Zen Buddhism Final Study Guide - Concepts

kōan (gongan)

• refers to enigmatic or shocking verbal encounters between masters and students; used as pedagogic (academic) tools for religious training

  • tools to catalyze enlightenment and as actual expressions of enlightenment

• Example : A monk asked Yunmen, “What is Buddha?”. Yunmen replied, “A dried shit-stick.”

zazen (zuochan)

• means “sitting meditation”

• a meditative discipline in Chan/Zen Buddhism, especially in the Caodong/Sōtō school, emphasizing seated meditation

• practiced in various forms, including counting breaths or just sitting (shikantaza)

shikantaza

• a form of zazen in Sōtō Zen, literally meaning “just sitting”, emphasizing alert, effortless, and non-conceptual meditation

• it involves no objects, anchors, or content, focusing solely on the act of sitting with pure awareness

• aims at experiencing the innate Buddha Nature, being fully present and letting go of all thoughts and judgments

Buddha Nature (tathāgata-garbha)

• all sentient beings possess a Buddha Nature, our innate potential for awakening

Shōbōgenzō

• a foundational text in Japanese Sōtō Zen Buddhism, composed by the renowned Zen master Dōgen

• consists of a series of fascicles written in the 13th century, covering various aspects of Zen practice and philosophy

• known for its depth, complexity, and poetic style, it’s a key work in understanding Dōgen’s teachings and Sōtō Zen

bodhisattva

• “Buddhas in training”

  • can reach full Buddhahood

Linji/Rizai (sect)

• founded by Linji, became the most successful Chan school

• Rinzai school is a branch of the lineage that Linji founded

• uses kōan practice and study

• believes in instant enlightenment

Caodong (Ts’ao-tung)/Sōtō (sect)

• founded by Caoshan and Dongshan

• one of the most popular Buddhist movements in Japan

  • as Sōtō in Japan, introduced by Dōgen, it became known for its zazen practice and philosophical depth

• uses silent illumination meditation technique

  • meditation with no objects, anchors, or content

• emphasizes both emptiness and interconnectedness

satori

• a Japanese Zen term for awakening or enlightenment, implying a profound experience of insight into the true nature of existence

• equated with kenshō, sudden “awakenings”

kenshō

• a Zen Buddhist term meaning “seeing one’s true nature,” often considered an initial insight or awakening, leading to satori

• involves recognizing the non-duality of self and other, often described as a glimpse into the nature of emptiness or Buddha nature

“Southern School”

• a term used to describe the faction associated with Huineng

• advocated a “sudden” approach to enlightenment

“Northern School”

• a term used to describe the faction associated with Shenxiu, a contemporary of Huineng

• advocated a “gradual” approach to enlightenment, focusing on ethical behavior and step-by-step practice

“Sudden Enlightenment”

• a principle in Zen Buddhism emphasizing an immediate awakening to one’s true nature

  • exemplified in the approach of the “Southern School” of Chan Buddhism and the Linji/Rinzai Zen kōan practice

• Huineng made this a main idea of Chan Buddhism

  • “Bodhi originally had no tree, Nor is there a standing mirror bright. Fundamentally there is not a single thing, Where could any dust alight?”

• contrasts with gradual enlightenment, asserting that enlightenment can occur instantaneously without progressive stages

“Gradual Enlightenment”

• Shenxiu’s verse where gradual path to enlightenment is rejected:

  • “The body is a Bodhi tree, The mind is a standing mirror bright. At all times polish it diligently, And let no dust alight.”

• advocated by the “Northern School”, focuses on the constant cultivation of the mind

mind-to-mind transmission

• an occurrence when a master transmits their enlightened awareness to their disciple without scriptural or doctrinal teachings

• a foundational concept in Zen

• exemplified between Bodhidharma and his successor Huike

Tendai School

• a major school of Mahayana Buddhism in Japan, founded by Saichō, based on the Chinese Tiantai tradition

• known for its comprehensive approach, incorporating diverse practices and teachings including Lotus Sutra devotion, meditation, and esoteric rituals

• influential in the development of distinct Japanese Buddhist traditions, including Pure Land, Nichiren, and Zen schools

hongaku theory

• a concept in Mahayana Buddhism, particularly in Tendai and later Zen, meaning “original enlightenment,” suggesting that all beings are inherently enlightened

• Challenges the need for external practices or teachings for enlightenment, focusing instead on realizing the already existing Buddha nature.

Mahāyāna

• focuses on the second turning of the dharma wheel, which is considered a “deeper level” of teaching and the origin of the “Great Vehicle” (Mahayana)

  • lead to greater goal of Buddhahood (not arhatship)

  • included cultivation of compassion toward others

  • required more profound insight into the nature of reality

• new sutras, goals, cosmology, and ontology were created

“Ordinary Mind”

• A term particularly emphasized in the teachings of Mazu Daoyi, suggesting that the everyday, uncontrived mind is the mind of enlightenment.

• Encourages a natural, spontaneous approach to practice, focusing on the present moment without attachment or aversion. Contrasts with seeking a special or altered state; proposes that enlightenment is found in everyday activities and experiences.

