PLEASE NOTE: I am 'NOT' in any capacity an authorised Zen teacher. I belong to an authentic Zen sangha run by authentic Zen teachers. Currently and outside of my sangha I run a very small local Zen sitting group in which these are my personal answers on how I see Zen in this current moment and does not reflect my sangha or my Roshi (teacher) in any way.
Q1. Is Zen Buddhism a Religion?
The quick answer is no.
It is a practice, one might call it a life style however, there are lots of Buddhist sects in which some of them maybe classed as religious. Buddha was a human man, he was not a god or claim to be a son of any god. Just a man who saw suffering in his fellow mankind and of course with his own suffering.
Zen is a practice to end suffering or the perception of suffering and to be liberated from the perpetuating cycle’s of samsara (the circle of life – death and rebirth).
Religion is a belief system in which you would worship and pray to a god or other deity’s. When we bow in Zen we are not bowing to a god, we are bowing out of respect for the teacher and the Buddha, for the Dharma (teachings) and for the Sangha (students/community).
It is also said that we are all un-awakened Buddha’s but we just have not awakened to that state of being yet, hence the need for practice. So if we are bowing to Buddha and that we are all un-realised Buddha’s we are actually also bowing and respecting ourselves.
Q2. What is the difference between Enlightenment and Nirvana?
Nirvana is the ultimate freedom from suffering. All humans suffer in some way, when the body gets old and starts to breakdown we get sick and this is obviously one form of suffering.
Then after death it is believed you will be re-born and the cycle continues until you finally enter Nirvana and spiritual immortality. The practice of Zen is to aid us in discovering and entering into Nirvana, these people who come to this point will be enlightened people.
However, one could say there are different levels of enlightenment. There are enlighten states which can be momentarily, and these states, with the help of practice may increase, until you are in a permanent state of enlightenment, awareness, an experience, a way of understanding, and a way of being that never leaves you.
This state of being that never leaves maybe classified as fully enlightened, but of course not totally free from suffering due to the nature of being in a human body.
Only a fully enlightened human being can enter into Nirvana after they die, totally liberating themselves from samsara (re-birth). Generally it is said that if you came back then you did not free yourself from suffering and you did not discover full enlightenment.
It is wise to note that even though Zen practice is there for you, it is obliviously not given that you will free yourself. Just as it is also not necessary for you to practice Zen or any other system for you to become liberated. Zen is just one tool in the box, but a very good tool at that.
Q3. What is suffering?
As stated above there is the obvious suffering of physical pain, but then there is emotional suffering, which may come from attachment. The attachment to material things, people, our own thoughts and beliefs or maybe an attachment to the different ways we live our lifestyles. If we break them each down further I'm sure there will be an endless list.
I would also like to point out the possible suffering that may arise from more positive aspects of attachment. Our ideals and expectations about happiness entrap us as we forget they are just ideals and expectations. Our ideals of happiness can prevent us from actually being happy and we fail to see the opportunity for joy that is right in front of us when we are caught up in the belief that happiness should take a particular form.
When we are happy life is good, sometimes it can be really good, when we are in these emotional states, we need to be aware that they are just that, states of being. We should absolutely enjoy and appreciate them when they occur in that moment, but with an awareness that this state will change, as all states continuously change.
This way we can have full gratitude for what is taking place at that moment, but when that moment passes we must recognise that it does indeed pass. There is no need to continuously strive to either be in that state or chase after that state, as many of us do when we reminisce about the past.
This can cause much suffering, especially if we can no longer attain it. This is quite often the times when you look elsewhere for your happiness, alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling and other external sources of pleasures or as I like to call them, dopamine hits.
Bring ourselves back to the very moment is what we try to do in Zen, in can be extremely helpful in changing or weakening these attachments as with all attachments. How can we be attached in the very moment that no longer exists.
Zen can also really help you in awakening to your life conditioning, this may highlight your specific need or caving’s for certain attachments and the possible suffering it may cause you if it goes unrecognised.
Q4. So do Zen Buddhist pray?
Lets just say there is nothing saying that you can not. However, it is something that is not directly practice, but people may find great solace, comfort and connection in doing so.
I can certainly see why some people could get confused, as us Zen folk are buggers for bowing and chanting with hands in gassho (pray position) and it seems that we just never stop bowing. In Zen there are set forms for bowing as previously described, but in a Sangha it is really just silently expressing our gratitude and respect for the help and support we are given from the presence of others. It is done silently so we do not starting engaging with conversation or interaction, which may well disturb our balance and equanimity.
The chanting must not get confused with worship either, they are distinctively different. Chanting embodies the Buddha’s teachings. The chants are teachings that we must take on board, which is why they are done normally around twice a day, morning and evening. This way the teachings become part of us so no matter what activities we are doing, we can always be aware of the teachings and how to conduct oneself.
There are many chants but only a few core ones and they are chanted in a certain way, some might say like a mantra. This is mainly for two reasons, firstly for us to be very mindful and present as we chant, helping us in maintaining our focus. Secondly when you are chanting in a Sangha together, it emits a very powerful and harmonious energy, that vibrates and can penetrate deep inside your soul. It creates a feeling of deep connection and oneness, an energy that even a visitor or novice can physically feel.
The form of Zen with all of it’s bowing and chanting puts us in the correct mindset for deep meditation.
Q5. Why bother to meditate?
You don’t if you don’t want too.
Before we actually talk about meditation it might be good to clarify what meditation is or more to the point what it is not. Mindfulness is a common term which often gets misinterpreted for meditation.
