What is Zen Buddhism: definition, main ideas, essence, rules, principles, philosophy, meditation, features. Zen: what religion does it belong to? What does it mean to know Zen, the state of Zen, the inner Zen? What is the difference between Zen Buddhism and Buddhism?
Bukko "...the immensity of space"
Daikaku "...to make one's heart pure"
Bankei "...to remain permanently unborn."
Rinzai "...the position of the heart that does not change from moment to moment"
Dayo "...in the blink of an eye"
Shoitsu "...then the whole world becomes a gate of liberation"
Engo "man of enlightened freedom"
Guin "...hidden spring"
Master Bukko said:
"Accept events easily, without effort,
and after a while the pressure of thoughts,
external and internal, subsides by itself,
and the true face will reveal itself.
Body and mind free from all motivations,
always appear like emptiness
and absolute identity,
shining like the brightness of heaven in the center of the wide
spaces of existing things,
no polishing or cleaning required.
It's beyond all concepts
beyond being and non-being.
Leave your countless knowledge,
impressions, understanding and go to this
the immensity of space.
When you came to this extent,
there is not a speck of Buddhism in your heart,
and when you don’t have a speck of knowledge,
you gain the true vision of Buddhas and patriarchs.
The real truth
looks like an immense space
which contains all phenomena.
When you can come and go
It's the same in all religions
when there is nothing specifically yours
neither inside nor outside,
when you live up to high
and you match the low
correspond to square
and correspond to the round one, -
then this is That.
The emptiness of the sea allows the waves to rise;
the emptiness of mountain valleys produces echoes,
emptiness of the heart gives birth to Buddha.
When your heart is empty
things are reflected in it,
like in a mirror
shining there without any distinction between them.
Life and death are an illusion
all Buddhas are in one body of yours.
Zen is not something mysterious,
it's just hitting the mark and piercing through events.
If you cast aside all doubts,
the flow of life and death will cease on its own.
I ask you all:
Do you see it or not?
How the snow melts on top of Mount Fuji in June."
Master Daikaku said:
"Zen practice does not clarify the differences between concepts,
she throws away all preconceived notions,
and performances, and sacred texts, and everything else
and, piercing the hiding covers, reaches spring
own existence after them.
All the saints turned inside
and looked for ourselves
and thus went beyond all doubts.
Turning inside means all 24 hours,
in every situation,
pierce all the shells one after another,
hiding their own essence,
deeper and deeper, to that place
which cannot be described.
It happens then
when the thought process ends
and the mind ceases to distinguish,
when false views and ideas
disappear on their own, without special attention to them,
when true actions
and true motives arise on their own, without searching.
This happens when a person knows
what is the truth of the heart.
And the person who decides to follow the path
should never from the very beginning
don't lose sight of her,
is she in a quiet place
or in a place of struggle,
and he should not cling to quiet places
and avoid places where there is anxiety.
If a person wants to find refuge from worries,
hiding in some quiet place,
he will fall into darkness.
If, when he tries
discard delusions and discover the truth,
the world is made up of many possibilities,
he must discard thousands of impulses
and go forward without thinking at all
about good or bad.
He shouldn't hate passions
he just has to make his heart pure."
A layman asked Bankei:
"Although I am grateful to you for the doctrine of birthlessness,
thoughts, thanks to habits of mind,
they still come
and I get lost in them and experience difficulties,
trying to remain constantly unborn.
To what can I apply the faith of my heart?"
Bankei replied:
"If you try to stop
emerging thoughts,
the mind will be divided into two purities:
stopping and stopping,
and you will never achieve peace of mind.
Just believe that thoughts are originally
do not exist, but arise from time to time
and stop depending on
what you see and hear but don't have
real essence."
Another layman asked:
"When I erase the thoughts that arise,
they still keep coming from everywhere,
do not stop.
How can I control them?"
Bankei replied:
"Erasing emerging thoughts is the same
that trying to wash away blood with blood;
Although the original blood may be removed,
the blood that washes away will still leave traces;
No matter how much you wash off, the stains will remain."
"No-mind is not originally born,
does not die and exists without illusions.
Without realizing it, thinking
that thoughts really exist,
you wander in the routine of birth and death."
Realizing that thoughts arise only temporarily,
you have to let them start and stop,
without holding back or rejecting them.
It's like objects reflected in a mirror;
if the mirror is clean and clear,
it reflects what passes in front of it,
but does not hold images."
"Enlightened no-mind is infinitely brighter and purer,
than a mirror, and at the same time radiates like light,
knowledge; all thoughts dissolve in such light,
leaving no trace.
If you believe this truth,
you can trust her, then no matter how many thoughts come,
They won't be an obstacle."
