The Mahayana school or the «great vehicle» school is one of the main branches of Buddhism and Zen is derived from it. Whose tradition can be traced back to the Indian monk Bodhidarma who lived in the 6th century CE (Common Era). Later his teaching was taken up by the Ch’an school in China, from where he came to Japan to develop under the name of Zen.
Zazen or «sitting meditation» is the main practice of this school. But what do practitioners do while sitting very still for hours? Succinctly we could say that they are studying their own being, but perhaps the most eloquent words in this regard are those of the great Zen master Dogen:
«To study the way of the Buddha is to study one’s own self, to study one’s self is to forget one’s self, and to forget one’s self is to be enlightened by the ten thousand things.»
It is important to note that when Master Dogen referred to the ten thousand things, he was talking about recognizing the unity of being with the multiplicity of beings or things. This implies a freedom from the ego and duality consciousness in order to enter into a communion with the whole. It may sound extremely mystical, but Zen practices are simple and rooted in everyday life. So let’s dive into how it works a bit.
1. How is it done?
It is generally practiced on the floor or on a mat and a cushion of approximately 35 centimeters in diameter that is used to sit on and is known under the name of zafu. On which the meditator sits cross-legged, traditionally this was done in the lotus or half lotus position, but this is not necessary. What is important is that the hips are above the level of the knees and that the position be comfortable and balanced. Some people use a chair and this is perfectly valid, but it is important to keep the back straight from the pelvis to the neck and let the weight of the head rest crowning the posture. The mouth should be closed but not tight, paying attention to how the lips are gently touching can help relax the jaw. The eyes look at a downward angle, with the gaze resting on the floor.
2. And what do I do with my mind?
In this sense there are two options. The first to perform a focused attention exercise, putting your attention on your breath, feel the movement of the air as you inhale and exhale through your nose. If you find yourself too scattered and unable to focus on your breathing, you can count to 10 while tracking each breath. Start at 10 and then count down to 1, then when you get there start again. If you find that you have forgotten the numbers and are distracted by other external stimuli such as noises, sensations, or smells, or internal stimuli such as thoughts and emotions, return to your breath and counting. Do it as many times as necessary, this is part of meditating.
The second option is to do a practice called shikantaza, or «just sit.» Unlike the previous exercise, there is no specific object of attention here. In this case, what is recommended is that you develop conscious attention to each moment, while observing what is going on in your mind and around you with a form of open monitoring. But without retaining anything, simply observing how sounds, smells, emotions, thoughts emerge and disappear. Resting in an effortless, comfortable and spontaneous presence.
3. How do I know if it is for me?
Zazen is a sober style of meditation and there are many communities practicing it. Maintaining a good posture is often emphasized to help concentration. Zen centers around the world often offer zazen classes or workshops and sometimes these sessions can be related to other elements of Buddhist practice. Like the intonation of songs, reading groups of the Buddha’s teachings, postulations or even some ritual. Some people find this particularly appealing and others less so, it is a matter of personal affinity, but there are definitely advantages and benefits to engaging in a disciplined and methodical practice such as Zen offers.
If you are considering starting to meditate, these 5 tips may help you get off the ground, if you want to know more about why meditate, perhaps these reflections can inspire you. On the other hand, if you already have experience with any style of meditation, we would love to hear about your experience.
With information from Open Way and Buddha Net