I'm so excited to read the paid subscriber post. Reading your reflections on Zen, as understood in Japan and how it has been embraced in west, was illuminating. I admit to having based my (limited) personal understanding of it on the more western interpretations and points of emphasis. I was most struck by your phrase "a way of doing things with presence, but not striving"... will try and keep this front of mind and see where I can start to re-frame how I make my way through each day.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I agree — the Western and Japanese views of Zen aren’t entirely different and shouldn’t be stereotyped, though there are subtle contrasts in emphasis. I’m glad that phrase resonated with you! I’m excited to share the next paid subscriber content soon.
I used to go and meditate at a Zen temple with my Japanese mother-in-law, near Okayama. She always seemed to be perfectly (and enviably!) still - but then afterwards she would confess that she had spent the time planning her shopping list!
To be fair to western practitioners of Zen, while there certainly are the more commercialised and instrumentalised versions that you allude to, there are still plenty of people in the West practicing for the reasons that you list under 'In Japan.'
Thank you for your comment! Yes, it’s definitely hard not to think during zazen. I was actually hit by a monk once when I joined a temple session on a field trip in elementary school — it was 6:00 a.m., and I was half asleep…
And about the difference between Zen in Japan and in the West — you’re absolutely right. I’m sorry if I made it sound like I was saying all Western practitioners are different. I’ll edit the article a bit tomorrow morning. There are definitely people in the West who practice Zen much more sincerely (and deeply) than many Japanese! Thank you for pointing that out!
This was a fascinating read thank you. I recently spent a weekend at a local Buddhist monastery here in the UK. I experienced what you said about it being a lifestyle embedded into everything, not just a relaxation hack. I am trying hard to bring this ti my own life now. I will share a link to this article on my next newsletter round up. Best wishes John
What is Zen in Japan was once Zazen in China. Dogen brought it to Japan and later modified to today’s Zen. I share a quote in support of it here “Seng-ts’an (Sosan) received Transmission from Huike and became thereby what we call “the third Chinese patriarch of Zen.” He continued a poor wandering monk, eventually transmitting this Zen-essence to Tao Hsin (Doshin in Japanese), who became his successor in the teaching lineage. Nothing special. And he is said to have written this piece, the Hsin-hsin Ming, perhaps the first Chinese Zen document, provisionally translated here. These “Verses on the Faith-mind” represent the essence of Zen. They encourage the awakening of spiritual intelligence and invite actualization of the essence of Zen as your own life. This is all you need." (from "Hsin-Hsin Ming: Verses on the Faith-Mind" by "Seng-ts'an, Richard B. Clark, Gyoskusei Jikihara, Richard B. Clarke"). Start reading it for free: https://a.co/bvZ0Ef5.
Osho gave his commentry on this book and titled his book too as ‘Hsin Hsin Ming’ and he says that if all the books on spirituality got burned but only two book, this is one and the other is ‘Hadiqa: The walled garden of truth by Hakim Sanai’, survives then spirituality will grow again to this height in that world too.
Thank you for sharing this! It’s fascinating how Zen evolved from its Chinese roots into something uniquely Japanese while still carrying the same essence of mindfulness and simplicity.
Zen is the only meditation that is going to help mankind of the future - Osho.
Buddha discovered Meditation 2500 years back. Hindus uprooted it in India as they did not wish to learn from Buddha, just like Jews did with Jesus. The disciples of Buddha lineage took it to China where it was improved by Taoist mystics. From there Japanese took it and further refined it into Zen.
Osho modified Zen into a new meditation called “Dynamic Meditation” and developed many other meditations for future generations. But he says Zen is the root/sees of all his meditations.
He gave his commentry on 25 Zen literatures that were difficult to understand before leaving his body on 19th January, 1990.
Thank you for sharing this insightful comment! I really appreciate the background and historical context — some of it I actually didn’t know. It’s fascinating how meditation evolved through different cultures, from Buddha’s teachings to Zen and eventually Osho’s Dynamic Meditation.
In Osho’s Dynamic meditation it is last and before last stage that is part of Zen meditation. Osho says that our lifestyle is so stressful that we need cathartic process to be able to practice Zen meditation. In those times life was peaceful so anyone can directly sit for Zen meditation.