One monk asked Rinzai:
"What is the position of the heart,
which does not change from moment to moment?
Master said:
"Between the moment when you
I decided to ask the question to the current
there is already a difference, and yours
inherent nature and your action
become divided...
Don't be fooled. Inside and outside the world
there is nothing that has
own nature, even nothing,
which would generate its own.
These are all just empty names
and even the letters of these names themselves are empty.
If you take these
empty names for reality,
you will make a big mistake.
Although they exist, they
depend on many things and change,
like clothes,
which can be put on and taken off.
There are clothes of bodhi, nirvana, liberation,
trikaya, objective wisdom,
bodhisattvas and buddhas.
What are you looking for in these dimensions and dependencies?
Three vehicles and twelve
sections of the exercises-
this is old stuff with which
you can't get rid of the mess.
Buddha is an illusory phantom.
Patriarchs are just old monks. Are you yourself?
were not born from the mother?
If you mean Buddha,
you will be captured by the Buddha demon;
if you are looking for patriarchs,
you will be limited by the demon of the patriarchs.
Whatever you seek will become misery.
It's better not to have anything worth looking for."
Master Dayo spoke to Genchu
"Since ancient times, enlightened ancestors, appearing in the world,
relied simply on their basic sensations in order to
to discover what is before us; That's why we
we see them kicking chairs and lifting brooms,
gnawing the ground and waving sticks,
beating a drum or rolling balls."
Dayo continued:
"But although this is so, wonderful Genchu, you have traveled
everywhere and spent a lot of time in monasteries. Don't worry about
these old days that I mentioned,
just follow the path of life,
which you see for yourself; go east, go west,
like a hawk that flies in the skies.
And in the blink of an eye you'll be on the other side..."
Another time Dayo said to Kusho:
"The causes and boundaries of the concerns of the enlightened are not so far
from your daily activities.
There is no difference between "there" and "here".
This extends to the past and present,
shines from heaven, reflects the earth.
Therefore they say that
everything in the last myriads of eternities is true even now.
We appreciate the great spirit of the hero only in this regard.
Before any signs become discernible,
before any illustration becomes apparent,
really concentrate
look, coming or going, until
until your efforts are fully matured.
In the moment of understanding you reach agreement.
The mind of birth and death is destroyed,
and suddenly you clearly see your original appearance,
the landscape of your native land, every feature is easily distinguishable.
You then see and hear like Buddhas,
know and act as the enlightened ancestors did."
Master Shoitsu said to Chizen:
"In the school of old teachers
we were pointing directly to the human mind.
Verbal explanations and illustrative techniques
miss the target.
Without delving into sight or hearing,
not following sound or form,
acting freely in the world of phenomena,
sitting and lying in a pile of various shapes,
without getting involved in exhalation phenomena,
not limited to groups and elements of existence
when you inhale, and then the whole world
becomes the gate of liberation.
All worlds are true reality.
The Universal Master knows where this is coming,
the moment it comes up.
How can beginners and latecomers master this?
If you haven't realized it yet, for a temporary being
we are opening a path
on the broad road of secondary truth.
Speak where there is nothing to say
manifest forms surrounded by formlessness.
React during daily activities
on situations in the sphere of differences,
don't try to get rid of anything,
don't consider this a hidden miracle -
without meaning, without aroma, day and night,
forgetting sleep and food, keeping these words in mind.
If you still haven't caught it,
we will talk on the third level,
explaining mind and nature, speaking of mystery and wonder.
One atom contains space,
one thought permeates everywhere.
Therefore one ancient said:
"Endless lands and worlds,
Not at all different from each other
ten centuries past and present
never separated from the moment of thought."
Master Engo said:
"An enlightened person enjoys perfect freedom
V active life.
He's like a dragon swimming in deep waters
or like a tiger that feels
master in his mountain refuge.
An unenlightened person goes with the flow in worldly affairs.
He's like a ram caught in a fence by its horns,
or like a person who is waiting,
that the hare will run into a stump and stun itself.
The words of an enlightened person are sometimes like a lion,
ready to jump
sometimes like the Diamond King's precious sword.
Sometimes they say
to silence world celebrities,
sometimes they seem to follow waves, one after another.
When an enlightened person meets other enlightened people -
it's friend meeting friend.
He appreciates them and they inspire courage in each other.
When he meets those who are adrift in the world,
then the Master meets the disciple.
He communicates with such people with foresight.
He stands firmly in front of them, like a thousand-meter cliff.
Therefore they say that the perfect path is expressed everywhere:
he doesn't have fixed rules and statutes.
The Master sometimes has a blade of grass
symbolizes a golden-faced Buddha sixteen feet tall.
