That's how I fell in love with Zen

Author: Zhu Xiuching
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: What is Zen? Since the introduction of Buddhism from India to China, Chinese Buddhists have been engaged with Zen. As a religious content, Zen refers to a specific religious practice in ancient Indian religious philosophy, meaning "meditation," specifically referring to a religious practice of concentrating the mind and meditating. After Zen entered China, it formed a nationalized sect—Zen Buddhism—during the Sui and Tang dynasties. Zen Buddhism permeated the Chinese understanding of Zen, exhibiting a clear anti-traditional tendency. It believed that Zen practice did not necessarily require a fixed procedure; everyday activities like eating, sleeping, carrying water, and chopping wood could be Zen, and even a word or a gesture could represent Zen, giving rise to numerous Zen schools. Zen is more of a unique way of thinking than a belief. To understand the essence of Zen, enlightenment is the only path. Zen enlightenment is a direct grasp of the nature of things. It generally does not rely on analytical thinking to judge or reason about things but instead connects directly with the essence of external objects through individual sensory experiences. Therefore, Zen enlightenment transcends knowledge and has no fixed rules—it is a convenient gateway to understanding. As for how to enter this gateway, it can only be done by oneself, as fish know the temperature of the water they swim in. Zen is more of a life wisdom than a religion. Embodying Eastern wisdom, Zen Buddhism, with its focus on individual life and the mind, and its pursuit of a genuine life, has increasingly attracted interest and appreciation. Zen faces reality while transcending it. It is both worldly and transcendent. It achieves inner transcendence in worldly engagement, guiding individuals to become free and engaged travelers in their practice. Zen affirms reason while transcending it. It does not deny the role of reason in human cognition but places greater emphasis on the significance of enlightenment in grasping the world and life. It believes that human reason can only grant knowledge, while enlightenment grants great wisdom. Zen transcends the complexities of the human world, bringing the relationship between self and others back to a natural and harmonious state. Zen also instills in our hearts a sense of great compassion, urging us to take responsibility and fulfill obligations in life, promoting the good in human nature while discarding the selfish. Zen is endless to speak of. Zen Buddhism has always prided itself on the slogan "No words, only the heart passing the heart," urging people to transcend language and words and grasp the truth of the universe and life through various real existences. But "without words, there is no transmission," and generations of outstanding Zen masters have left behind convenient teaching methods, mostly in the form of Zen stories, anecdotes, sayings, and cases. Now, before the readers is such a popular collection of Zen stories. The compiler of this book has selected from a vast amount of literature both classic and modernly enlightening stories, guiding people to enter the lives of Zen masters engaged in witty exchanges, sharp rebukes, and playful gestures. The Zen masters we encounter here are no longer ascetic monks with withered bodies and stagnant minds amidst morning bells and evening drums by ancient Buddha statues and green lanterns, but rather free-spirited and transcendent sages. Their extraordinary and unparalleled profound words leave us in awe and make us reflect again and again. And their worldly-transcending wisdom makes us feel as if we are reaching for the stars, utterly amazed. The illustrations by Ms. Qian Haiyan are also a highlight of this book. As Mr. Yu Qiujiu once praised: Her comic-style brushwork is simple and clean, with a clever and unrestrained intent. The illustrations complement the text, leaving space for contemplation, filled with Zen essence, making one awaken to the simplicity between naive and profound. In a world overflowing with material desires, modern people have lost their way. When you are troubled by the myriad worries of life, please read a bit of Zen stories and listen to the call of Zen, living by its name. As long as the light of Zen wisdom shines in your heart, you will become open-minded and unrestrained, living freely and effortlessly. Zen is indeed a special key to understanding real life.