JPJRS 2/2 (1999) 54-62 The guest in Zen Buddhism Selva Rathinam SJ Dept, of Scripture, JDV, Pune It was my summer vacation. As usual I methods, realisation and transmission, was on my way to Perumalmalai in the thus: Kodaikanal hills of Tamil Nadu to prac­ A special transmission outside the tise Zen meditation at “Bodhi-Zendo” scriptures; under the guidance of Fr. Ama Samy No dependence on words and let­ SJ, the only qualified Zen meditation ters. teacher in India. Coming to know of my Directly pointing to the heart-mind. plan, some theology students who met Seeing into one’s Nature and at­ me on the way put this question to me, taining Buddhahood.1 “Can we afford to spend time in medi­ tation facing the wall when millions of 2. The Quest in Zen Buddhism our countrymen are suffering?”. Yes, this is the question which I grapple with The quest here is for liberation, in this paper. What is Zen and what is freedom.2 This liberation is not merely the quest in Zen Buddhism? individual and otherworldly, but it is also communitarian and this-worldly. “It must 1. What is Zen? be remembered that Buddhism origi­ nated as a liberation movement. The When we arrive at “Bodhi-Zendo” Buddhist meditation and philosophy are for Zen meditation the administrator primarily soteriologies or ways of libera­ gives us a pamphlet which contains an tion. There can be no true Liberation introduction to Zen. The first point states Theology for the East without such in­ that “the word “Zen” is a Japanese modification of the Sanskrit word depth encounter and experience”.3 But, ‘dhyana’ (Pali, ‘Jhana’). ‘Dhyana’ be­ when we talk about liberation as the came in China ‘Ch’an or “Ch’an-na” quest in Zen Buddhism, what kind of lib­ and in Japan, ‘Zen’ or Zenna. “Zen” is eration are we talking about? “The Zen originally Zen Buddhism, which is a sect quest is, first and foremost, a religious of Mahayana Buddhism. According to quest”.4 By religious quest what I mean legends, a certain Bodhisattva from is a spiritual quest as opposed to a ma­ South India - from Kanjeevaram, ac­ terial one.5 In a material quest one looks cording to one legend - went to China for fulfilment in power, prestige, wealth in the 5lh-6,h'century and taught this form and health, but in a spiritual quest one of meditation. From China Zen Bud­ searches for meaning in life in the face dhism spread to Korea and to Japan. of human frailty, limitation, suffering and An ancient verse describes the Zen death. When one begins to search for 54 Jnanadeepa 1999, Vol. 2, No.2 meaning one begins the Zen quest. absent but there is a tree, a brook, birds When one finds it, one becomes enlight­ and fish. When one dies completely, he ened. This enlightenment or satori is the wakes up to the reality of everything. primary goal of Zen. Now, what is the Here the world is no more anthropocen- way in which Zen achieves its goal? tric but reality as such. Here one is en­ lightened about his true self and this is 3. The Ox-herding Pictures of what is shown by the presence of Na­ Zen6 ture in this picture. Dogen (1200-1253) As we climb up the steps to enter says in his Shobogenzo, “To study the into the meditation hall at “Bodhi-Zendo” Way (satori) is to study the self. To in Perumalmalai, we see on the wall the study the self is to forget the self. To ten pictures of the so-called “The Ox forget the self is to be enlightened by all things. To be enlightened by all things is and His Herdsman”. The ten pictures to remove the barriers between one’s are these which illustrate the way of Zen: self and others. At that time, there is no trace of enlightenment, though enlight­ 1. The Search for the Bull; enment itself continues [into one’s daily 2. Discovering the Footprints; life] endlessly”.7 In the tenth, man is 3. Perceiving the Bull; back in the world with wisdom and com­ 4. Catching the Bull; passion. It is an advaitic reality. 