09-25-2021, 07:47 AM
** 21-Sep-2021 World View: Zen Buddhism in America
Here's what I wrote in my Vietnam book:
**** Zen Buddhism in the West
Zen Buddhism (or Ch'an Buddhism in Chinese) has the most recognizable
name in the West of all the Buddhist schools. The word "zen" itself,
outside of Buddhism, has taken on meanings related to intuition or
meditation or calmness. Zen Buddhism is an extremely complex and
deeply spiritual set of beliefs and practices, but a few of those
practices have been popularized in the West as a way to accomplish
tasks intuitively, as in the phrase "the zen of gardening." Thus, one
can be a Christian, for example, and still benefit from some of the
valuable practices and rituals of Zen Buddhism.
The word "zen" derives from a Sanskrit word meaning "meditation."
Central to Zen teaching is the belief that awakening and enlightenment
can be achieved by anyone but one requires instruction in the proper
forms of spiritual cultivation by a master through meditation.
FullMoon Wrote:> That would be great. But I respect your perspective as well and
> would like to know if you found anything during your study.
> Acknowledgement and adoption took some during it's westward
> journey did it not? Slow start, burn bright and then dim or
> fizzle out. That's what I learned but I could be wrong.
Here's what I wrote in my Vietnam book:
**** Zen Buddhism in the West
Zen Buddhism (or Ch'an Buddhism in Chinese) has the most recognizable
name in the West of all the Buddhist schools. The word "zen" itself,
outside of Buddhism, has taken on meanings related to intuition or
meditation or calmness. Zen Buddhism is an extremely complex and
deeply spiritual set of beliefs and practices, but a few of those
practices have been popularized in the West as a way to accomplish
tasks intuitively, as in the phrase "the zen of gardening." Thus, one
can be a Christian, for example, and still benefit from some of the
valuable practices and rituals of Zen Buddhism.
The word "zen" derives from a Sanskrit word meaning "meditation."
Central to Zen teaching is the belief that awakening and enlightenment
can be achieved by anyone but one requires instruction in the proper
forms of spiritual cultivation by a master through meditation.
