Zen (japanski zen, kineski č'an, sanskritski dhjana – meditacija, meditativno zadubljenje) je jedna od škola kineskog Mahajana budizma koja je na Zapadu postala poznata pod svojim japanskim imenom. Škola je to ime dobila zbog naročitog naglaska kojeg stavlja na praksu negovanja uma. Reč zen, pored toga što označava ime škole, označava i svrhu njenih nastojanja, pa se tako često upotrebljava u značenju probuđenja, konačne istine ili prave prirode. Zen budizam se ne smatra samo školom meditacije, već školom koja čuva i prenosi živu mudrost koju je Buda, probuđeni, dosegnuo sedeći u meditaciji pod drvetom prosvetljenja.

Pojava učenja

Pojava č'an budizma u Kini se vezuje uz redovnika Bodidarmu. Za njega se kaže da je učenje doneo iz Indije negdje oko 520. godine n.e. O razvoju učenja u Indiji se zna vrlo malo, samo na osnovu priča i legendi. Najpoznatija od njih je ona o prenosu učenja Mahakašjapi, jednom od istaknutih Budinih učenika. Priča kaže kako je Buda držeći govor pred okupljenim učenicima podigao ruku držeći u njoj cvet. Samo je Mahakašjapa shvatio poruku i nasmešio se. Buda je potom rekao: "U mene je istinsko oko učenja, čudesan um utrnuća. Sada ga predajem Mahakašjapi." Time je Mahakašjapa postao prvi patrijarh zena u Indiji. Poznata su i imena ostalih indijskih patrijarha od vremena Mahakašjape sve do Bodidarme koji se smatra 28. patrijarhom u indijskoj i prvim u kineskoj tradiciji zena. Bodidarmino učenje je u Kini prenošeno s učitelja na učenika tokom pet generacija do vremena čuvenog šestog patrijarha, Hui Nenga (638.-713.), čiji su mnogobrojni učenici utemeljili razne ogranke koji su vremenom skupljeni u pet zen škola. Danas su jedine dve škole zena kod kojih je tradicija prenosa učenja neprekinuta škole Soto (kin. Caodong) i Rinzai (kin. Linji).

Suština učenja

Učenje koje je Bodidarma doneo sa sobom u Kinu je podučavalo da sve izniče iz uma, da je priroda uma priroda Bude, da je ona svojstvena svim osetilnim bićima, i da je osnovni način uviđanja ove izvorne prirode motrenje uma. S jedne strane to je budizam duboko ukorijenjen u učenjima Mahajane, naročito učenju o budinskoj prirodi, a s druge strane je to povratak samoj srži učenja, iskustvu probuđenja i direktnim načinima njegovog postizanja upražnjavanjem meditacije.

Ipak, da bi se ostvarila sama srž učenja potrebna je i određena fiѕička praksa i savlađivanje niza vežbi i usvajanja posebnih navika. Velika je zabluda u zapadnoj civilizaciji da je Zen samo meditativna praksa, i da se on može samo intelektualno (umno) usvojiti. Naprotiv, praksa Zena zahteva određen ritam i stil života u manastirima koji su tome i prilagođeni. Nekada majstori Zena svojim učenicima zadaju istinski teške fizičke vežbe, ne bi li ih time oslobodili nekih umnih stanja ili stavova.

U svetu posebno poznate demonstracije Zena a ujedno i sitem učenja kroz naporan fizički rad predstavljeni su čuvenim disciplinama kao što su: Čajna ceremonija, Streličarstvo, Kaligrafija, ... Cilj i svrha ovih disciplina je u tome da se kroz naporan fizički rad, usredsređenost i beskrajna ponavljanja Um oslobodi stega tela i počne neometano da se iskazuje. Stepen napredovanja kandidata na planu Uma se ogleda i kroz telesne pokrete, odnosno njegovu motoričku veštinu, zbog čega majstori Zena posmatraju veštine monaha kao refleksiju njegovog duhovnog stanja.