5. Taming the Bull; The starting point in the first pic­ 6. Riding the Bull home; ture is seeking and looking for libera­ 7. The Bull forgotten; tion. One can talk about liberation only 8. Both Bull and Self forgotten; when there is a situation of oppression, 9. Return to the Source and Origin; suffering and alienation. In the religious 10.Entering the Market Place with context we call this alienation “sin”. Open Hands. Gautama went out of his palace looking The Bull here represents the ulti­ for liberation, after having experienced mate reality, the True Self. In the first, this dukkha, suffering. This looking for one searches for it. In the second, one also implies a tremendous faith, hope discerns a suitable way, perhaps under and love. If the starting point is one of a guru, to realise it. In the third, one ex­ sin, alienation, then the final picture is periences the true reality. In the fourth one of reconciliation, relationship with one gets hold of the bull which struggles oneself, with others and with the whole to get away. In the fifth, the bull is reality. This is what in Christian termi­ tamed. In the sixth, not only is there an nology is called “salvation”. The pictures absence of struggle but also there is in between are the liberative processes peace and joy. In the seventh, man is for the Zen students from the dualistic alone and lonely. This is the anthropo- realm to the non-dualistic realm. The centric world. In the eighth, even the process in-between is the paschal mys­ man has vanished and there is only noth­ tery where one passes over from fal­ ingness and emptiness. Here one lets sity to truth, from darkness to light and go of everything. In the ninth, man is from death to life. The goal of Zen is The Quest in Zen Buddhism 55 achieved with a well defined method either foot up on the opposite thigh. Such which is called Zazen. a posture gives a balanced state of muscle while sitting and helps to sit a 4. The Method of Zazen8 long time without fatigue. There is a simple and reasonable After the foundation is thus set, you way to do it. Let me give this method deal with your hands. You put one hand from my own experience, so that it will upon the other, palms up, and let the tips be easy for anyone to practise. First of of both thumbs touch each other. The all, as to “where and when”, find a tidy hands are then placed on the lap with place without much noise. Any place both elbows kept slightly away from the could be suitably calm early in the morn­ body and with the shoulders kept free ing. At Bodhi-Zendo we usually start at from tension. Then you straighten your six in the morning except on some days spine and pull in your chin a little, when when we start at five. We, as has been you feel that the end of your nose and said in Zen circle, “sit an incense stick’s your navel are lying on the same line burning” since it gives a comfortable perpendicular to the floor. odour of peaceful atmosphere and a help Then keep your eyelids half shut in some other places in measuring time. or cast down the line of your vision natu­ For a comfortable sitting it is important rally so as to see the area about one to put on loose-fitting clothes and avoid metre before you. When we gaze at sitting when very tired, very sleepy, very anything for a long time, we are apt to hungry or just after a meal. get dull in mind, therefore “half opened After finding an adequate place eyes” indicate that we should not be and time, you need two ordinary flat and excessively watchful. By shutting the thick cushions, one over the other, then eyes one may fall into blunt stillness and seat yourself on the thick cushion. The may not be able to exercise the vivid cushion lying under the buttocks will shift and effective Susokukan (B reath- the weight of the upper half of your body Counting Meditation). You keep your to the front and you can stabilise your mouth closed and breathe naturally whole body. Then swing the upper half through your nostrils, preferably deep or of your body slowly, back and forth, abdominal breathing. So much about right and left, for more stability. your posture in Zazen and now you are There are two methods of cross­ counting your own breaths. legged sitting; one is full-lotus and the other half-lotus. The former is the 4.1. How to practise Susokukan method in which you draw your right Start counting your natural breaths foot on to the left thigh, and then draw in your mind. You put an inhalation to­ up your left foot on to the right thigh. I gether with the following exhalation and took this regular posture, but it some­ count “ (wa...n)” etc. Though experi­ times gives pain to one who has a fat entially it is found effective, those who body or short legs. In such cases, half­ are already happy with another mode lotus is permitted where you draw up of counting can continue it.