Texts on Zen Practice
The Eight Gates of Zen by Call Number: BQ9288 .L662 2002ISBN: 9781570629525Publication Date: 2002-09-10This accessible introduction to the philosophy and practice of Zen Buddhism includes a program of study that encompasses practically every aspect of life. The American Zen teacher John Daido Loori shows us that Zen practice should include not only meditation, the study of Zen literature and liturgy, and moral and ethical action, but should also manifest in work, artistic, and everyday activities. The Eight Gates are- 1. Zazen, a type of meditation described as "sitting Zen" 2. Face-to-face meetings between teacher and student 3. Academic study of the sutras related to Zen training, other schools of Buddhism, Buddhist history, psychology, and philosophy 4. Zen rites and rituals and their meaning 5. The moral and ethical requirements set in the Buddhist Precepts 6. Art practice as an extension of Zen practice 7. Body practice as an extension of Zen practice 8. Work as an active function of zazen Beautifully illustrated with Loori's own photographs, this edition also includes a new introduction and an updated reading list.
Everyday Zen by ISBN: 9780061285899Publication Date: 2007-09-04Charlotte Joko Beck offers a warm, engaging, uniquely American approach to using Zen to deal with the problems of daily living--love, relationships, work, fear, ambition, and suffering. Everyday Zen shows us how to live each moment to the fullest. This Plus edition includes an interview with the author.
Glossary of Terminology
Altar (Butsudan) - [Source: Glossary of Zen Terms] “A Buddha-altar isn't only a place to honor one's ancestors. Within the altar, there is an area where Mt. Sumeru (the mountain at the center of the Buddhist cosmology) is represented and in the center of that area the main image is enshrined. In the same way as a temple's main Dharma Hall, the Buddha-altar is ‘the temple in the middle of the home’” (Terebess, n.d.).
Dōgen (Eihei Dogen OR Dogen Kigen Zenji) - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “(1200-1253) Founder of the Japanese Soto School of Zen; Dogen established Eihei-ji, the principal Soto training monastery in Japan; he is the author of the Shobogenzo, an important collection of Dharma essays” (Loori, 2002, p. 263).
Gassho - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Gesture of bringing one’s hands together, palm to pal, embodying the identity of all dualities” (Loori, 2002, p. 264).
[Source: Glossary of Zen Terms] “A mudra expressing nonduality: The palms are joined so that the fingertips are at the height of the nose. The hands are approximately one fist-width away from the face. Hold the palms and fingers of both hands together. Your arms should be slightly away from your chest, your elbows should extend outward from your sides in a straight line parallel with the floor. The tips of your fingers should be approximately the same level as your nose. This is an expression of respect, faith and devotion. Because the two hands (duality) are joined together, it expresses ‘One Mind’” (Terebess, n.d.)
Gatha - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Short sutra that presents the Dharma teachings in terse, pithy wording; frequently chanted” (Loori, 2002, p. 264).
Hara - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Physical and spiritual center of one’s body/mind; area in the lower belly used in centering one’s attention in meditation and any activity” (Loori, 2002, p. 264).
[Source: A Comprehensive Glossary of Zen Buddhism Terminology] “The Japanese term for the lower abdomen, considered a center of physical and spiritual energy in Zen practice” (Fuyu, 2023).
Kesa - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Monk’s outer robe, worn across one’s shoulder” (Loori, 2002, p. 265).
Kinhin - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Walking meditation; it provides a transitional stage for shifting the concentration developed in zazen into activity” (Loori, 2002, p. 265).
Koan - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “An apparently paradoxical statement or question used in Zen training to induce in the student an intense level of doubt, allowing them to cut through conventional and conditioned descriptions of reality and see directly into their true nature” (Loori, 2002, p. 265).
[Source: A Comprehensive Glossary of Zen Buddhism Terminology] A paradoxical question or statement used mostly within the Rinzai school of Zen to provoke insight and realization, often unanswerable through conventional thinking. (Fuyu, 2023).
Kyosaku - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “‘Wake-up stick’; a flattened stick used by the monitors in the zendo to strike acupressure points on a person’s shoulders, relieving tension and promoting wakefulness” (Loori, 2002, p. 266).
Paramita(s) - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Perfections; virtues of attitude and behaviros cultivated by bodhisattvas in the course of their development, necessary on the path of transcendence or realization; ‘reaching the other shore’; the six paramitas are generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and wisdom” (Loori, 2002, p. 267).
Prajna - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Wisdom; not that which is possessed but that which is directly and thoroughly experienced” (Loori, 2002, p. 267).
Samadhi - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “State in which the mind is absorbed in intense concentration, free from distractions and goals; the essential nature of the self can be experienced directly within samadhi” (Loori, 2002, p. 267).
Sangha - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Community of practitioners; all sentient and insentient beings” (Loori, 2002, p. 268).
Satori - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “The experience of awakening; enlightenment” (Loori, 2002, p. 268).
Seiza - [Source: Glossary of Zen Terms] “‘proper sitting’, is the Japanese term for the traditional formal way of sitting in Japan. A sitting position where one kneels and sits back onto the heels. This is the standard position for chanting during service” (Terebess, n.d.).
Shobogenzo (The Eye and Treasury of the True Law OR The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye) - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “A collection of writings and discourses of the Japanese Master Eihei Dogen” (Loori, 2002, p. 268).
Sutra(s) - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Narrative texting consisting chiefly of the discourses and teachings of the Buddha” (Loori, 2002, p. 268).
Upaya - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Skillful means; forms that the teachings take, reflecting their appropriateness to the circumstances in which they appear” (Loori, 2002, p. 270).
Zafu - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Round pillow used in sitting meditation” (Loori, 2002, p. 270).