Stalna duboka usredsređenost u bilo kojoj delatnosti, bilo da se radi o meditaciji ili fizičkom radu praktikanta Zena vodi ka duhovnom uvidu i ispunjenosti, odnosno stanju prosvetljenosti - Nirvane. Da bi ubrzali u nekim slučajevima prelaz na drugu duhovnu dimenziju postojanja, majstori Zena svojim učenicima daju umne zagonetke bogate logičkim apsurdima, koje u jednom trenutku rešavanja dovode do duhovnog kvantnog skoka, takozvanog Koana, kada učenik spozna stanje Nirvane. U nekim slučajevima, stanje Koana se izaziva tako što majstor učenika snažno udara bambusovim štapom po leđima, dok je on u dubokoj meditaciji, pobuđujući u njemu iznenadni prelaz u Nirvanu.

Suštini učenja je prilagođena i ishrana, bazirana na vegetarijanskoj hrani, što je jedan od osnovnih aksioma Budizma. Zatim slede i svi ostali aspekti svakodnevnog života kao što su oblačenje, rituali, vežbe, dnevne dužnosti u manastiru, zavisno od mesta koje pojedinac zauzima u hijerarhiji. Zen ne postoji kao praksa van manastira i bez učitelja.

Osnovna načela

Postoje četiri osnovna načela zena, u kojima je sažet pristup škole. To su:

-> Prenos s učitelja na učenika mimo svetih tekstova.
-> Nezavisnost od reči i slova.
-> Direktno ukazivanje na um.
-> Uviđanje vlastite prirode i postizanje budastva.

Nezavisnost od reči i slova kao i poseban prenos mimo svetih tekstova kazuju da je zen, u svom značenju prvobitne istine, izvorne ili budinske prirode, s one strane reči, jezika, ideja i koncepata. U zen tradiciji se iskustvo izvorne prirode često uspoređuje s mesecom, a reči, jezik, ideje i koncepti koji ga opisuju se upoređuju s prstom koji pokazuje na mesec. Rečima i konceptima to iskustvo nikada se ne može do kraja iskazati niti opisati, jer to je nešto što svako mora iskusiti za sebe.

Međutim, pogrešno bi bilo na temelju ova dva načela zaključiti da zen odbacuje uobičajen način prenosa i nastavljanja budističke tradicije raznim oblicima zaređenja, preuzimanjem moralnih načela, pa i izučavanjem tekstova i poznavanjem učenja. Potreba za njima je nesumnjiva, no zen s pravom upozorava da ne smeju postati sami sebi svrha, čime se gubi duh učenja u korist njegovoga slova.

Dva preostala načela kazuju da je naš um izvorno um Bude i da Budu ne trebamo tražiti nigde drugde do li u vlastitom umu. Smirivanje i motrenje uma u procesu meditacije kroz sve njegove stadije - od raspršenog i usredotočenog pa do ujedinjenog - naposljetku vodi ka uviđanju njegove izvorne prirode.

Nešto što bi na neki način mogli smatrati načelom Zena je verovanje da zen praktikant ne mora da napreduje po nekoj određenoj proceduri, odnosno pravilima ili zahvaljujući iskustvu i provedenom vremenu. Naprotiv, nema pravila koliko dugo traje školovanje do realizacije. Nema ni nekih striktnih pravila za učenje učenika. Majstor prilagođava praksu učenja svakom učeniku, pokušavajući da od njega izvuče najbolje, i da mu prokrči najkraći put do samorealizacije. Istorija Zena je puna biografskih priča o realizovanim učenicima koji su jako malo vremena proveli u manastiru. Jednostavno, njihovi umovi su bili spremni da postanu Bude a Zen je bio samo okidač.


Sve ovo je preuzeto odavde (http://sr.wikipedia.org/sr-el/%D0%97%D0%B5%D0%BD_%D0%B1%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B7% D0%B0%D0%BC)...

Sad malo moga misljenja... :secret: :xmas143:

O zenu je vrlo tesko govoriti, jer ga svi posmatraju na razlicit nacin... Koliko god tekstova ja citao, svaki je nekako razlicit...

