Human development (Zen)

The Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, derived from [Ch'an]

in China and therefore with Taoist influences, Zen is a philosophy of absolute negations which are at the same time absolute affirmations. Although a philosophy rather than a religion, it is beyond conceptualization and logic and has to be experienced rather than understood at the intellectual level. Thus Zen aims to transcend objective and subjective viewpoints in awareness beyond mind. This places Zen beyond verbal teaching, with attainment of Buddha-nature by direct transmission in a state of Alaya (the true home), empty of all material or mental objects. On attainment of Buddha-nature comes the awareness that the mind has always been enlightened, it has only to be realized. The aim is for realization of the illusory nature of the individual which has been fostered by past habits. This illusion creates a great burden from which realization brings great release, even partial realization for a short time; but finally the aim is for total destruction of belief in the ego personality and in personal attainment.

Central to the practice of Zen is [zazen meditation]

, centering or concentrating the mind so as to effect a major shift in the method of experiencing oneself in relation to the world, achieving [satori]

, knowledge without thought. The mind may also be focused on a [koan]

or enigmatic saying to focus and subsequently baffle thought, so that the intellect is forced to let go and a spontaneous response arises. Periods of zazen, or "sitting meditation", are interspersed [kinhin]

, meditation based on a formal technique of walking, and by chanting and bowing. There is also [suizen]

, which is a meditative technique of playing the flute.

In Zen there is no interest in the shifting play of viewpoints, or the kinds of interest with which an 'object' may be looked at, with the 'subject' remaining always on one and the same level of daily experience. The intent is rather to think in terms of two totally different dimensions of consciousness, namely the interest is in a sudden, abrupt shift on the part of the perceiving subject from the daily consciousness to that of supra-consciousness.

Intellectual concepts and definitions are pushed aside as the person is pointed towards experiencing first-hand knowing, towards what the Buddha experienced. Self reliance is emphasized, with no leaning on authority, even the authority of Buddha. Nothing, however wonderful or wise, comes between the person and the experience of what is.

Two main sects are Rinzai (emphasizing sudden enlightenment, which it is said cannot be achieved in gradual stages, and the use of koans) and Soto (followers of Dogen, emphasizing discipline, self control and philosophical questioning); a smaller sect, Obaku, emphasizes study of the sutras. Artistic and cultural developments of Zen include the well known Japanese arts of ink painting, flower arranging, No drama, landscaping and the tea ceremony. Traceable to Zen also is the bushido ethic of the [samurai]

.

All this describes Zen in the [exoteric]

sense - a branch of [mahayana]

Buddhism, initially developed in China and strongly influenced by Taoism, a religion with specific teaching and practice and with the goal of [satori]

(self-realization) leading to enlightenment. But in the [esoteric]

sense, Zen is the root of all religion, the indefinable and indescribable source of which all religion is an expression, the awareness of perfection always present in every person. At this deeply mystic level, Zen may be said to be equivalent to the [Tao]

; it is the realization that, in Buddhist terms, [samsara]

(the cycle of existence) is not different from [nirvana]

; utter perfection is present in all beings at all times - as is revealed in Hinduism, in the vedic "perfect prayer".