Sometimes the golden-faced Buddha is sixteen feet tall
symbolizes a blade of grass."
Another time Engo said:
“The universe is not covered with a veil;
all its activities are open.
Wherever an enlightened person goes,
he meets no obstacles.
At any time he behaves independently.
Every word he says is devoid of egocentrism,
but still has the power to kill others.
When the illusory path of thinking is stopped,
immediately a thousand eyes open.
One word stops the flow of thoughts:
all non-actions are controlled.
Is there anyone
who could live the life of a Buddha and die the death of a Buddha?
Truth appears everywhere."
At the time of his death, Monk Guin wrote:
"All doctrines have been torn to pieces,
Zen teachings are discarded -
Eighty years and one.
The sky is now cracking and falling,
The ground opens up, splitting apart.
In the heart of the fire lies hidden spring."
Translation from English
Publishing house CDK "Unity", 1993
(*) Lin Chi (Rinzai) (? - 866) is rightfully considered one of the most powerful masters in the entire history of the development of Zen, and the direction in the teaching founded by him became the most influential among the followers of Zen philosophy and practice after Hui Nenga. He died in the 9th century, but until the very middle of the twentieth century, generation after generation, his followers were the leading Zen masters. In the 12th century, his teachings were brought to Japan, where they became known as the Rinzai school, one of the two major schools of Zen that continues to flourish today.
At the time when Lin Chi lived, China was constantly at war with strong and cruel enemies. The national spirit was militant, and the Zen of that time was characterized by sharp directness and force. Ling Chi's method was also direct and dynamic. He was not tormented by remorse about the cuffs with which he generously showered students who entered the verbal or mental jungle, which made him known as a master with rather rough treatment. Normally such behavior would cause resentment on the part of students, but in Zen teaching it became a way of “opening” the consciousness behind the intellect.
When Lin Chi was asked a question of a philosophical or metaphysical nature, the answer was a slap on the wrist. How could you react to something like this? The student could not use the terms of logic, nor could he turn to any traditional teachings for help: he had nothing on which to rely. It was as if he was immediately thrown into the world for no reason, without the usual sequence of thoughts to which he was accustomed to be attached. But when he became frank in his question, his whole nature was already inclined to know the answer. He discarded all habitual forms of thinking, and this served to open his consciousness to direct perception of his own nature.
Lin Chi was also a great subverter of religious conventions. He had an undisguised aversion to all sorts of roundabout ways in which pure, clear truth was interpreted by philosophers and scribes. His own method emphasized spontaneity and absolute freedom. He said: “Many students come to me from different places. Many of them are not free from the delusions of objective reality. I teach them directly without preparation. If their problem lies in their restless hands, I hit them with them. And if it is hidden between the eyes, I hit it there. I didn't find anyone who behaved freely. This is all because they are all bound by the useless teachings of their former masters. As for me, I don’t use just one method for everyone, but I figure out what the problem is and free the person from it.
Friends, I say to you: "There is no Buddha, there is no spiritual path to follow. What are you so feverishly striving for? To rest your head on the top of your own head, you blind idiots? Your head is where it should be. The trouble is in your lack of faith in yourself. It is because you do not believe in yourself that you constantly struggle with the situations in which you find yourself. Being slaves to objective situations, you have no freedom, you are not the masters of yourself. aspirations outward and don’t even get attached to what I say. Just stop clinging to the past and longing for the future. And this will become a more useful thing than a ten-year pilgrimage.”
The first time they heard about Lin Chi was when he was a young monk and studied with master Huang Po. In the Huang Po Temple, where five hundred monks practiced, Lin Chi led a life no different from others for the first three years. In the mornings he worked in the fields along with others, during the day he meditated, and in the evenings he helped in the kitchen or prepared a bath for the elderly monks.
But one day, senior monk Mu Chou was observing him and noticed his unusually pure and purposeful behavior. So, when he ate, he ate; and when he meditated, he meditated. His whole nature was in tune with the action in which he involved himself, without thought of his own benefit, selfishness or pride. Thus, his actions were like pure gold and not an alloy. And precisely because he was honest and straightforward, he had nothing to ask the master about, and he did not rush forward without reason.
One day, Mu Chou, strongly wanting the master to notice Lin Chi, ordered him to ask the master a question. And since Lin Chi did not know what to ask, Mu Chou advised him to ask what the basic principle of Buddhism is. When Lin Chi appeared before Huang Po and asked him his question, Huang Po hit him with his staff. Again Lin Chi asked him the same thing and was hit again. The third time was the same.
After this incident, Lin Chi decided that there was a certain barrier in his mind that was preventing him from seeing the truth, and he decided to leave the monastery and become a beggar - in order to find out in ordinary life what was unclear to him. He told Mu Chou about his plans, and he conveyed everything to Huang Po, adding: “Be lenient about this young man. From it may grow a mighty tree that will one day shelter many people."