Kad sam tek poceo da proucavam zen, smatrao sam da je vrlo malo (skoro nimalo) povezan sa budizmom, imaju zajednicku osnovu i to je to...

Kasnije sam nailazio na ljude koji zen uopste ne ubrajaju u budizam, sto je vrlo pretenciozno, jer sam prostom logikom zakljucio da je zen najvisi oblik budizma, dovodjenje uma u stanje ne-uma (budino stanje)...
Znaci: theravada (koje se naziva i "malim kolima") -> mahayana (odnosno "velika kola") -> zen budizam... To stanje uma je, kazu, nemoguce izraziti rijecima (mada je jedan ucitelj rekao da je to kao "srebrna chasha na belom snegu", predivno :wub2:)...

Evo neke izreke na engleskom...
Uskoro cu postovati i zen price... (koje, by the way, imate na mom blogu, ali zelim da ovom forumu nesta ostavim u amanet :xmas143: )
__________________________________________________ ___________

"The master is there not only to teach you certain doctrines;
he is there to release you from the prison that you yourself have made."

__________________________________________________ ___________

"Inside my heart, there's this little Buddha very serene, who always reminds me that it's all just zen. Life is all just zen. And the world falls away....everything matters and nothing matters. It is what it is, in this moment, and that is all. That is how you learn to move between the worlds.”

Naravno, zen se moze proucavati na razne nacine...
Ali zen prakticno ne postoji van manastira i bez ucitelja...

Velika je zabluda da je Zen samo meditativna praksa, i da se on može samo intelektualno (umno) usvojiti. Naprotiv, praksa Zena zahteva određen ritam i stil života u manastirima koji su tome i prilagođeni. Nekada majstori Zena svojim učenicima zadaju istinski teške fizičke vežbe, ne bi li ih time oslobodili nekih umnih stanja ili stavova.

mnogo ljudi jednostavno ne moze da pronadje pravi put bez ucitelja...
Sustina je naizgled prosta: budite sda i ovdje!
Ali to nije nimalo lako, kao sto zvuci...
... kad kuvate kafu, samo kuvajte kafu. gledajte u dzezvu i vodu, jednostavno budite potpuno tu. ...
Razmislite jeste li ikad upravo to radili? Ili dok kuvate kafu razmisljate i o tome kad cete oprati solje, rucati i sta ja znam...

"Once there was a well known philosopher and scholar who devoted himself to the study of Zen for many years. On the day that he finally attained enlightenment, he took all of his books out into the yard, and burned them all."

Zen And The Art of Falling In Love
By Dr Brenda Shoshanna

“We never ask the meaning of life
When we are in love.”
(Bhagwan Osho)

We are meant to live a life of love. When we’re not in love, something’s the matter. However, no matter how successful some are in other aspects of their lives, they don’t feel it’s possible to have the same success in love. They tell themselves to “be realistic.” Being realistic about relationships” is considered natural as we “grow up” and give up the fantasies, foolishness and dreams of childhood. But nothing could be further from natural. Being in love is the most mature and realistic thing you can do. It energizes your life, fills you with positivity, creates generosity and makes every moment beautiful. The body heals the heart is happy. The real question is, why aren’t we in love all the time? How can we learn to fall in love with all of life?

The world of Zen is filled with guidance and practice that permits us to open our hearts, clear our minds, become present, be who we are and be able to discover the wonderful secret of falling in love with all of life. As a great Zen Master says,

"
When there are no unnecessary thoughts in your mind
Everyday is a good day.”
(Ummon)

Here are some directions from the world of Zen. The following exercises, (based upon the Zen And The Art Of Falling In Love, ) will show us how to turn our lives upside down, clear away weeds in our gardens and be ready to feel love wherever we are. As Zen practice reminds us – “the entry point is right where you are.”

1) THE ONE RIGHT BESIDES YOU
Most of the time we are searching and searching for the right person. Zen suggests that we stop running around seeking and see what is right in front of our eyes.
Look at a person who is close to you right now – anyone it happens to be. Notice the ways in which you push him away. Stop doing that. Allow the two of you to be together in whatever way you are. Let all of it be fine just as it is.