I'm so excited to read the paid subscriber post. Reading your reflections on Zen, as understood in Japan and how it has been embraced in west, was illuminating. I admit to having based my (limited) personal understanding of it on the more western interpretations and points of emphasis. I was most struck by your phrase "a way of doing things with presence, but not striving"... will try and keep this front of mind and see where I can start to re-frame how I make my way through each day.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I agree — the Western and Japanese views of Zen aren’t entirely different and shouldn’t be stereotyped, though there are subtle contrasts in emphasis. I’m glad that phrase resonated with you! I’m excited to share the next paid subscriber content soon.
An interesting piece, thank you very much!
I used to go and meditate at a Zen temple with my Japanese mother-in-law, near Okayama. She always seemed to be perfectly (and enviably!) still - but then afterwards she would confess that she had spent the time planning her shopping list!
To be fair to western practitioners of Zen, while there certainly are the more commercialised and instrumentalised versions that you allude to, there are still plenty of people in the West practicing for the reasons that you list under 'In Japan.'
Thank you for your comment! Yes, it’s definitely hard not to think during zazen. I was actually hit by a monk once when I joined a temple session on a field trip in elementary school — it was 6:00 a.m., and I was half asleep…
And about the difference between Zen in Japan and in the West — you’re absolutely right. I’m sorry if I made it sound like I was saying all Western practitioners are different. I’ll edit the article a bit tomorrow morning. There are definitely people in the West who practice Zen much more sincerely (and deeply) than many Japanese! Thank you for pointing that out!
This was a fascinating read thank you. I recently spent a weekend at a local Buddhist monastery here in the UK. I experienced what you said about it being a lifestyle embedded into everything, not just a relaxation hack. I am trying hard to bring this ti my own life now. I will share a link to this article on my next newsletter round up. Best wishes John
That’s amazing — I didn’t realize there were Buddhist monasteries like that in the UK as well! It must have been such a meaningful experience.
And thank you so much for sharing the article in your next newsletter round-up. I’m looking forward to it!
What is Zen in Japan was once Zazen in China. Dogen brought it to Japan and later modified to today’s Zen. I share a quote in support of it here “Seng-ts’an (Sosan) received Transmission from Huike and became thereby what we call “the third Chinese patriarch of Zen.” He continued a poor wandering monk, eventually transmitting this Zen-essence to Tao Hsin (Doshin in Japanese), who became his successor in the teaching lineage. Nothing special. And he is said to have written this piece, the Hsin-hsin Ming, perhaps the first Chinese Zen document, provisionally translated here. These “Verses on the Faith-mind” represent the essence of Zen. They encourage the awakening of spiritual intelligence and invite actualization of the essence of Zen as your own life. This is all you need." (from "Hsin-Hsin Ming: Verses on the Faith-Mind" by "Seng-ts'an, Richard B. Clark, Gyoskusei Jikihara, Richard B. Clarke"). Start reading it for free: https://a.co/bvZ0Ef5.
Osho gave his commentry on this book and titled his book too as ‘Hsin Hsin Ming’ and he says that if all the books on spirituality got burned but only two book, this is one and the other is ‘Hadiqa: The walled garden of truth by Hakim Sanai’, survives then spirituality will grow again to this height in that world too.
Thank you for sharing this! It’s fascinating how Zen evolved from its Chinese roots into something uniquely Japanese while still carrying the same essence of mindfulness and simplicity.
All credit goes to Japan for preserving meditation on this planet through Zen.
Yes you are absolutely right!
Zen is the only meditation that is going to help mankind of the future - Osho.
Buddha discovered Meditation 2500 years back. Hindus uprooted it in India as they did not wish to learn from Buddha, just like Jews did with Jesus. The disciples of Buddha lineage took it to China where it was improved by Taoist mystics. From there Japanese took it and further refined it into Zen.
Osho modified Zen into a new meditation called “Dynamic Meditation” and developed many other meditations for future generations. But he says Zen is the root/sees of all his meditations.
He gave his commentry on 25 Zen literatures that were difficult to understand before leaving his body on 19th January, 1990.
Thank you for sharing this insightful comment! I really appreciate the background and historical context — some of it I actually didn’t know. It’s fascinating how meditation evolved through different cultures, from Buddha’s teachings to Zen and eventually Osho’s Dynamic Meditation.
In Osho’s Dynamic meditation it is last and before last stage that is part of Zen meditation. Osho says that our lifestyle is so stressful that we need cathartic process to be able to practice Zen meditation. In those times life was peaceful so anyone can directly sit for Zen meditation.
That makes a lot of sense — I’ve heard that too, that Osho’s method helps release all the built-up tension before entering the stillness of Zen.