When Lin Chi went to the master for permission to descend, Huang Po said: “You don’t need to go too far. Go to Master Ta Yu. He will teach you everything.”
So Lin Chi went to Ta Yu Monastery and told the master everything that had happened. Ta Yu said to him: “Well, well, Huang Po was as kind to you as your grandmother. Why do you come to me and ask me to point out your mistakes?” With these words, Lin Chi seemed to have an epiphany, and suddenly he felt as if his eyes had been opened wide. Until this moment, he had thought of Buddhism as a powerful teaching, but separate from himself. Now he realized that it was just an idea in his mind. Once and for all he became human. Until now, he was like an animal that has eyes and ears, but does not use them as his own. He was completely identified with the outside world, the world of people, objects and events. His eyes and ears belonged to this same world, and they served him. Now, in a flash of enlightenment, he came out of the world and at the same moment recognized the essence as it really is, and the unreality of words about it. Huang Po's blow pointed to the truth of his own existence, while his question about Buddhism arose from illusion.
Ta Yu guessed what happened and decided to check on Lin Chi. He grabbed it and said: “You bastard! Just a moment ago you asked me whether you were right or wrong, and now you claim that there is nothing in Huang Po Buddhism. What did you see? Speak up! Well, give it away! " In response, Lin Chi hit Ta Yu three times in the ribs. Pushing Lin Chi away, Ta Yu said: Return to Huang Po. He is your teacher. These are all his concerns and have nothing to do with me."
When Lin Chi was returning to the Huang Po Monastery, he, seeing him from afar, said: “The adventures of this guy will never end.” He met Lin Chi with the following: “What are you doing here again, you fool? You will never find the truth in such adventures.”
Lin Chi answered him: “You are so kind, just like my grandmother. That’s why I came back.” And he stood next to Huang Po in the pose of a monk, intending to stay with the master - with his hands folded on his chest.
"Where have you been?" - asked Huang Po.
In those days, some monks would have answered in poetic form: “I came riding on the wind.” But Lin Chi was unfamiliar with such effects and answered directly what was happening to him.
“Well, I’ll wait for Ta Yu to arrive,” Huang Po said in some irritation. “I’ll give this chatterbox a good beating,”
“Why wait?” Lin Chi answered. All reality is in front of you now,” and Huang Po hit.
Inwardly, Huang Po was greatly discouraged, but was able to maintain a position worthy of a master and shouted: “Crazy! You have returned to drag the tiger by the whiskers.” Lin Chi, in turn, loudly shouted, “Ho!” Huang Po called the servants and ordered them to “drag this madman and lock him in the meditation hall.” He did not order to throw him out of the temple, but to lock him in the hall, thereby expressing his desire to leave Lin Chi in the monastery.
This cry of "Ho!" became famous among the Rinzai masters, and is still used by them. In Japanese it came to sound like "Quatz", and although it does not have any specific meaning, it expresses many things. It is used to “cleanse” the student’s consciousness and free him from dualistic, egocentric thoughts. Lin Chi defined four types of “Ho!”: “Sometimes it is like a bolt from the blue, sometimes it is like a golden-maned lion preparing to leap, sometimes it is like a skillfully placed trap in the grass, and sometimes it is not “Ho!” at all.”
After ten years of practice with Huang Po, Lin Chi established his own residence in the north, and many students came to him. His teaching was absolutely down-to-earth and to the point, instilling confidence in his disciples that their natural and spontaneous actions were nothing other than Buddha-mind. To be in this pure state of being meant to cease all kinds of clutter and blocking (of consciousness). But being free from attachments did not mean having no feelings at all or, say, not feeling hunger, pain, and so on. It meant entering into one's whole self, leaving nothing behind, free to be completely one with all circumstances. And this for Lin Chi was the highest path of an ordinary normal way of life, and he often got irritated when his students tried to look for something else in this. They came from everywhere seeking deliverance from the world, but having delivered themselves from the world, where could they go? Lin Chi advised them to live like any other person, but without blind, enslaving desire.
"When it is time to dress, put on your clothes. When you have to walk, then walk. When you have to sit, sit. Just be your ordinary self in ordinary life, undisturbed by the search for Buddhahood. When you are tired, lie down and rest. The fool will laugh at you, wise one will understand you."
Zen is not associated with the idea of Buddha or God, but with the whole reality of human existence. A correct human being does not strive to get something from life, but strives for what life is in its essence, and lives in accordance with this knowledge. It is then free from ideas about things and is able to act in harmony with the universe at all times.
