What does the word zen mean?

"Zen" is the Japanese form of the Chinese word, "Chan," which means , literally, meditation. In recent times, the word has been corrupted to mean, in most contexts, a type of spareness and simplicity. These qualities are indeed part of Zen Buddhism, but most zen practitioners are embarrassed, to say the least, by the overuse, indeed, misuse, of the word in common parlance.
 
I myself am a Buddhist, and Lost Jaguar is right about hte word "zen" if by chance you are interested in it beyond the meaning, I recommend the following 2 books.

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality by Brad Warner (one of the funniest books you will ever read Buddhist or not)
 
And here I was under the narcissistic notion that I was the only Buddhist in this forum. What a lesson in vanity, and what a pleasure, to be wrong.

donovan said:
my new book "The Tao of Zen"
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Donovan, how do I get an autographed copy from you? I've always thought that Lao Tzu and Shakyamuni Buddha would have gotten along just fine if their vectors had crossed. I recall a painting that depicts them both in an imaginary meeting, laughing it up.

Mr. Benyamin--nicely done. Far more succinct than my own cerebral explanation.
 
Hi! Mind if I chime in? A great reply from Esav.

More than just a particular belief, zen is more of a perspective in life.

Like most people here, I do martial arts and I suspect just like me, that is where most of the guys also had their first glimpse of it. It was because this belief was adopted particularly by the samurai later on as a guide in their lives as warriors, even credited as the reason why they were fearless in the battlefield.

Vermont, if you can spare the time and effort, to have a "sense" of what is "zen", there is a scene in the Tom Cruise flick "The Last Samurai" which is to me at least is very powerful in that it encapsulates in a "moment" what it may be. Its when the lead and the samurai Katsumoto (?) were discussing about the "Bushido" (meaning "the way of the warrior" or the samurai code of chivalry/belief/way of life) under the cherry tree blossoms. The one that struck me most goes: TO KNOW LIFE IN EVERY BREATH.

Granted what they were talking about was more of the warrior, zen strives to be fully aware.

In whatever things we go about in our daily lives, if we can be totally AWARE and immerse ourselves at that very MOMENT to what we are doing, that is a glimpse of what zen can be.

Of course you needn't be warrior/Buddhist to fully appreciated it (Buddha, Lao Tzu, Jesus and Winnie the Pooh are all my teachers). You don't need to be something else.







JUST BE!!!
 
Sokrates was a Buddhist. He didn't worry about "the gods" (which got him executed for blasphemy) and he made his students figure out what they already really knew about good thoughts, good actions, etc.

Plato, on the other hand, was an academic, and he spoiled it all by forcing ideas into technical categories and presenting them as given, instead of having each student find his own way into them.

* ****** **** ****** *​
If you're not up for arms & armor, try approaching zen through words: haiku.
 
Lost Jaguar said:
Donovan, how do I get an autographed copy from you?
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Sorry, LJ, that was meant to be a wry comment on the crass commercialization of spiritual concepts. However, when my latest "That was Zen, This is Tao" comes out I'll let you know. :D

Jack
 
I have read quite a bit of the classic and modern Zen literature. I know enough to know that I don't know enough to adequate define it to anyone. I am also deeply annoyed by the constant and incorrect use of the word Zen in our modern culture.

The book Zen Mind, Beginners Mind is an outstanding introduction for anyone wanting to learn from a master. The out of print book The Gospel according to Zen is also an interesting read for those who think Christianity and Buddhism are somehow at odds with each other. They are not. The Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh's book, Living Buddha, Living Christ makes this point very clear.

Esav, you surprise me, but I probably should not be.

Donavan, I'll read the Tao of Zen, even if you didn't write it. :) I have been reading more of the Taoist literature in the recent years, and agree completely with the premise of Ray Griggs book that Zen is more akin to the the heart of Taoism than Buddhism. Many forms of Buddhism hold to belief systems and practices that Zen rejects or finds superfluous after a certain point. Of course, I doubt the historical Buddha would recognize most 'Buddhist' religions as his philosophy either.


Para
 
Bingo, Paracelsus!

Years ago, when I still lived in Los Angeles, and was beginning my study of Buddhism, I found myself in a bookstore, by the Zen shelf. I had two or three books under my arm, and as I reached for another, I heard a voice saying, "it isn't in a book." I turned to see a swarthy, short fellow with a gentle smile. Flustered, all I could say was,"Right! I read that in a book!" Sensing my embarassment, he replied, "Sometimes when the path is rugged, books can be your friend."
 
I heard some wag refer to Zen as "aching legs Bhuddism". They said a Taoist might sit down to meditate with a Bhuddist, but he'd get up when his legs started to hurt.... :D
 
Aching legs indeed. I can't begin to sit in the lotus position, so some years ago I took the advice of a monk (who looked strangely like Jerry Lewis) and bought a seiza bench. It's a little stool you use to help kneel while doing your zen thing. Subsequently, I was pleased to find out that the samurai who practiced zen used the seiza posture, in order to react quickly if attacked.

The founder of zen, Bodhidharma, supposedly sat in front of a wall and meditated for nine years. I think this was at the famed Shao Lin monastery. According to legend, one of the early martial arts (Kung Fu?) was created to relieve the stiffness from prolonged meditation. The folklore also includes an anecdote that Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids to prevent himself from drifting off while sitting. I wonder what kind of knife he used?
 
Lost Jaguar said:
The folklore also includes an anecdote that Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids to prevent himself from drifting off while sitting. I wonder what kind of knife he used?
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HAHA...only on bladeforums! :D
 
Lost Jaguar said:
The folklore also includes an anecdote that Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids to prevent himself from drifting off while sitting. I wonder what kind of knife he used?
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My recollection is that he "tore" them off. The other part of the legend is that where he threw them aside tea bushes grew so that the monks could drink tea to help stay awake.

Jack
 
Although I was raised catholic, I have had a long standing love of zen buddhism. There was a temple in New orleans, a friend of mine was a monk there, and he and I would talk at length about the nature of zen. He and I both knew that I got it, but that I was not disciplined enough to follow it. Or maybe I was already following the path. One of my favorite zen stories goes like this:

"One day a man approached a master, and asked,"Master, what do I do if I see another practicioner of zen? If I tell him that I understand zen, it will surely prove that I do not. But if I say nothing, then he will never know." The Master replied," If you see another practicioner, run up to him, and hit him very hard upon the head. Then he will understand."

Living Buddha, Living Christ is a great book, but it has a different perspective on Buddhism than I was exposed to; Zen friends, GF's dad was Tibetan Buddhist, fully into the smoke and mirrors of their ideal. It's an insightful look into Christianity on a purely belief basis.
 
donovan said:
My recollection is that he "tore" them off. The other part of the legend is that where he threw them aside tea bushes grew so that the monks could drink tea to help stay awake.

Jack
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I have an old painting of a monk who famously painted pupils on his eyelids so nobody else could tell if he was awake or not.
 
Dijos said:
the smoke and mirrors of their ideal
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Please explain what you mean. I myself am befuddled by the almost baroque arcana of Tibetan Buddhism, but I've never heard it described as you have.
 
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