What is Zen philosophy and how does it differ from Buddhism?

Every person who begins their acquaintance with Buddhism should know the answer to the question of what Zen is. This concept forms a strong personality, capable of a reasonable analysis of one’s actions and contemplation of them from the outside. The goal of this process should be true enlightenment.

Zen - what is it?

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

Knowledge and wisdom transmitted not in writing, but from teacher to student during personal communication.
The mystery of Tao - the nameless source of existence of earth and sky.
Denial of efforts to understand Zen: it is believed that the more one tries to understand it, the faster it moves away from consciousness.
Many ways to experience Zen: Throughout human history, Zen has been passed on completely unconsciously from person to person through emotions, touch, jokes.

What is Zen Buddhism?

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

“ Intellectual Zen”
is a philosophy of life that has moved as far as possible from religion and has become popular among artists, philosophers and scientists.
Psychedelic Zen
is a teaching that involves using drugs to expand the boundaries of consciousness.
The beatnik movement
is known among young people due to its simplified rules that promote moral and sexual freedom.

Brief abstracts and essence of the teaching

At its core, Zen is a kind of quintessence (how is that?) of several East Asian vectors of Buddhist thought, clearly expressed in the Mahayana, one of the main bodies of teachings in the theory and practice of Buddhism.

The ultimate goal of those who follow the Mahayana path is enlightenment, that is, the acquisition of wisdom obtained as a result of contemplation, self-absorption, concentration and thoughtfulness.

This is exactly how “dhyana (Zen)” is translated from the original Sanskrit, but the philosophy itself, unchanged in its fundamentals, in different regions of Southeast Asia:

Zen - in Japan;
sleep - in Korea;
chan - in China;
Thien - in Vietnam.

Sometimes Zen is called the “Heart of the Buddha” or the “School of Buddha Consciousness,” but these are only semantic shades of the word, which denote the path that lies before those who decide on the difficult search for themselves. Or rather, that same inner prophet that is certainly present in the soul of each of us.

When we detach ourselves from the simple (rational) mind, when we calm our mind and free it from the bustle of everyday life, we become able to penetrate into our nature.

And then, completely immersed in ourselves and contemplating the reliefs of our inner world, we gain the opportunity to find the truth, drink from the well of wisdom and draw exactly as much of it as we need here and now.

And only then, having known the depths of our true “I” and accepting them “as they are,” we can achieve the main thing - to make regularity, calmness and spirituality our way of life.

This is Zen , when through spiritual practices that take us beyond the rational, we become the best versions of ourselves.

Experienced masters of the school say that Zen cannot be learned by adopting someone else's personal experience. A person who wants to understand Zen should not ask sages for answers or try to find them in books. From these sources he can only take advice and get acquainted with outside views.

Finding your path is possible only through your own efforts and personal practice. It is believed that a person reaches the pinnacle of learning if he is able to know himself, understand and accept his nature.

Enlightenment in this context is the ability to consider the slightest “watermarks” in the picture of your soul.

Zen and Tao

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

Practice

In a practical sense, Zen is meditation, immersion in a special state of contemplation. A variety of tools can be used for this - everything is determined by the practice of each individual person, so rather non-standard ways to achieve enlightenment are often used. This could be the sharp shouts of the teacher, his laughter or blows with a stick, martial arts classes and physical labor.

According to Zen teaching, the best practice is monotonous work, which should be done not for the sake of achieving some final result, but for the sake of the work itself.

A clear example of this approach is given in one of the legends about the famous Zen master, who defined washing dishes in ordinary life as the desire to make them clean, and the same action in a philosophical understanding as self-sufficient, inviting students to wash dishes only for the sake of the action itself.

Another important philosophical practice is the koan. This is the name of a logical exercise for solving a paradoxical or absurd problem. It cannot be comprehended by the “ordinary” (unawakened) mind, but after spending enough time contemplating it, you can one day catch a feeling of understanding, that is, achieve the desired state instantly, in one moment, most often unexpectedly - without any background to it.

For example, one of the classic koans is to look for “one-palm clap,” that is, “silent sound.”

Zen Buddhism - Basic Ideas

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

By nature, every person is equal to the Buddha and he can discover the enlightening basis within himself.
The state of satori can only be achieved through complete peace.
Receiving a response from your Buddha, who is inside a person.

Zen Buddhism Koans

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

The master asks the student a koan for which he must find the correct answer. Every statement is made with the intention of causing contradiction in the inexperienced follower of Buddhism.
Being in a meditative or close to it state, the student achieves satori - enlightenment.
In a state of samadhi (the unity of knowledge and the knower), a person understands what real Zen is. Many find it relatable 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. The monks, answering the question of what Zen meditation is, say that it is a feeling of pure consciousness without content. You can achieve it by performing the following sequence of actions:

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

What does it mean to “get Zen”?

