Zen is NOT Meditation

            Perhaps the biggest myth about the word Zen is that it means meditation. People say it all the time, “Zen is meditation”. Book after book defines Zen as meditation. Even in Zen master Seung Sahn’s book, The Compass of Zen, the words again appear, “Zen is meditation”. 

            The confusion comes from the need to translate foreign words into English. This is an especially thorny problem when the target language does not already have a word for the concept being translated. The English word “meditation” comes straight from the Latin word for “thinking something over” and in addition to that in English it means “continued or extended thought, contemplation, and reflection.” All of these meanings are associated solely with using our thinking mind. This is understandable because in Western philosophy, our sense of identity, of who we are, is equivalent with our thoughts. As Rene Descartes famously said, “I think therefore I am.”

            Confusion also arises from the fact that we call our primary activity of Zen practice “meditation”. Many American Zen Buddhists refer to sitting Zen as meditation. They think that when they are sitting on the cushion, that they are doing Zen. Whether or not that is true depends on what they are doing with their mind as they sit. Unfortunately, people tend to become attached to their ideas about things, and Zen is no exception. I have been to Zen centers where the teachers believe that true Zen is the activity of sitting motionless on a cushion staring at the floor.

            So if those things are not Zen, then what is? The word “Zen” is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word “Chan”. In Korea Zen is called “Soen”, but I use the Japanese form because it is the one that has been accepted into the English language. The word “chan” comes from the Sanskrit word “dhyana”. Drop the last syllable “a” and you can see how Dhyan became “Chan”. It is “thien” in Vietnamese. For those who prefer Pali, that word is “Jhana”.

            Dhyana is not an activity or a state of mind. It is the absorption of the mind in the reality of the moment, not holding on to anything and not labeling or giving meaning to the perceptions. It is the mind state that Buddha constantly called, “Seeing reality as it really is.” 

            Zen therefore is the very mind of awakening itself! This mind can be kept in all activities, whether sitting, standing, lying down, or moving. Zen is keeping this mind moment after moment. The sixth Chinese Ancestor Huineng clearly states in the Platform Sutra that this is the case and rejects meditation as being Zen. Zen Master Sungsan used to also say, “Zen is how you keep your mind moment after moment.” That is helpful if you already understand the “how”.

            To realize your own awakening, it is absolutely critical to practice correctly. To realize oneness, we have to practice the mind of oneness. If we just humor our thinking, or decide that Zen mind means an empty mind, we will tend to criticize ourselves for having a busy mind. This judging only reinforces the thinking mind and prevents us from seeing our true nature. To state the practice simply, moment after moment all we need to do is perceive and let go, over and over. If we do this diligently, eventually body and mind will drop away and we will experience our pure awareness without thinking. This is the first major stage of awakening.

            Zen practice is about paying attention to reality as it is, without wanting it to be different. If we want things to be other than they are, we suffer, but only always! If your mind is clear and you see it in the moment, that is Zen, no matter what you are doing. If your mind is busy in the moment and you see it without holding on to it, then that is also Zen.

Case 76 in The True Dharma Eye by John Daido Loori is called “No-mind is the Way”

[Guishan] Dagui was onced asked by a monastic, “What is the Way?”

Dagui said, “No-mind is the Way.”

The monastic said, “I don’t understand it.”

Dagui said, “It’s good to undersand not-understanding.”

The monastic said, “What is not-understanding?”

Dagui said, “It’s just that you are not anyone else.”

There is a lot we could discuss from this exchange. But I will just share with you Daido Roshi’s commentary:

            “The Way is beyond understanding and not-understanding. Understanding is grasping at words and phrases; not understanding is blank consciousness.”

            “When Zen practitioners hear, “It’s good to understand not-understanding,” they make a nest here, saying, “Just this is it!” They have not yet realized the intimacy that old Dagui is pointing to. What is Dagui’s intimacy? It’s not mind; it’s not no-mind. It’s not like something.”

           The benefit of practicing Zen correctly and experiencing oneness is that our identity shifts from our small self, from our ideas and opinions, our likes and dislikes, and our body, to our big self, or all that is. Normally we accept this limited view as “me”, and see everything outside of me as “other.” This is a false separation.

            When we directly experience that we are the totality of all that exists, true wisdom and compassion arises. We realize that hurting others is really hurting ourselves, and we tend to stop hurting and start helping.

            With the realization of awakening, fear dissolves and joy appears. Peace of mind is natural. Unconditional love becomes our reality. We live in the moment. “Zen” is not unique to Buddhism. From within any spiritual tradition one can practice Zen and realize their true nature. This is being “born again.” The freedom that comes with this is the beginning of our life as a bodhisattva. After that the journey continues and true cultivation is possible. Once we have it, it is what we do with it that matters. People will see your radiance and want to join you.