Zen, what exactly is it?

Zen is derived from Buddhism and originated in China but was carried across to Japan in AD1200 by Zen-Master Eisai, a monk who is also credited with the introduction of green tea to the islands.

Born in Bitchu province (modern-day Okayama), Eisai started his studies of Buddhism in a Tendai temple. Dissatisfied with the state of Buddhism at the time, in 1168 he set off on his first trip to Mt.

Tiantai, the home of the sect, where he first encountered Chan (later known in Japan as Zen) ideas. He spent only half a year in China this time, but returned in 1187 for a longer stay as a disciple of Xuan Huaichang.

After his certification as a Zen teacher, Eisai returned to Japan in 1191, bringing with him Zen scriptures and the tea seeds. He immediately founded the Hoonji Temple in remote Kyushu, Japan's first Zen temple, and set about slowly propagating the new faith, managing to gain the respect of both the Tendai school and the Imperial court through careful diplomacy.

Zen states that happiness and enlightenment can only be found through the forsaking of desire and ego. To escape from the tribulations of mankind that Buddha said we are stuck with, Zen teaches that we must release our grip on past and future, focusing entirely on the present.

The theory is that past and future are false because they are inventions of our own minds; the only reality is now, everything else is blocking our experience of life’s true nature.

This seems to give us a lot to think about; but therein lies the snag, you have to stop thinking about it immediately, even writing this now for readers to discuss is anti-Zen.

A true follower of Zen believes analysis of anything is thwarting our ‘Beginner’s Mind’, a special, almost childlike state that allows us to see things without preconceived ideas.

An example would be to see a mushroom; not imagine how it got there, how a mushroom grows or what you can do with it to make it taste nice, instead we should just see the mushroom. By not letting our thoughts invade the present (that’s a mushroom) and will (I’m going to chop it up and put it on my pizza) upon an object or situation; we dissolve the self, the I, the ego.

Because we are individuals, many things, the self puts us at odds with being one with the universe.

If we can become egoless, we can become more enlightened or, as one Zen Master says, ‘While our ego is dying, our sensation and knowledge of our self is constantly becoming more vivid’.

Zazen

Zazen is the Japanese for meditation; try sitting cross-legged on a cushion with your right hand placed two inches underneath your tummy button, palm facing up, with your left hand on top of your right, palm up with your thumbs touching.

Breath in and out steadily, counting for each full breath; focusing on the breathing and counting only, if a thought appears in your mind some teachers say you should go back to zero and begin counting again. Other teachers say to ignore any stray thought so long as they don’t linger.

With practice a state of mind called satori can be reached, when your body and mind fall away and your Buddha nature, or true face, appears.

The ancient Zen master Tao-hsin said, ‘There is no other way of achieving Buddhahood than letting your mind free to be itself’.

If you don’t have time for hours of meditation but still want to follow Zen, try and live as much a Zen-like lifestyle as possible; which means not saying bad things about other people, committing unchaste acts, stealing, taking intoxicants or being jealous of anyone or anything.

As well as clearing your mind of clutter, giving your home a good tidying and going for Zen-style interiors can help a lot too.