyes.” It is from this recognized canonical episode that the whole tradition of transmitting the teachings of Chan / Zen with the help of the so-called. "tricks" - any improvised and, it would seem, the most inappropriate things for this, secular and other activities, such as brewing tea, theatrical performance, playing the flute, the art of ikebana, composing. The same goes for martial arts.

For the first time, martial arts were combined with Zen as a body-developing gymnastics, and then also as a hardening of the spirit of fearlessness - in the Chinese Buddhist monastery of Shaolin.

Since then, Zen has been what distinguishes the martial art of the East from the Western sport. Many outstanding masters of kendo (fencing), karate, judo, aikido were adherents of Zen. This is due to the fact that the situation of a real fight, a fight in which severe injuries and death are possible, requires from a person precisely those qualities that Zen cultivates.

In a combat situation, a fighter does not have time to reason, the situation changes so quickly that a logical analysis of the enemy’s actions and planning his own will inevitably lead to defeat. Thought is too slow to follow such a technical action as a blow that lasts a fraction of a second. A pure consciousness, unclouded by unnecessary thoughts, like a mirror reflects any changes in the surrounding space and allows the fighter to react spontaneously, uncontrived. It is also very important during the fight the absence of fear, like any other emotions.

Takuan Soho (1573-1644), a Zen master and author of treatises on the ancient Japanese art of swordsmanship (now preserved in kendo techniques), calls the calmness of a warrior who has reached the highest level of skill unshakable wisdom. "AT You certainly see the sword about to strike you," says Takuan. " But don't let your mind "stop" there. Abandon the intention to contact the enemy in response to his threatening attack, stop making any plans for this. Just perceive the opponent's movements and don't let your mind "stop" there.»

The martial arts of China and Japan are, first of all, arts, a way of developing the "spiritual abilities of the samurai", the implementation of the "Way" ("tao" or "do") - the path of a warrior, the path of the sword, the path of the arrow. Bushido, the famous "Way of the Samurai" - a set of rules and norms for the "true", "ideal" warrior has been developed in Japan for centuries and absorbed most of the provisions of Zen Buddhism, especially the ideas of strict self-control and indifference to death. Self-control and self-control were elevated to the rank of virtue and were considered valuable qualities of the character of the samurai. In direct connection with bushido was also zazen meditation, which developed confidence and composure in the samurai in the face of death.

Zen ethics

Do not treat anything as good or bad. Just be an observer (witness).

Zen Aesthetics

The impact of Zen on the modern world

In the works of H. Hesse, J. Salinger, J. Kerouac, R. Zelazny, in the poetry of H. Snyder and A. Ginsberg, in the painting of W. Van Gogh and A. Matisse, in the music of G. Mahler and J. Cage, in philosophy of A. Schweitzer, in the works on psychology of C. G. Jung and E. Fromm. In the 60s. "Zen boom" swept through many American universities and gave a certain color to the beat movement.

Many psychotherapeutic schools have experienced the influence of Zen - such as Gestalt therapy and the founder Fritz Perls himself, as well as well-known trainings such as ECT.

John Enright, who worked for many years in Gestalt with Perls, in his book "Gestalt Leading to Enlightenment" directly wrote that he considers mini-satori to be the main goal of Gestalt therapy - the achievement of a special insight or catharsis - after which most old problems dissolve .

see also

Notes

Links

• Zen, Tao - texts of books (Zen Buddhism, Taoism) - in the electronic library on the website of Ki Aikido in Moscow

Hello dear readers! This article will discuss the basics of such a common Eastern teaching as Zen Buddhism. This is an independent religion, the purpose of which is to comprehend the nature of the mind and wisdom. We will consider its basic principles and how in practice you can comprehend the truth with the help of this ancient knowledge.

Zen originated in China at the dawn of the 6th century. However, only after reaching Japan did the teaching become widespread. It happened only in VII-VIII. The main founder of this trend is Bodhidharma, who also personifies Buddhist wisdom.

The basic formula for understanding the nature of the mind is meditation, which allows you to reach a whole new level of self-awareness and enlightenment.

Briefly about the doctrine

Zen Buddhism is a symbiosis of Chinese and Indian beliefs, multiplied by the Japanese tradition. It contains the following elements:

• jingtu (Pure Land Buddhism);
• Madhyamaka and Mahasanghika;
• Tendai, Shingon and Kegon (Japanese teachings).

Despite the mixture of styles and different schools, the teachings of Bodhidharma have their own differences. This religious movement is characterized by a “light” attitude towards sacred texts. Constant practice comes first, which is why it is so popular, unlike other beliefs.

Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki (10/18/1870 - 07/12/1966). Japanese philosopher and main promoter of Zen Buddhism

"Satori is the soul of Zen and without it nothing exists." (D.T. Suzuki)

The central essence of the teaching is the comprehension of satori. It has the following features:

• irrationality, inexplicability;
• intuitive feeling of nature around;
• a feeling of delight, euphoria as a result of the realization of something elusive;
• brevity and suddenness.

