Zen does not mean sitting

Characteristically, the modern Soto cult of Zen begins with the belief that in order to study the Buddha’s awakening we must do lots of zazen (i.e., sitting Zen).  This is not true when you measure such a belief against the Buddhist canon.  Along with this, it should also be pointed out that many mendicants during the time of the Buddha also sat in meditation.  The Jains, for example, sat in dhyâna(zen) .  How many attained the Buddha’s awakening?

There is more to Zen, and for t hat matter, Buddhism, than sitting on one’s arse.  This is what the late Zen master Hsu-yun (1840–1959) had to say about zazen.

"Fundamentally a Ch’an [Zen] hall is out of place; moreover Ch'an does not mean sitting (in meditation).  The so-called Ch'an hall and the so-called Ch'an sitting are only provided for people (who encounter) insurmountable obstructions (of their own) and who are of shallow wisdom in this period of decadence (of the Dharma)" (Lu K’uan Yü, Ch’an and Zen Teaching (1970), p., 35).

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Angulimala]

“The great teacher Sengcan said: “Everyone else thinks it is noble to die sitting: They sigh at such a marvel. Now I will die standing, independent of birth and death.” His words finished, he held on to the branch of a tree as his breath gently ended.”

Zen Dawn: Early Zen Texts from Tun Huang, translated by J.C. Cleary, Pg. 44

[Angulimala]

“The great teacher Sengcan said: “Everyone else thinks it is noble to die sitting: They sigh at such a marvel. Now I will die standing, independent of birth and death.” His words finished, he held on to the branch of a tree as his breath gently ended.”

Zen Dawn: Early Zen Texts from Tun Huang, translated by J.C. Cleary, Pg. 44

[Sansiddhah]

Check my link Telebutcher.

[Telebutcher]

So what should we be doing

[Sansiddhah]

What does an authentic Zen hermit have to say on the matter?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmNx5hAREok

"It's all in the texts."