Do the same thing tomorrow with someone else. We dismiss so many people who are in our worlds, while waiting for the “right one” to appear. The more we can be “right” with everyone, the more we can open up to what is being offered now, the fuller and more joyous our lives will be.

2) PLAYING AT LOVE
So many complain that they are not loved. The reason for this can be quite simple. They are so busy playing roles and games that the partner never gets to
know who they really are. Notice what roles (or games) you play in relationships, and what roles you demand of others as well. See if you are in love with the person, or with the role he is playing right now. Turn this around for a little while. Try playing different roles. Try being with someone who plays roles you are not accustomed to.

Now, become aware of the difference between who you are and the roles you play. Let the roles go and simply be who you are. Who we are is always loveable and beautiful. It’s the roles that get in the way.

3) LETTING HIM COME AND LETTING HIM GO
One great obstacle in living a life of love is the tendency to hold on. We grasp and cling to each, preventing the freedom of love from arising on its own.When someone comes into your life (or day) practice letting him come. Welcome the person – whoever he is. Enjoy what it is he brings.

When it is time for a person to go away, practice letting him go. Do not turn the person’s leaving into an experience of rejection, loss or abandonment. Realize that his leaving has nothing to do with you. It is simply time for him to go.

Do this with yourself as well. Let yourself come and go freely in life, not tying yourself in unnecessary chains. The more we free others and ourselves, the more easily we fall in love.

4) PUTTING YOUR BAGGAGE DOWN
Many feel that love is not possible unless all their demands are met. They can be quite amazed to discover that these demands don’t lead to happiness. They just may be obstacles to falling in love. Take a look at what you feel is absolutely necessary in relationships. Now look at it again. Realize this is baggage you are carrying that may be keeping all kinds of people and possibilities away. Not only that – this baggage can be making you fearful and rigid, not open to what is available for you.

Let one of these demands subside. At first let it go for just one day and see how it feels to be without it. (Remember you can always take it back again). Now try another day. As we do this many times, we may find that that which we thought was crucial for our lives was really getting in the way. The more we do this the more light and happy we will feel. Not only that, but all kinds of new people, possibilities and situations we never noticed will start coming onto our path. We have made room for them by putting our baggage down.

5) GIVING GIFTS
Giving and receiving are the essence of relationships. When we are in love this is never a problem. We naturally give and are happy with whatever is offered in return. To open up to falling in love, it is important to adopt this state of mind - start giving naturally. What gifts do you give others in relationships? Take a few moments and also see what you hope to receive in return. Now find something new you can give to somebody. Give it. Do this everyday. Each day give something else. It does not have to be fancy or expensive, just something that will add to his or her day. Then do this with all kinds of different people. Do it quietly without great fanfare and without expecting something in return.

Then do this with yourself as well. Each day take a moment to find out what kind of gift you would like today. (Can be simple – a walk in the park, new lipstick, time with someone you care for.) Now give this to yourself each day. Although this exercise is simple, it is extremely powerful. Doing this daily in your relationship can turn everything around. When you give, remember not to look for anything in return (not even a smile or thank you). Just give to give, no expectations, no demands. By living with this open, generous mind, all kinds of other gifts come to you naturally.

6) MAKING FRIENDS WITH YOURSELF
Many say they are lonely, even with a partner at their side. This is simply because they have not yet made friends with themselves. Once they make friends with themselves and are able to be who they are, it is impossible to be lonely anymore.Make friends with yourself. Spend time noticing who you are. Accept all parts of yourself. Stop judging and rejecting what is going on inside. Be still and look within. Pay attention to your breath and just notice what is going on. Let it be. Accept it, and return to the breathing. Understand that breath by breath, underneath the clamor, you are perfect just as you are. Can you choose to be this natural self in relationships? Can you choose to have relationships with those who want and appreciate just what you are?