• “Mind is Buddha”: Buddha is close to each person and to be realized in the mind (cf. Two Aspects of One Mind).

saṃsāra

• cyclic existence, reincarnation

“Mu” (C. wu)

• a key term in Zen, particularly in kōan practice, often translated as “no” or “not,” used in the famous kōan “Does a dog have Buddha-nature?”

• represents the concept of emptiness or the negation of conceptual thinking, challenging logical and dualistic thought processes.

Eihei-ji Temple

• founded by Dōgen and is the center of the Sōtō School to this day

• known for its strict monastic discipline and continuous practice of zazen (sitting meditation), embodying Dōgen’s teachings

śūnyatā

• meaning emptiness in Sanskrit

Perfection of Wisdom (prajñāpāramitā)

• 8,000 verse (c. 100 BCE - 100 CE)

• 100,000 verse (c. 100 - 300 CE)

• Diamond Sutra (c. 300 - 500 CE)

  • reduced the # of verses to 300

• Heart Sutra (c. 600 CE)

  • 25 verses

  • includes language of negation and refrains from elaborate philosophical language

Mind Only

• the external isn’t real, our minds “create the world around us”

• the 8th consciousness model

  • visual consciousness

  • auditory consciousness

  • olfactory consciousness

  • gustatory consciousness

  • tactile consciousness

  • mental consciousness

  • mind (“ego”)

  • storehouse consciousness

huatou

• the “word-head” of a kōan that monks look for

  • Example:

    • Someone asked Zhaozhou, “Does a dog have Buddha Nature or not?” Zhaozhou answered, “Not!”

      • The word “not” is an ideal starting point for “language meditation” since it frustrates discursive, rational thought and actively engages the mind

• often associated with the Linji/Rinzai school

kanhua

• literally “viewing the phrase”, a method in Linji tradition where one concentrates on a kōan or the critical phrase of it

• a practice where one investigates a kōan and its huatou

• different from shikantaza or silent illumination, as it uses the kōan as a direct point of entry into the mind’s depths.

wuwei

• means “do nothing”

Dao

• “a way or a path”

• determines all things & flows as energy of the universe

  • to experience it one must let go and “do nothing”

  • beyond words, only experienced in silence

Platform Sūtra

• considered to be the teachings of Huineng, not the Buddha

  • the only Chinese text considered a Sūtra to not be spoken by a Buddha

• central to the development of Chan’s doctrine, especially sudden enlightenment, no-thought, and the direct mind-to-mind transmission

• emphasizes direct experience over doctrinal study, drawing from Huineng’s experience of awakening without meditation

Tea Ceremony

•  while not originally a Zen practice, the Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) has been deeply influenced by Zen aesthetics and philosophy

• emphasizes mindfulness, simplicity, and the harmony of host and guest, resonating with Zen principles of presence and attentiveness

• the ceremony’s ritualistic and meditative aspects reflect the Zen focus on everyday activities as a means to spiritual awakening

bodhi tree

• the tree that Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under

• traditionally identified as a sacred fig tree and is a symbol of enlightenment and spiritual awakening

• referenced in Shenxiu and Huineng’s verses about enlightenment

nirvāṇa

• liberation from samsara is possible, if one becomes enlightened

“ox-herding” pictures

• a collection of 10 pictures and poems

• a metaphor: the ox is enlightenment and the herder is you, the meditator

  • depicts the process of searching for, finding, taming, and transcending the ox

sanzen/dokusan

• sanzen refers to formal meetings with a Zen master for personal guidance, often involving kōan study or meditation practice

• dokusan, a variant, is a private interview between student and teacher, focusing on the student’s progress in Zen practice.

• both are integral to Rinzai and Sōtō Zen training, providing personalized instruction and facilitating deeper understanding.

Silent Illumination (mozhao)

• both a form of meditation and a spiritual perspective

• focused on non-dual “objectless” meditation rather than yogic postures or rituals

  • no goal or aim - you just sit (zazen)

• practice is the realization of the non-duality of meditation & wisdom

  • counterpart to kōan practice

“uncarved block” (pu)

• “Know honor, Yet keep humility, Be the valley of the universe! Being the valley of the universe, Ever true and resourceful, Return to the state of the uncarved block.”

• nature, essence, simple, plain

“Dharma Combat” (encounter dialogue)

• a practice form unique to Zen in which student and teacher confront each other before a live audience

Bodhi Tree

• represents the capacity of every human to follow the steps of the Buddha in achieving enlightenment

“no-mind”/”no-thought” (wuxin)

• a state of clarity and focus that meditators attempt to reach, free from attachment and dualistic thinking

• a key idea in the Platform Sutra, and likely a break away from previous Chan/Zen teachings

• central to martial arts and artistic practices influenced by Zen, where actions flow from intuition and training rather than conscious planning

“Wall Gazing” (biguan)

• Bodhidharma had done this type of meditation for 9 years

  • you face a wall in seated meditation for extended periods

• emphasizes deep concentration and letting go of distractions, with the aim of realizing the inherent nature of the mind

• a foundational practice in early Chan

dhyāna

• steps for reaching enlightenment

  • meditation that opens up vision and understanding of things that are impermanent/permanent

  • bodily postures (yoga)

  • breathing exercises

  • ascetic/monastic lifestyle