Lin Chi said, “The Self is far beyond all things. Even if the heavens and earth collapse, I will not despair. Even if all the Buddhas in ten dimensions appear before me, I will not rejoice in happiness. Even if three hells arise in my path, I won’t be afraid. Why is that? Because there is nothing I don’t like.”
While Hui Nang gave Zen its Chinese characteristics, Hakuin (1686-1769) created Japanese Rinzai Zen. His extraordinary energy and the versatility of his teaching contributed to the creation of a new structure of Zen. However, despite all the energy he poured into the life around him, he was not only a famous Zen master, but also a famous artist, sculptor, and of all the masters he was known as the most attractive, sensitive and humane person. Already an old man, he used to sit in the field where the peasants were working and, perched on a furrow, talked to them about Zen.
He grew up in a deeply religious family in a village at the foot of Mount Fuji. His father was a samurai, and his mother belonged to the ecstatic Nichireen sect of Buddhism. Hakuin, being a very sensitive boy, gifted with such a remarkable memory that at the age of four he could recite three hundred songs, passionately desired to become a monk, and at the age of fifteen he was allowed to enter the Zen temple of his native village. Soon after this, he was invited to continue his studies in a large monastery, where he remained until he was 19 years old. It was then that great doubt entered his consciousness. This was due to the death of a Chinese Zen master named Ganto. This master fought with the robbers, and when all the monks fled from the temple under the pressure of the band, he continued to fight. One of the robbers pierced him with a spear and, although Ganto's expression did not change, he let out a terrible dying cry that could be heard far away.
Hakuin was deeply shocked by human frailty on this occasion. If even such a spiritualized person as Ganto was defeated by fear and pain, what remained for him - an ordinary novice? He decided to leave Zen and take up poetry. But one day he saw how the books of the temple library were laid out in the sun to dry and, closing his eyes, he took a book at random. It was “The Teaching of Zen,” and it opened on a chapter telling how Abbot Jimier meditated while others were sleeping, and he himself could barely restrain himself from falling asleep. To do this, he pierced his thigh with a metal drill.
This story inspired Hakuin to continue meditating. After four years of intense and dedicated zazen, meditating on a koan about whether a dog has Buddha nature, he entered a state that he himself later compared to an ice field stretching for thousands of miles, while within him there was a feeling of complete transparency. “Nothing was moving forward, nothing was moving back, I was like an idiot, an imbecile, and there was nothing but a koan. Although I attended the lectures, they sounded like a distant hum in some distant hall many yards away. Sometimes it seemed to me that I was flying in the air. This state continued for several days, but one evening the temple bell rang and destroyed everything. It was like an ice pool breaking or a house made of emerald collapsing. When I suddenly woke up again. I realized that I myself was Ganto, the old master, and that everything, even the smallest features of my personality, were lost. All the doubts that had tormented me until now completely disappeared like a piece of melted ice. I shouted loudly: “How wonderful.” wonderful! There is no birth or death to avoid, and there is no higher knowledge to strive for."
Hakuin realized that his previous ideas regarding Ganto's cry were not based on an actual personality, but only on concepts about how a Zen master should behave. His delight at this discovery, as well as his satori-like experience, led him to believe that he had achieved enlightenment - in fact, he was deeply convinced that no one had experienced anything like it for hundreds of years. But the abbot of the monastery remained indifferent about all this. Disappointed, Hakuin went to other masters in the hope of gaining their recognition, but no one was willing to accept his satori experience. He was eventually sent to the rather strict Master Shoju.
Having arrived and told the story of his enlightenment, he heard a question from Shoju: “Tell me, what did you add to your koan?” Hakuin enthusiastically replied that the entire cosmos had disappeared, and there was nothing to cling to. As soon as he spoke his answer, Shoju grabbed his nose and squeezed it tightly. "How can I cling to something if space has disappeared?" - he asked, laughing. Then he released Hakuin and said: “You’re just a dead monk in a cave.” What self-confidence!”
Hakuin knew that the master would not just mock him, and therefore his depression knew no bounds. But, in spite of everything, his deep conviction in his satori did not leave him. One evening he presented his latest concepts to the ordinary in a frank manner to old Shoju, chilling on the veranda. "Nonsense and nonsense!" - said the master. Hakuin immediately quickly imitated the master, grimacing: “Nonsense and nonsense!” Then Shoju grabbed him and pushed him out of the veranda. It was the rainy season at that time, and poor Hakuin fell straight into a muddy puddle. But he stood up, shook himself off and bowed to the master, who, staring at him, said: “Well, you really are an inhabitant of a dark cave!”
