What is Zen and how can it be understood?

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

Zen - what is this?

In Buddhism, there are several key principles - such as faith, the desire for self-determination and respect for nature. Most Buddhist schools have a common understanding of what is the energy of Zen. They believe that it is revealed in such aspects as:

1. Knowledge and wisdom, transmitted not in writing, but from teacher to student during personal communication.
2. The mystery of Tao is the unnamed source of the existence of earth and sky.
3. Denying efforts to realize Zen: it is believed that the more you try to understand him, the faster he moves away from consciousness.
4. Many ways to comprehend Zen: throughout the history of mankind, Zen is transmitted completely unconsciously from person to person through emotions, touches, jokes.

What is Zen Buddhism?

Zen Buddhism - the most important school of East Asian Buddhism, the process of formation of which ended in China in the V-VI centuries. At home, and still in Vietnam and Korea, he is still the most popular monastic form of religion to this day. Daen Buddhism is a constantly changing belief that has three directions:

1. " Intellectual Zen" - the philosophy of life, as far removed from religion and became popular among artists, philosophers and scientists.
2. Psychedelic Zen is a doctrine that presupposes the use of drugs in order to expand the boundaries of consciousness.
3. A bitter trend - it is known among young people due to simplified rules that promote moral and sexual freedom.

How does Zen Buddhism differ from buddhism?

The desire to attain Zen means willingness to sacrifice oneself on the way to it - for example, show meekness and humility before the teacher. Zen Buddhism insists on observing the rules of the disciple when the classical direction does not require any worship and checks in the name of religion. Zen is like a technique that suits people who do not want to spend much time on the religious component of the teaching.

Zen and Tao

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

Zen Buddhism - the main ideas

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

1. By nature, each person is equal to the Buddha and he can discover in himself an enlightening foundation.
2. The state of satori can only be achieved through complete rest.
3. Receiving a response from your Buddha , who is inside a person.

The koans of Zen Buddhism

Koana - short instructive stories or dialogues, similar to the suras of the Koran. They reveal the essence of the issues that arise both with beginners and with experienced religious followers. Zen koans were created to give a psychological impetus to the pupil, to motivate him. The value of each of these stories is revealed in his decision:

1. The master asks the student the koan for which he must find the correct answer. Each assertion is made with the aim of provoking a contradiction in the inexperienced follower of Buddhism.
2. Being in a meditative or close to it state, the disciple attains satori - enlightenment.
3. In the state of samadhi (the oneness of knowledge and the knower), one understands what is real Zen. Many consider him close with a sense of catharsis.

Zen Meditation

Meditation is a special psycho-physical state of a person, which is easiest to achieve in an atmosphere of deepest silence and concentration. In Buddhist monasteries, there was no need for preliminary preparation for immersion in it, because community members initially protected themselves from all temptations. Monks responding to a question about what is Zen meditation say that this is a feeling of pure consciousness without content. You can achieve this by following the sequence of actions:

1. First you need to sit on the floor, facing the wall, placing a pillow under your buttocks or a blanket folded in several layers. Its thickness should not interfere with taking a comfortable stable posture. Clothes for meditation are chosen free, so as not to impede movement.
2. For a comfortable fit, it is recommended to adopt the full lotus or half -lotus posture.
3. Close your eyes and abstract yourself from problems and thoughts.
4. When emptiness replaces mental noise, a feeling of incomparable relaxation and satisfaction will appear.

What does it mean to "comprehend Zen"?

Anyone wishing to find an answer to the question of interest will turn to this eastern technique, usually in despair. He seeks to learn Zen after simple ways of solving the dilemma have been exhausted. For some, this process is a kind of post with abstention from food, relationships with the opposite sex and active labor activity. Most Buddhists, however, adhere to the more traditional ways of recognizing the delicate matter of Zen:

1. Follow the advice of the first teachers of Buddhism. They recommended keeping calm even in difficult situations and renouncing life's troubles.
2. Finding the source of evil. If a religious person is overcome by a series of failures and problems, he must seek the cause of the vicissitudes of fate in himself or his enemies.
3. Crossing the boundaries of classical thinking. The Zen rules say that man is too accustomed to the benefits of civilization to know his essence. He needs to leave the comfort zone to hear the voice of the soul.

Zen Buddhism - books

Each religious school and the methodology of scientific knowledge has its own literary works, which make it possible to understand its concept even to unsophisticated newcomers. The philosophy of Zen also involves acquaintance with the whole library of books, which includes:

1. The collective of authors with Alexey Maslov's comments "Classical texts of Zen" . One book includes the work of the first Ch'an Buddhist mentors, which affect all spheres of human life - both in antiquity and in the modern life of Asian countries.
2. Sünru Suzuki, "Zen Consciousness, the Beginner's Consciousness . " She reveals the content of the conversations of an experienced mentor with his American students. Siunru managed not only to comprehend what Zen is, but also to learn to focus on the main goals.
3. Won Kew Kit, "The Encyclopedia of Zen . " The book is devoted to the difficulties of understanding life, the simplest explanation of its laws and concepts. The path of Zen, according to the author, concludes with the mystical experience of experiencing the Absolute - the outbreak of comprehension beyond time and space.
4. Tit Nath Han, "The Keys of Zen . " The work of the Japanese author contains exclusively comments on the sutras and koans of southern Buddhism.
5. Miyamoto Musashi, "The Book of Five Rings" . The Musashi warrior 300 years ago wrote a monograph on the management of the state, people and their own emotions. Medieval swordsman considered himself a Zen teacher, therefore the book is written in the format of a conversation with students-readers.