Principles

Zen Buddhism cannot be reduced to any formality. This is the path of liberation, but not philosophy, not psychology, not science. Zen manifests itself in everything that surrounds a person. This makes him related to Taoism, yoga and some other oriental knowledge.

The basic principles of Zen Buddhism can be summarized as follows:

1. Becoming a "Buddha" through the contemplation of one's nature.
2. Human consciousness is the pinnacle of everything.
3. Unacceptability of sacred texts, their special interpretation.
4. Rejection of words and texts applicable as a knowledge base.

These four ideas describe the philosophy of religion in the world tradition and clearly limit the teaching from other branches of Buddhism.

First principle

This position involves the contemplation of one's own nature in order to achieve a special level of consciousness. Based on the sacred texts, a person who practices this principle does not aspire to become a Buddha, as this is not the ultimate goal of the teaching.

However, the Buddha is not perceived by the higher mind, like the Lord or Allah, he does not stand on top of a person, he is "scattered around the world." Its particle is in each of the living people, plants, animals and any surrounding objects.

Zen Buddhism calls to see nature with an “open mind”, to perceive oneself and the surrounding space as part of a great whole organism. The main goal is to achieve satori as a special state of mind, through meditation.

Second principle

Inner harmony and a calm state of mind is a constant individual work on your mind. Zen teaches that each person has his own path of deliverance and his own path, through which one can achieve enlightened consciousness.

Getting rid of internal conflicts and contradictions, the follower gradually acquires the gift to distinguish “the wheat from the chaff” and stops worrying about the little things, lives more consciously, contemplating the world around and inside himself.

Third principle

Texts and books are used only at the first stage of the disciple's training. They help to learn the main intellectual points of Buddhist philosophy. Further in-depth study of special literature, according to teachers, on the contrary, will prevent the student from comprehending knowledge.

Fourth principle

Zen is a branch. It has a great practical orientation, so communication between the student and the teacher is so important. The concept claims to be related to Buddhism, however, its followers do not study the sutras and shastras, considering them nothing more than unnecessary papers.

True consciousness is achieved through the "direct transmission of dharma" from teacher to student and is the highest manifestation of "patriarchal chan" (lineage). It is very important that Zen does not practice withdrawal from the world, but helps to live and interact with others.

Practical use

Spiritual experience and growth in Zen Buddhism is not tied to the study of special literature. Practice in this religion is the basis of all changes in human consciousness. That is why Zen is so popular all over the world, because in order to become a follower of this teaching, the country of residence, political views and social status are not important.

Both lawyers, lawyers from the USA, and poor fishermen in Vietnam can practice the doctrine. And each of them has every chance to achieve enlightenment and harmony.

As a psycho-training, teachers often offer followers stories from the lives of famous patriarchs (koans). Their goal is to challenge the rationality of thinking, thereby making the mind more flexible.

Meditation- the leading practice in Zen Buddhism, a true symbol of liberation. These exercises help you solve the following problems:

1. Get rid of anger and hatred. A person learns not to do bad deeds, succumbing to negative emotions. Meditation allows you to eradicate the source of evil within yourself and remain calm in any situation.
2. . The purpose of practical exercises is to come to terms with the current state of affairs and accept all the circumstances that occur with a person. This approach allows you to more competently "work out" your karma.
3. Refusal of excess. Most of the surrounding things, objects, people, based on the concept of Zen Buddhism, will certainly bring suffering, so the goal of each follower of the teaching is to achieve independence from all this.
4. Harmony with your Tao. The path that is destined for a person by a higher power, the student in Zen Buddhism perceives as inevitable. It is part of spiritual growth and not accepting it will make it much harder to achieve satori.

Daily practice, under the unobtrusive guidance of a teacher, as well as the lack of emphasis on the study of special literature, allows Zen Buddhism to confidently walk around the globe.

Zen Buddhism in the Modern World

The heightened Western interest in Japanese culture after the Second World War opened up the mysterious and alluring world of the East to Americans and Europeans. The influence of this religion can be traced in the film industry, music, sculpture and art.

The world community, devastated by wars and the rapid development of technology, sought to find an island of freedom and serenity. This is what Zen Buddhism teaches. Also, a Western person is attracted by the quick result of enlightenment, the absence of exhausting training and many years of studying special literature.

Conclusion

Zen Buddhism is not a religion in the classical sense of the word. This is spontaneity, naturalness and harmony, which is achieved by working with one's own consciousness. A look inside oneself is what modern man lacks so much in order to stop the senseless pursuit of things and realize the true value of the world around him.

If the information in the article, dear readers, seemed interesting to you, share it on social networks. Zen Buddhism is multifaceted and everyone can find themselves by following this knowledge.

The truth is hidden outside the letters,
The Law cannot be conveyed in signs and words.
Turn to the heart, inside and back,
So that, having comprehended himself, become a Buddha!