Anyone who wants to find an answer to a question that interests him turns to this eastern technique, usually in despair. He seeks to experience Zen after exhausting simple solutions to the dilemma. For some, this process is a kind of fast with abstinence from food, relationships with the opposite sex and active work. Most Buddhists adhere to more traditional ways of realizing the subtle matter of Zen:

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

Video on the topic

How to achieve the state of genius of mind and feelings? Answer in video:

It is worth remembering that monks practiced constantly for many decades before achieving the elusive state of Zen. And not everyone succeeded. Do not try to forcefully understand the essence of this practice. This should be inherent in you from the very beginning.

Practice self-discipline, enjoy every day, be simpler, and then your life will certainly change for the better. Besides, what if you are one of those lucky few who will still be able to experience Zen?

Zen Buddhism - books

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

A group of authors with comments by Alexei Maslov “Classical Zen Texts”
. One book includes the works of the first teachers of Chan Buddhism, which touch on all spheres of human life - both in ancient times and in modern life in Asian countries.
Shunryu Suzuki, "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind"
. It reveals the content of conversations between an experienced mentor and his American students. Shunryu managed not only to understand what Zen is, but also to learn to focus on the main goals.
Vaughn Kew-Kit, Encyclopedia of Zen
. The book is devoted to the difficulties of understanding existence, the simplest understanding of its laws and concepts. The path of Zen, according to the author, ends with the mystical experience of experiencing the Absolute - a flash of comprehension outside of time and space.
Thich Nhat Hanh, The Keys of Zen
. The work of the Japanese author contains exclusively commentaries on the sutras and koans of southern Buddhism.
Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings
. Warrior Musashi 300 years ago wrote a monograph on managing the state, people and one’s own emotions. The medieval fencer considered himself a Zen teacher, so the book is written in the format of a conversation with student readers.

Like philosophy

In a more general philosophical understanding, Zen is a teaching that has nothing to do with religion:

it does not seek the meaning of life;
does not deal with issues of world order;
The existence of God does not prove, but it does not disprove it either.

The essence of philosophy is simple and is formulated by several theoretical principles:

Every person is subject to suffering and lust.
They are the result of certain events and actions.
Suffering and aspirations can be overcome.
Detachment from extremes makes a person free and happy.

Thus, “Zen” is a practical way of detachment from the existing world and immersion in oneself. After all, a particle of the awakened Buddha is present within every living being. This means that any person, with due patience and diligence, can achieve enlightenment and understand the true nature of the mind, and with it the essence of this world.

The essence of the philosophical concept of the term is well revealed by psychoanalyst E. Fromm:

“Zen is the art of delving into the essence of human existence; this is the path leading from slavery to freedom; Zen releases the natural energy of man; it protects a person from madness and self-deformation; it encourages a person to realize his abilities to love and be happy" .

Zen teaching: direction of which religious philosophy?

Zen Teaching: A branch of religious philosophy called Buddhism
Zen is an imprecise name for a religion that has undergone changes in our days, and it is not really a religion. At first this philosophy was called Zen. Translated from Japanese, Zen means:禅; Skt. ध्यान dhyana, kit. 禪 chan . This word is translated as “to 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 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.

As a religious movement

As a branch of Buddhism, Zen teaching took shape in China and spread widely to neighboring countries. But the term in relation to a religious movement is used only in Japan and (oddly enough) in Europe. This philosophy is not theistic or atheistic, and therefore adapts well to any other religions.

In China it mixed with Taoism, in Japan it was based on Shintaism, in Korea and Vietnam it absorbed local shamanic beliefs, and in the West it is actively intertwined with Christian traditions.

The peculiarity of any religious Zen movement is the non-recognition of the possibility of transmitting knowledge in writing. Only a guru, enlightened or awakened, can teach you to understand the world. Moreover, he is capable of doing this in a variety of ways – even hitting him with a stick. Also, in religious understanding there is no clear definition of the concept itself.

Zen is all around. This is any action that a knowledgeable person takes in relation to an ignorant person in order to teach the latter, push him to understanding, stimulate his body and mind.

How to achieve a Zen state?

Only a select few can achieve a state of Zen.
Entering the 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 you disappear , a special energy fills the world around you. Something ideal appears that helps solve problems.
Your skills correspond to the assigned 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 are 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 it is more difficult for a small person with his unstable psyche 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 outlining different plans that “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.