“When you become you
Zen becomes Zen
When you become you,
The whole world falls in love.”
(Eshin)


(divan tekst :thumb_up: )

The Five Varieties of Zen


1. BOMPU
The first of these types is called bompu, or "ordinary," Zen as opposed to the other four, each of which can be thought of as a special kind of Zen suitable for the particular aims of different individuals. Bompu Zen, being free from any philosophic or religious content, is for anybody and everybody. It is a Zen practiced purely in the belief that it can improve both physical and mental health. Since it can almost certainly have no ill effects, anyone can undertake it, whatever religious beliefs he happens to hold or if he holds none at all. Bompu Zen is bound to eliminate sickness of a psychosomatic nature and to improve the health generally.

Through the practice of bompu Zen you learn to concentrate and control your mind. It never occurs to most people to try to control their minds, and unfortunately this basic training is left out of contemporary education, not being part of what is called the acquisition of knowledge. Yet without it what we learn is difficult to retain because we learn it improperly, wasting much energy in the process. Indeed, we are virtually crippled unless we know how to restrain our thoughts and concentrate our minds. Furthermore, by practicing this very excellent mode of mind training you will find yourself increasingly able to resist temptations to which you had previously succumbed, and to sever attachments which had long held you in bondage. An enrichment in personality and a strengthening of character inevitably follow since the three basic elements of mind - that is, intellect, feeling, and will - develop harmoniously. The quietist sitting practiced in Confucianism seems to have stressed mainly these effects of mind concentration. However, the fact remains that bompu Zen, although far more beneficial for the cultivation of the mind than the reading of countless books on ethics and philosophy, is unable to resolve the fundamental problem of man and his relation to the universe. Why? Because it cannot pierce the ordinary man's basic delusion of himself as distinctly other than the universe.

2. GEDO
The second of the five kinds of Zen is called gedo. Gedo means literally "an outside way" and so implies, from the Buddhist point of view, teachings other than Buddhist. Here we have a Zen related to religion and philosophy but yet not a Buddhist Zen. Hindu yoga, the quietist sitting of Confucianism, contemplation practices in Christianity, all these belong to the category of gedo Zen. Some examples that might meet the Gedo "outside way" criteria, that is, they are flirting with Zen --- but not embracing Buddhism in a classical or formal sense --- can be found in the works of F.M. Alexander, Franklin Merrell-Wolff, Madame H.P. Blavatsky, and Alfred Pulyan. Please note that the so-called Gedo "outside way" is NOT to be confused with Zen and "outside the Doctrine."

Another feature of gedo Zen is that it is often practiced in order to cultivate various supranormal powers or skills, or to master certain arts beyond the reach of the ordinary man. It has been reported that some who have practiced this Zen have attained the ability to make people act without them having to say a word or move a muscle. There is something called the Emma Method which aims to accomplish such feats as walking barefooted on sharp sword blades or staring at sparrows so that they become paralyzed. All these miraculous exploits are brought about through the cultivation of Joriki the particular strength or power which comes with the strenuous practice of mind concentration. A Zen that aims exclusively at the cultivation of Joriki for such ends is NOT a Buddhist Zen. See also Siddhi.

Another object for which gedo Zen is practiced is Rebirth in various heavens. Certain sects practice Zen in order to be reborn in heaven. This is NOT the object of Zen Buddhism. While the Zen Buddhist does not quarrel with the idea of various strata of heaven and the belief that one may be reborn into them through the performance of ten kinds of meritorious deeds, he himself does not crave rebirth in heaven. Conditions there are altogether too pleasant and comfortable and he can all too easily be lured from Zazen. Besides, when his merit in heaven expires he can very well land in hell. Zen Buddhists therefore believe it preferable to be born into the human world and to practice Zazen with the aim of ultimately becoming Buddha.

3. SHOJO
The third type of Zen is shojo, literally meaning "Small Vehicle." This is the vehicle or teaching that is to take you from one state of mind (delusion) to another (Enlightenment). This small vehicle is so named because it is designed to accommodate only one's self. You can perhaps compare it to a bicycle. The large vehicle [Mahayana], on the other hand, is more like a car or bus: it takes on others as well. Hence shojo is a Zen which looks only to one's own peace of mind.