The three root poisons from which all suffering and delusion, as well as birth and death, arise:

1. ignorance of one's nature (stupidity, erroneous views, inability to see things as they are, feeling of indifference) - is the main cause of suffering;

2. disgust (hatred, anger, feeling of "ugliness", rejection, hostility);

3. desire or attachment (to the ideas of the existence and non-existence of things, to speculation, to nirvana, to desires and fears, to the entire external world and to one's own "I" as illusions.

Zen is a unique current that does not have sacred texts, doctrines, dogmas and the teaching itself, it penetrates into the true nature of the mind. Those who have encountered the practice of Zen note that its essence is “inexpressible”, words cannot be explained or studied like any scripture. The first patriarch, Bodhiharma, expressed Zen as "a direct transition to awakened consciousness, bypassing tradition and sacred texts," and the sixth, Huineng, formulated it as "an insight into the knowledge of one's own nature."

Zen does not teach its adepts anything in the sense of the rational mind, analysis. It does not have a doctrine, but each follower of this trend has his own, exclusively personal doctrine, which has its own individual character and did not arise due to Zen. That is, everyone has their own path. Each follower himself creates his own teaching, and Zen only points the way, not having specially created doctrines or any philosophical systems. Despite the fact that Zen claims to be related to Buddhism, from his point of view, all Buddhist teachings contained in the sutras and shastras are nothing more than waste paper, with which you can only dust off the intellect.

In no case can Zen be attributed to religion in the recognized sense, there is no god in it who needs to bow down, there are no ceremonies and rituals, heaven or hell for those who have departed to another world; and, there is no such thing as a soul that needs to be taken care of by someone else, and immortality, which greatly excites some individuals.

A devout reader or just a European will be shocked after such a statement, they say Zen does not recognize the existence of God, but this does not mean a denial of God, there is no denial or affirmation in it. Denying something, we already include in it what we deny, as well as affirming, there is no clear boundary between these two concepts, they gently merge. It is only logic that requires clear distinctions and divisions between yes and no. Zen is above logic and seeks to find a higher statement that has no opposition. Therefore, Zen does not deny God, but does not assert His existence, it simply does not have the God that Christian and Muslim minds are accustomed to.

To practice meditation, a person must first be able to focus on something thought, for example, on the impermanence of things and divine love. However, this is precisely what Zen wants to avoid, instead insisting very strongly on achieving freedom from all unnatural hindrances and rules. When meditating, that special state is, of course, not a natural property of the mind. Think for yourself, what do animals and birds, marine life think about? They just live, fly and swim. And that's enough.

“If a person has a desire to reflect on the unity of God, man and the world around? Or greatness, or squalor of our life? If there are those who wish to bind themselves hand and foot with various meditations, meditating on divine mercy and the eternal fire of hell? Please waste your time and energy."

Zen does not dictate unconditional renunciation of all desires and urges, and does not support asceticism. Your desires do not need to be suppressed, only you need to be deeply and widely aware of them. Everything that happens to a person during the day can become one continuous meditation - with only one immutable rule: to be in full presence while performing every action, while not being distracted by anything. Whatever he did - he worked, drank in a bar, slept or peeled potatoes. Any enthusiastic occupation, perception of life with passion, can be a way to comprehend one's true nature. Zen teaches to live in harmony with inner and outer nature. Each follower has their own and unique path.

Zen is very much in line with the methods of teaching knowledge with all schools of true knowledge. Heart to heart transmission is the basis of knowledge transfer in all schools of kung fu and other martial arts. Only schools, not sections, sports organizations, etc.

Once the emperor asked the question: "Who are you?" To which Bodhiharma replied: “I don’t know,” and this answer became the key phrase for a number of schools. Of course, Bodhiharma knew perfectly well, but this knowledge is inherent in a different measure, inaccessible to the student. He is a Teacher and thinks in categories not related to "relative things". In Zen, this is the starting point of the right path when solving koans. The teacher rejects the student's different answers until he "knows he doesn't know".

The visitor asked the Teacher a question about what is the essence of the Buddhist teaching? To which he received an answer from the Chan Master: "do good, avoid evil, purify your heart - this is the way of the Buddha." Upon receiving this answer from a Chan Master, the visitor experienced a feeling of disappointment: "Even a three-year-old child can fully understand this." Only Master clarified, "Even an 80-year-old man cannot fully realize it." Based on this episode Daisetsu Suzuki * noted that although for an outside observer the teachings are mysterious and very contradictory, only in reality Zen can be reduced to two things: to follow internal discipline and the words that were heard in response to the visitor from the Teacher.

Differences of Zen Buddhism from other schools

The difference, first of all, is that although Zen includes some elements of different Buddhist schools, it also has a number of differences from them.

As already mentioned, in Zen, as in other true schools and paths, important knowledge is not transmitted through sacred texts, but from Master to student, the “heart to heart” method. The master during this action “transfers” to the student, using certain methods, initiations, his own state of awareness, thus imposing on the student the “seal of the heart” (xin yin). The student now only needs to consolidate this state by meditative practice. This process maintains the continuity of the line of direct transfer of knowledge.