Hakuin was now in complete despair and was about to leave Shoju when real enlightenment dawned on him. He came to the village for the usual alms and, approaching one house where the old mistress was, did not receive rice from her. He so persistently concentrated his consciousness on the situation of what was happening that he did not notice that he was refused, and continued to stand near the house as if nothing had happened. This enraged the woman, who thought that her words were simply ignored by the impudent beggar, and she hit him with a broom in her hands. The blow was quite strong and hit him right on the head. Hakuin fell to the ground, unconscious. When he came to his senses, he felt that all obsession and obsession had disappeared, and everything was light and clear to him. Feeling boundless joy, he came to the monastery, where the master immediately recognized his condition and said: “Quickly tell me what’s wrong with you.” Hakuin explained everything, and Shoju, affectionately patting him on the shoulder, said: “Now you have It, now you have It.”
Shoju's treatment of Hakuin is well known from literature. His cruelty was necessary to correct Hakuin's stubbornness in his own understanding. Based on his thoughts, Hakuin seemed to have gotten into a deep rut of a certain direction. And in such a state, no arguments of the intellect could rescue him. The only thing that could free him from these clutches was a strong internal movement, sweeping away all the ideas and thoughts comfortably nestled in his consciousness. When Hakuin was struck rather rudely by the old woman with a stick, he was in intense mental concentration, and the blow awakened and rescued him from his obsessive obsession, giving him insight beyond logical perception.
Hakuin later noted that a koan can lead to enlightenment, but when this happens with a significant effort of will, "great doubt" arises. He said: “When you take a koan and explore it endlessly, your thoughts die and the demands of the ego disappear. It is as if a bottomless abyss opens up before you. Your face feels the chill of death, and your heart feels the heat of fire. Then suddenly you are one with the koan , and the body and mind go away. This is known as looking into your own nature. You should press forward relentlessly, and with this great concentration you will penetrate without any doubt into the eternal source of your own nature."
Now that he had earned the master's recognition, Hakuin decided to go to Shoin-ji, a small temple in his home village. But due to the excessive stress he experienced, he found himself in a state of severe nervous breakdown. “My courage failed me, and I was in constant fear. I felt that I was spiritually exhausted - days and nights passed as if in a dream, my palms were constantly sweating, and my eyes did not dry out from tears. I rushed from one great teacher to another, but all of them The advice didn't help."
He was finally advised to go to the old hermit, Master Hakuyu, who lived high in the mountains. After a long journey, Hakuin found the master's cave, where he was sitting in deep meditation. The master immediately identified his condition as a Zen disease, which occurs when there is overzealous concentration of consciousness on the truth and the subsequent loss of the vital rhythms of true spiritual growth. He advised Hakuin to cast aside all his doubts and meditate on the energy channels of the body, and in particular on the tanden, the sensitive center located just below the navel. Hakuin felt a subtle flow of energy wash over him from head to toe and fill his lower body with the greatest warmth. This psychophysical practice, which he did with his characteristic zeal, helped him get rid of stress, and he completely recovered.
From then on, Hakuin never looked back. His experience of satori deepened, and he himself began to teach people in the old Shoin-ji temple, rebuilt with his own hands. He taught his followers to deepen their understanding through a graduated system of koans. He himself also created many koans, the most famous of which is: “What is the sound of the clapping of the palm of one hand?”
When his disciples achieved enlightenment, they identified this state as the beginning and continued to search for the reality of life through ever deeper penetration into meditation. Hakuin said: “Now, when I am asked what the spirit of meditation is, I answer that it is the possession of an openly benevolent and compassionate heart at all times, no matter if someone is chatting or pushing you by the elbow while writing, moving or being silent, lucky or not, in glory or infamy, with gain or loss, or simply good or bad - connecting everything this in one verse, leading the concentration of energy with the force of an iron rock to the navel and to the lower abdomen - this is the spirit of meditation. If you have the spirit, your two-edged sword will become a meditation board for you, always in front of you. a soft cushion for meditation. Hills, streams, glades - the floor of your meditation hall. The four corners of the earth and the ten directions of the world will become for you a great cave for meditation - and all this will truly become your meditation, the substance of your real self."
Hakuin was the first master to systematize Zen training. His advice to his students about consciousness was so to the point and direct that he was like a mother communicating with her children.
"To study Zen, three basic conditions are necessary. The first is great conviction, the second is great doubt, the third is persistence in purpose. A person who loses one of these conditions is like a teapot with three legs, one of which is broken.
What is great conviction? This is nothing more than the belief that every man has his own inner nature into which he can direct his inner gaze, and that this is the fundamental principle for completely penetrating it. The only way. But even if a person has outright faith, if he does not harbor great doubt about the koans as something difficult to penetrate, he will not be able to reach their depth and fully enter into their meaning. And further, even if this great doubt is firmly established, if it is not accompanied by great persistence in purpose, it will ultimately not be defeated.