Zazen - [Source: A Comprehensive Glossary of Zen Buddhism Terminology] “The primary Zen meditation practice, involving seated meditation and breath awareness” (Fuyu, 2023).
Zazen-kai - [Source: A Comprehensive Glossary of Zen Buddhism Terminology] “A group meditation session in Zen Buddhism, often held in a zendo or meditation hall” (Fuyu, 2023).
Zendo - [Source: Glossary in The Eight Gates of Zen] “Meditation Hall” (Loori, 2002, p. 270).
What is Zazen?
Zazen
Zazen translates directly to 'seated meditation.' Unlike other forms of meditation, Zazen is considered to be the heart of Zen Buddhism, and the foundational aspect of achieving enlightenment. Zazen is the study of the self.
Instructions for Zazen Meditation:
Below is a basic step-by-step instruction on sitting zazen. Most zazen sessions in monasteries begin at thirty minutes. For beginners, your meditation periods can range from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. If you'd like to expand your Zen practice, stay consistent and practice zazen daily. Each box below provides a further in-depth description of each step.
- Find your posture. Sit in a comfortable meditation position, straighten your back, keep your eyes lowered, and place your hands in the comic mudra position.
- Practice the breath. Count each inhalation and exhalation beginning with one and ending at 10.
- Once you hit 10, restart the count back at one with the next exhale.
- "When your mind begins to wander—a thought arises and you lose your awareness in it—then clearly see or notice the thought, and then let it go and begin the count again at one" ("Zazen Instructions," 2023).
- Remain patient and steady.
- What is Zazen? (from Encyclopædia Britannica Online)Overview of Zazen meditation provided by Britannica Online.
- Zazen Instructions: How To Meditate (from Zen Mountain Monastery)Zazen instructions provided by Zen Mountain Monastery from Mt. Tremper, NY.
- How to do Zazen (from Soto Zen Organization)Provided by Sojiji Head Monastery and Eiheiji Head Monastery
- The Practice of Zazen [Pamplet]
Shumucho's (2014) description and step-by-step instruction on sitting Zazen in a formal Zendo setting.
What You Need for Zazen
Essential Needs:
A Zafu, or a Cushion
This is where you will sit during your zazen period. While the following image is a zafu, a pillow suffices for beginners. While sitting on a cushion on the floor is the traditional position, many people also use a chair or seiza bench.
Figure 1. A Traditional Zafu (Source: Wikipedia, 2006).
Figure 2. A Seiza Bench (Source: The Monastery Store, n.d.).
A Quiet Location
Ideally, your zazen session will take place in a quiet, isolated location with minimal distractions. This is to reduce external interruptions and promote a quiet headspace to keep your focus.
Loose, Comfortable Clothing
Throughout your zazen period, you will be essentially completely still. Whether you sit in meditation for 5 minutes or 60 minutes, you want to be comfortable. You will be sitting in a posture (see the next box) that can sometimes be uncomfortable in tight or restrictive clothing. As a result, you want to wear something that will allow you to be comfortable while sitting for extended periods of time.
Optional:
An Altar
In traditional Buddhist monasteries and temples, you will likely encounter a Buddhist altar. These are not required for zazen but maybe something you may want to slowly build as your practice progresses. Altars typically consist of an image or statue of the Buddha, incense, flowers, a candle, and other honorific objects. For more information on building an altar, see Liturgy.
- Home Altars (from the Brooklyn Zen Center)A collection of various Zen Buddhist practitioners and their home altars.
Posture & Body Placement
Seated Positions:
Burmese Position
This position (Fig. 3) is the simplest position for beginners. The knees should rest on the floor, and your butt should be placed on the front third of the zafu. Your spine should be straight, and your muscles should be relaxed. In this position, it should be relatively easy to maintain an upright body position (Zen Mountain Monastery, 2023).
Figure 3. Burmese Position. (Source: Zen Mountain Monastery, 2023).
Half Lotus Position
This position (Fig. 4) is a little more advanced. The left foot is placed on top of the right thigh (or vice versa), and the right leg is tucked under the left thigh.
Figure 4. Half Lotus Position. (Source: Zen Mountain Monastery, 2023).
Full Lotus Position
The Full Lotus position (Fig. 5) is the next step after the Half Lotus position, where each foot is placed on the opposite thigh. This position is recommended for those who are flexible in their hips. Through stretching and increasing flexibility, sitting in full lotus position can be achieved (Zen Mountain Monastery, 2023).
Figure 5. Full Lotus Position. (Source: Zen Mountain Monastery, 2023).
Additional Seated Positions (Using a Seiza or Chair):
Seiza Position
The Seiza Position (Fig. 6) is traditionally done by using the seiza bench. You can sit seiza without a bench or pillow by kneeling with the buttocks on upturned feet, as opposed to a bench or cushion (Zen Mountain Monastery, 2023).
Figure 6. Seiza Position. (Source: Zen Mountain Monastery, 2023).
Chair Position
The Chair position (Fig. 7) is done by sitting in a chair. There is no 'incorrect' or 'wrong' way to meditate; the most important part of zazen is to maintain a strong, steady, yet relaxed posture.
Figure 7. Chair Position. (Source: Zen Mountain Monastery, 2023).
All information and images can be found through Zen Mountain Monastery's Zazen Instructions: How to Meditate
The Cosmic Mudra
Hand Positioning
Traditionally, Zen Buddhists place their hands in the cosmic mudra (Fig. 8) position for the entirety of the meditation session.
According to Sotoshu Shumucho (2014), the proper way to hold your hand in the cosmic mudra is done by placing your right hand, palm up, on your left foot. Then, you place your left hand, palm up, on top of the right palm. From here, the tips of your thumbs should be touching each other.
Figure 8. Cosmic Mudra. (Source: Shumucho, 2014).