Here we have a Zen which is Buddhist but a Zen not in accord with the Buddha's highest teaching. It is rather an expedient Zen for those unable to grasp the innermost meaning of the Buddha's Enlightenment, i.e., that existence is an inseparable whole, each one of us embracing the cosmos in its totality. This being true, it follows that we cannot attain genuine peace of mind merely by seeking our own salvation while remaining indifferent to the welfare of others.

There are those, however, who simply cannot bring themselves to believe in the reality of such a world. No matter how often they are taught that the relative world of distinctions and opposites to which they cling is illusory, the product of their mistaken views, they cannot but believe otherwise. To such people the world can only seem inherently evil, full of sin and strife and suffering, of killing and being killed, and in their despair they long to escape from it.

4. DAIJO
The fourth classification is called daijo, Great Vehicle [Mahayana] Zen, and this is a truly Buddhist Zen, for it has as its central purpose Kensho, that is, seeing into your essential nature and realizing the Way in your daily life. For those able to comprehend the import of the Buddha's own Enlightenment experience and with a desire to break through their own illusory view of the universe and experience absolute, undifferentiated Reality, the Buddha taught this mode of Zen. Buddhism is essentially a religion of Enlightenment. The Buddha after his own supreme Awakening spent some fifty years teaching people how they might themselves realize their Self-nature. His methods have been transmitted from master to disciple right down to the present day. So it can be said that a Zen which ignores or denies or belittles Enlightenment is not true daijo Buddhist Zen.

In the practice of daijo Zen your aim in the beginning is to awaken to your True-nature, but upon Enlightenment you realize that Zazen is more than a means to Enlightenment - it is the actualization of your True-nature. In this type of Zen, which has as its object Satori, it is easy to mistakenly regard Zazen as but a means. A wise teacher, however, will point out from the onset that Zazen is in fact THE actualization of the innate Buddha-nature and not merely a technique for achieving Enlightenment. If Zazen were no more than such a technique, it would follow that after Satori, Zazen would be unnecessary. But as Dogen-zenji himself pointed out, precisely the reverse is true; the more deeply you experience Satori, the more you perceive the need for practice.

5. SAIJOJO
The last of the five types is saijojo Zen, the highest vehicle, the culmination and crown of Buddhist Zen. This Zen was practiced by the Buddha - Shakyamuni - and is the expression of Absolute Life, life in its purest form. It is the Zazen which Dogen-zenji chiefly advocated and it involves no struggle for Satori or any other object. It is called Shikantaza.

In this highest practice, means and end coalesce. Daijo Zen and Saijojo Zen are, in point of fact, complementary. The Rinzai sect places daijo uppermost and saijojo beneath, whereas the Soto sect does the reverse. In saijojo, when rightly practiced, you sit in the firm conviction that Zazen is the actualization of your undefiled True-nature, and at the same time you sit in complete faith that the day will come when, exclaiming, "Oh, this is it!" you will unmistakably realize this True-nature. Therefore you need not self-consciously strive for Enlightenment.

Today many in the Soto sect hold that since we are all innately Buddhas, Satori is unnecessary. Such an egregious error reduces Shikantaza, which properly is the highest form of sitting, to nothing more than Bompu Zen, the first of the five types.

Na ovom sajtu (http://www.arhitektura.co.yu/content/view/385/2/) mozete naci sjajan tekst o zen aritekturi (za one koji se bave arhitekturom i koje ista zanima :rambo:)...
Stvarno je fascinantna, tako jednostavna, a odise duhom...

Mislim da nijesi davao ovaj link sa 101 zen pricom na engleskom jeziku:
http://www.101zenstories.com/

Mislim da nijesi davao ovaj link sa 101 zen pricom na engleskom jeziku:
http://www.101zenstories.com/

Nisam...
Vecinu tih prica prevodim i postavljam ovdje, da bi bile blize nasem narodu koji ne govori engledski... :)
Ali neka stoji, koristice...