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: direction of which religious philosophy?
Zen Teaching: Direction religious philosophy called BuddhismZen is an imprecise name for a religion that has undergone changes today, and it is not really a religion. At first this philosophy was called Zen. Translated from Japanese, Zen means: 禅; Skt. ध्यान dhyana, kit. 禪 chan. This word is translated as "think correctly", "to focus internally on something".
The Zen teaching is a branch of religious philosophy from the Buddha. It follows the Mahayana heritage, which originated in the Middle Kingdom and after that became known throughout the world. 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, main 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 until today they have maintained 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 “dhyana/jhana” era.
- The Chinese used to pronounce "Zen" as "Chan".
- The Japanese pronounced “Zen” correctly, so the name and sound of this word have survived to this day.
- 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 - “Buddha’s Heart” or “Buddha’s Mind”. Both options are considered correct.
The main ideas and essence of Zen teaching are as follows:
- Zen is impossible to learn. Teachers only suggest ways 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.. The correct way would be: “to gain insight and see your own “I””, to change yourself for the better.
- It is impossible to indicate one path for everyone, since each person is individual- with your own ideas about life positions, experiences and living conditions. A person must find his entrance without replacing consciousness with special performance of practical exercises or following ideas.
- Human language, images and words are meaningless. With their help it is impossible to achieve insight. This state will become accessible thanks to traditional Zen methodological instructions and even external stimuli - a sharp scream, a strong blow, and so on.
The principles of Zen Buddhism are based on four truths:
- Life is suffering. When a person understands this, he will take everything for granted. People are imperfect and the world is not perfect. If you want to achieve Zen, then you have to accept it. Buddha recognized this and accepted it. He realized that a person has to go through a lot during life: suffering, illness, deprivation, unpleasant situations, grief, pain.
The following 3 truths lie in desires:
- Desire for affection. The Buddha argued that the main cause of psycho-emotional disorder is attachment to one's desires. If we can’t get something, then life is not nice to us. But you shouldn’t get angry and irritated because of this, you need to accept it.
- The end of suffering. If you get rid of attachment to desires and free yourself from torment, then the mind will be cleared of worries and worries. 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 your desires.
A teacher must see his own nature in order to teach this to his students. In addition, he must see the real state of the student. Only in this way can the master give good advice and directions to the awakening push.
Philosophy of Zen Buddhism consists of the doctrine of three poisons. It is because of them that all the troubles, torment 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 dullness appears.
- There is an aversion to specific situations, things- presentation of something as an independent evil, rigid views on life.
- Excessive affection- to something pleasant, clinging to unnecessary things in this life.
Therefore, the rules of Zen Buddhism are:
- Calm your mind. Be calmer, don’t get nervous over trifles, so that life can flow peacefully and smoothly.
- Free yourself from rigid views. Understand that man creates evil around himself with his own hands. If we look at life differently, then everything around us will change.
- Free yourself from attachment. Understand that little is good, otherwise life will lose its taste and bright colors. There should not be an unquenchable thirst for pleasant things. Everything good in moderation.
Students are given different advice, but such that they are understandable to a specific person. For example:
- Practice meditation to calm and calm your mind. At the same time, try and follow all the teacher’s advice.
- Don't try to achieve peace and enlightenment, but let go of everything that happens around you.
Followers of Zen practice do a lot of sitting meditation and do simple work. This could be growing some crops in the mountains or regular 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 stabilizes. After enlightenment, it is easier to see your natural essence.
Japanese and Chinese Zen: are they the same thing?
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 path cannot understand Chan Buddhism. It seems that this is something unattainable, irrational and even mystical. But Zen insight is endowed with universal characteristics.
Zen's influence on cultural heritage 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 of Zen Buddhism To achieve satori, a person should not just sit under a Bo tree and wait for indulgence and enlightenment. A special relationship is built with the master and a specific system of procedures is carried out. Therefore it is important psychological aspects and Zen Buddhist psychotherapy to free the individual for spiritual development.
- Many psychologists use the principles of Zen Buddhism in their practice.
- A psychologist who is inspired by Zen ideas and is familiar with them first-hand is especially good.
- People are complex by nature. Someone has obsessive ideas of taking revenge on another person, another strives to get to the future faster or, conversely, is worried about what might happen, and the third is absorbed in his past.
- A person himself may repeat actions that cause him trouble, but in the subconscious and in words, he wants to break out of this circle.
Zen psychology shows that all these attachments and fixations interfere with living and experiencing the present. The real and correct Zen path will lead to enlightenment and a person's correct awareness of existence.
