Meditation within Zen Buddhism The main aim is the sudden awakening of Buddha nature to enlightenment (satori) This happens in an instant It is the in – depth understanding and insight into the emptiness (sunyata) of all phenomena

Meditation within Zen Buddhism There are two main styles we need to concentrate on:- 1. Rinzai 2. Soto

Soto Meditation - intro First introduced into Japan from China by the monk Eisai (1141 – 1215) and was successful with Samurai Soto Zen had more popular appeal through Dogen who remains one of the greatest figures in Japanese Buddhism

Soto Meditation - intro As a Tendai Monk Dogen confronted the problem that if people already have a buddha nature why do they need to exert themselves in religious practice to attain buddhahood He advocated a strict and simple life of monastic discipline and ZAZEN or sitting meditation

Soto Meditation - intro He used the Mahayana sutras to support the practice but he emphasised practices rather then study He was impressed by the personal example of the historical Buddha and interestingly, under Dogen’s tradition, the Buddha became a more human like teacher again rather then a glorious heavenly figure

Soto Meditation - intro Dogen advocated zazen sitting meditation as a return to the true Buddhism of the Buddha and he criticised the Rinzai schools reliance on the koan as too focussed on mental processes He encouraged a natural and straightforward method open to all and encompassing all other practices

Soto Meditation – How does it work? Posture is strictly defined Full lotus position Precise placing of all parts of the body Sit in zazen with constant awareness Have faith that you are already a buddha Engage in the process of ‘self forgetting’ Mokusho or silent illumination is good because it uses the koan sparingly

Rinzai Meditation – Intro Rinzai ( birth date unknown – died in 867) He was noted for his more audacious forms of Zen training e.g. shouting, howling and beating methods! Also for his dynamic exchanges between him as a master and his disciples centring on the koan

Rinzai Meditation – Intro Rinzai wanted the role of a master to bring about a crisis in a student called ‘The Great Doubt’ so that in a moment of realisation or ‘satori’, the student makes a great breakthrough This enlightenment will then be evident in the students every activity whatever form it may take

Rinzai Meditation – How does it work? Rinzai emphasises seated meditation It focuses on a koan (unanswerable riddle) A student will then go through a first enlightenment experience known as kensho He or she will wrestle mentally with the enigma of a koan

Rinzai Meditation – How does it work? Hakuin (1685 – 1768) revitalised Rinzai Buddhism Haiku poems became part of the established focus for students whilst meditating Maybe even a mondo ( a recorded collection of dialogues between a pupil and a rōshi or Zen Buddhist teacher) will be used as a technique

So…is meditation essential to Buddhism or not? Yes it is! – the focus is on the nature of consciousness as the ultimate source of truth and knowledge The most powerful way of understanding consciousness and change is through meditation

So…is meditation essential to Buddhism or not? Meditation also gives clear understanding of one’s own nature and the ability to cultivate higher levels of consciousness and knowledge Without meditation, one could argue that wisdom could not develop

So…is meditation essential to Buddhism or not? No it isn’t ! – The Buddhist path has many forms and aspects and for some traditions, the bodhisattvas are essential as well as rituals and chanting

So…is meditation essential to Buddhism or not? For all forms of Buddhism, morality is the essential basis of the faith Without morality, human nature cannot develop in a positive way so this is clearly more essential to Buddhism than meditation.