'A special transmission outside the teachings; not depending on words or letters; directly pointing to Mind; realizing one's True Nature and becoming Buddha.' (Bodhidharma)

One way to think of zen is this: a total state of focus that incorporates a total togetherness of body and mind. Zen is a way of being. It also is a state of mind. Zen involves dropping illusion and seeing things without distortion created by your own thoughts.

Complete and absolute peace.

The belief of no faith began its existence with Buddhism, the "father" of Zen. Buddhism began with a prince named Siddhartha (Vetanen 1). Siddhartha was born close to five hundred B.C. (Vetanen 1). After having lived twenty-nine years and experiencing life in the world, the soon-to-be-enlightened one left his child and martial partner in order to dedicate the rest of his life towards becoming enlightened (Vetanen 1). At the age of thirty-five, Siddhartha attained Enlightenment under the fabled Bo tree and became Buddha, or "The Enlightened One" (Vetanen 1). Although Buddha’s body died later, his spirit lived on and went into the next person that needs a soul (i.e. people that are being conceived. Many Zen thinkers say that Zen was initiated once Buddha achieved Enlightenment (Watts 24). Other Zen masters think of Bodidharma as the "founder" of the most popular Japanese form of Buddhism (Watts 24). Bodidharma’s name means "law of wisdom" (Keiji 10). The first Zen Buddhist was the leader of a Buddhist sect that later became Zen around 470 A.D. (Vetanen 1). Although there is doubt as to who officially began Zen, the definition of Zen remains the same.



The closest translation for Zen is contemplation (Watts 22). This conversion is not the most accurate of versions, as the most accurate version for Zen is Enlightenment and its methods of achievement (Watts 24). Zen was once called Ch’an (Vetanen 1). Ch’an is a belief of impermanence, meaning that those who practice Z...

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form

n: a state of coolness only attained through a totally laid-back type of attitude.
adj.: used to describe someone/something that has reached an uber state of coolness and inner peace

A thwack on the head given by an old Chinese man holding a walking stick