Zen Buddhism as a philosophy and art of life: examples
Zen Buddhism - philosophy and art of life 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 ordinary skills that are honed to perfection by Zen masters.
Here are examples of such art of living:
A mentor talks to his student:
-Are you affirmed in the truth?
- Yes, master.
- What are you doing to educate yourself?
- I eat when I'm hungry and go to bed when I'm tired.
- But every person does this. It turns out that you don’t educate yourself, but live the same way as other people?
- No.
- Why?
- Because when eating food they are not busy eating, but are distracted by conversations and other foreign objects; when they rest, they do not fall asleep at all, but dream a lot and even experience emotions in their sleep. 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 an illusionary world, not a real one. People think they are tasting and feeling something rather than actually experiencing all the emotions.
Another example of Zen philosophy is revealed in another parable:
The master of this teaching tells about himself: “When I had not yet learned Zen, rivers were rivers for me, and 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 plausible things, and being in the dark 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 penetrate into the depths of the human soul and his being.
What does it mean to know Zen, the state of Zen, the inner Zen?
Among people you can hear: "I learned Zen". What does it mean to know Zen, the state of Zen, the 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. Learning the essence of Zen is given only to selected people, and the teachings of this philosophy are structured 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 has learned Zen cannot be thrown out of balance. In addition, he can independently help his opponent find inner peace.
How to achieve a Zen state?
Entering a state of Zen is not a game at all. The follower focuses on his everyday position in life. To achieve a state of zen, everything around you must be in alignment.
- Harmony in everything is the most important thing.
- You are confident and know that you can achieve it.
- All the problems around disappear, special energy fills the world. Something ideal appears that helps solve problems.
- Your skills match the tasks- 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 dissolve in everything around you. It is easier for a child to enter a state of Zen, but for adults it is more difficult. They understand the definition of time. But little man with his unstable psyche it is more difficult to break back into transience, so for a child the Zen state can be dangerous.
When you get into a Zen state, you will realize that you don't need to plan anything. It is the habit of planning different plans“stifles” creativity in each of us. There is nothing more awakening and tonic than being in the “flow”, a specially created “zone” or “white moment” by your mind.
What is Zen meditation?
Zen meditation is meditation technique relaxation from Buddha. It is the most popular technique in the world - it is the heart of Buddhist teachings. The benefits of Zen meditation include the following:
- Teaching good concentration
- Possibility of self-knowledge
- Getting peace and joy
- Improved health
- Emergence of willpower
- Increasing internal energy
Warning: If you do everything right, an emotional storm will occur inside you. This condition can occur after several days or weeks of practice. Your suppressed emotions will rise up into consciousness. At this moment, it is important not to fight them, but to give them the opportunity to splash out. After this, peace, clarity of mind and joy will come.
Techniques for performing Zen meditation:
There are two main techniques of Zen meditation: intermediate and advanced:
Two Basic Zen Meditation Techniques Advice: Don't try to realize the secret of Zen artificially. Don't get caught up in 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, differences, features
Regarding the understanding of Zen Buddhism, it is worth noting that if you try to understand, it will not be Zen Buddhism. A person must comprehend reality as it is. If we talk about the differences between Zen Buddhism and Buddhism, then there is no difference, since such practice is Buddhism. All Buddhist practices are divided into:
- Samathi- calming the mind and body, understanding peace and tranquility.
- Vipassana- allows you to observe the emergence of mental phenomena. A person discovers something new for himself in feelings, thoughts, emotions.
All Buddhist practices help the mind to get rid of suffering, free itself from wrong views, and cultivate a correct worldview. Zen simply helps to acquire important elements of correct thinking and lifestyle, eliminating the destruction of the mind. There is no need to follow the rules, it is important to understand the world order. In Buddhist practice there are no rules, assumptions, or hypotheses. 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
Buddhism, like Zen Buddhism, has many different symbols. But in Zen the most important and significant is considered Enso- circle of enlightenment and freedom. This 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 continuous karmic rebirth, and the internal space is a sign of liberation from life’s hardships.
Zen Buddhism Symbol 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.
Zen Buddhism symbols with lotus Actually in a circle Enso You can depict symbols or even Buddha. It will still have the correct meaning of Zen - enlightenment, purification and peace.
Zen Buddhism Koans: Examples
Zen Buddhist koans are short 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:
Zen Buddhism Koans: Examples 
Zen Buddhism Koan: An Example 
Zen Buddhism Koan Don't try to understand Zen Buddhism. It must be inside you, it is your true essence. Practice self-discipline, experience the joy of existence, believe, accept, and then you will be able to comprehend Zen and accept it into yourself.
Video: Conversation with Zen Master Jinen about truth and meditation
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