1. 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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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.