Mindfulness is exactly as it is described, the mind-is-full. Which in one way is the opposite of meditation, allowing the mind to over time to enter into emptiness. Mindfulness is basically a concentration skill, keeping your mind completely full or focused on a specific task or object. This is an excellent skill to attain as we need this attentive single point of focus to enable us to still the mind enough so we can start meditating. Then we may have a chance of entering the higher levels of meditation.
However, mindfulness and meditation are powerful tools used for purifying the mind from thought, especially the more toxic thoughts like jealously, anger, fear and many more. Thoughts create emotions and high level of emotions create imbalance.
You just need to look at what is happening in the world right now. People are emotionally heighten out of fear, and making completely illogical judgements and decisions because of it. As every psychologist will tell you, when in fear this creates imbalance, your body enters into the fight or flight response, making it impossible for the brain to function rationally, due to the increase levels of the fear response hormones.
When we recognise that we are more than just flesh and bones, and the ‘I’ is something connected to the flesh and bone but not the flesh and bone itself. This understanding can significantly lessen the amount of fear create by your mind.
Meditation is also an excellent tool for recognising your conditioned ego self, which in time will just fall away with practice. It is like a natural side affect of just doing the practice, and a vital part of the process.
By meditating it helps us to act and think more wisely, and enables us to use this wisdom to live in harmony with others and nature without fear. Meditation is the tool or stepping stone to liberation and enlightenment, however this state can be recognised without meditation also, it is just that meditation is probably the sharpest tool in your tool box.
Q6. Do Zen Buddhists believe in God?
If you ask a Christian, Muslim or a Hindu they would definitely say yes. Then if you asked a follow up question who created the world, again I am pretty certain the Christian would say God created the world, The Muslim would say Ali created the world and the Hindu would say Brahma created the world.
So how can this be, there is only one world that we humans live on and with 3 different gods who all claim to created it. They all obviously believe whole heartily that their god created the world, but that's a belief not actual fact, but also I would like to point out that just because it is a belief also does not mean that it is untrue either. Then, there are the scientists with the big bang theory and evolution, where does that fit in with religion.
Maybe the way a Zen Buddhist might describe it is, how do you know how sweet sugar is without even tasting it. Until you have had direct experience of God, Ali or Brahma how do you know.
For me, at this moment in time because all things are impermanent, even our current beliefs and thoughts, God is everything that exists. God is in me, in you, the animals, the trees and plants, the bacteria, and everything that I have ever experienced. If I wanted to go further I might say, God is also all the natural laws of which the universe is governed in every dimension. An unimaginable governing energy or force, which can only be felt and experienced, not explained or intellectualised.
If God is something more than I have described then what does it matter, if you have no experience of it.
Religion is base in faith, faith is extremely powerful but it is not as a scientists would call fact. It is only a fact when directly experienced, that experience becomes knowledge and knowledge becomes your truth. For me religion gets distracted with all these obscure definitions and ties itself up within all the ancient scriptures.
None of this really matters anyway, what only really matters is how we live in this world, alongside each other, nature and all it’s elements in the most harmonious and joyous way possible. Zen teaches us that humans alongside everything else in existence are all connected, all one, in the eyes of the absolute.
Q7. What do Zen Buddhist mean by impermanence?
Impermanence is obliviously the opposite of permanent. The Buddhist and Daoist take this view very seriously and an understanding of it may help you recognised where your suffering comes from regarding attachment or the loss of someone dear.
Everything that was ever created is impermanent, even the universe itself. One of the greatest sufferings a person can have is the loss of a loved one. This is devastating on all counts, but some people never get over such a deep and heart felt loss. It will stay with them for the rest of their generally shorten lives and in absolute misery.
Understanding and talking about impermanence can really help in times like these. I do not want to die, but I know that this is one of the absolute guarantees of life, if not the only one. People block this out from their consciousness usually out of fear so they go about their physical life as if they are immortal and going to live forever, this is an extremely unwise way to live.
They put their dreams on hold and tell themselves they will do it tomorrow, next year, when I have more money or that when that new job arrives. Then before they know it time has past, regret has set in due to the realisation that there is no more time left or they are no longer physically able to fulfil their dreams.
Understanding impermanence will naturally make you more grateful, not just for everyday that your physical body is on this planet but for every breath you take. The simple task of just breathing alone, which before you wouldn’t have consciously registered at all, can bring such pleasure and joy. If you don't believe me then just simply hold your breath for as long as you can, you will soon find extreme pleasure in your next one.
This deeply changes the way you see life, a life full of gratitude is a blissful one indeed. No need for fancy cars or big house, just a deep feeling of unconditional gratitude. Like when you can not find a toilet when you bursting to go. Then finally you find one, you don’t care how glamorous it is your just glad you found it. In this moment immense relief, satisfaction or even pleasure is gain from something so ordinary and in that very moment life couldn’t get any better. Unfortunately for most, this gratitude soon ends as the flush is activate and your immediate needs have been met.
Knowing that everything will end can be of great service, when you are down in the dumps, your at your lowest you can take strength in knowing it will not last forever and change will be coming soon enough, even if it doesn't feel like.
Sadness and happiness comes and goes, be comfortable with them both, understand the delicate nature of impermanence, this
can make it possible to be sad but without having to suffer in sadness.
Q8. What is Jukai?
Jukai is a ceremony after you have studied the precepts. The precepts are a set of moral guidelines to live your life by, which would be similar to the 10 commandments in Christianity.
If we live a moral life then you will be free from personal conflict with ourselves and others. This helps in keeping the mind quiet, peaceful and able to maintain balance, which in turn will also help us to be free from samsara.
~ Barry ‘fuso’ Sant
Comments