Zen Meditation | Zen Meditation

The Chinese term tso-ch’an (zazen in Japanese) was in use among Buddhist practitioners even before the appearance of the Ch’an (Zen) school. Tso, literally means “sitting.” Ch’an is a derivative of the Indian dhyāna which is the yogic practice of attaining a unified mind in meditation. In a broad sense, tso-ch’an refers to any type of meditative practice based on taking the sitting posture, In a more narrow sense, it indicates the methods of meditation that characterize Ch’an/Zen Buddhism.

The following criteria for correct zazen practice have not changed since ancient days. Sit on the floor with the legs crossed either in the full lotus or half lotus position. To make the full lotus, put the right foot on the left thigh, then put the left foot crossed over the right leg onto the right thigh. For the half lotus position only one foot is crossed over onto the thigh of the other; the other foot remains underneath the raised leg.

Though the full or half lotus are the preferred zazen postures, they may be too difficult for some people. One alternative is called the Burmese position. It is similar to the half lotus, except that one foot is crossed over onto the calf, rather than the thigh, of the other leg. Another acceptable position is kneeling, legs together and back erect. In this position, the buttocks can rest on the heels, on a cushion placed between the feet, or on a specially designed bench. If physical problems prevent sitting in any of the above positions, then sitting on a chair is possible as a last resort.

Sitting cross-legged is most conducive to long periods of zazen with effective concentration. But the position you can take may depend on such factors as physical condition, health, and age. You should use a position in which at least twenty minutes of immobile zazen is feasible and reasonably comfortable. However, do not choose the position that requires the least exertion, because good results cannot be attained without the effort to discipline the body-mind. If sitting on the floor, sit on a Japanese-style zafu (round meditation cushion) or other improvised cushion, several inches thick. This is partly for comfort, but also because it is easier to maintain an erect spine if the buttocks are slightly raised. place a larger square pad, such as a Japanese zabuton, underneath the cushion. Sit with the buttocks toward the front half of the cushion, the knees resting firmly on the pad.

The spine must be upright. Rather than thrusting your chest forward, make sure your lower back is erect. The chin must be tucked in slightly, without tipping the head down. An upright spine also means a vertical spine; do not lean forward or backward, right or left. Let the shoulders be relaxed and the arms hang loosely. If you have any sensation of shoulders, arms, or hands, there is probably tension in that area. The hands are placed in front of the abdomen, resting on the legs. The open right palm is underneath, and the open left palm rests in the right palm. The thumbs lightly touch to form a closed circle oval.

The mouth must always be closed. At all times breathe through the nose, not the mouth. The tip of the tongue should be lightly touching the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth, if you have too much saliva, you, can let go of this connection. If you have no saliva at all, you can apply greater pressure with the tip of the tongue. The eyes should be slightly open, gazing downward at a forty-five degree angle. Let the eyes rest without focusing on anything. Closing the eyes may cause drowsiness or visual illusions. However, if your eyes feel very tired you can close them for a short while.

Walking meditation is useful for a change of pace when engaged in prolonged sitting, such as on personal or group retreats. In slow walking, the upper body should be in the same posture as in sitting, though the hands are held differently. The left palm lightly encloses the right hand, which is a loosely formed fist. Joined in this way, the hands should be held in front of the abdomen, forearms parallel to the ground. Focus attention on the bottom of the feet as you walk with measured steps. If walking in an enclosed space, walk in a clockwise direction. Fast walking, another method, is walking energetically without actually running; The main difference in posture is that the arms are now dropped to the sides, swinging naturally. Take short fast steps, keeping the attention on the feet.

Regulating the breath is very simple: just breathe naturally. Do not try to control your breathing. The breath is used as a way to focus or concentrate the mind; that is, regulating the breath and regulating the mind are brought together. The basic method is to count one’s breath in a repeating cycle of ten. Through concentration on the simple technique of counting, the mind is less vulnerable to wandering thoughts. Starting with one, mentally (not vocally) count each exhalation until you reach ten, keeping the full attention on the counting. After reaching ten, start over again with one. Do not count during the inhalation, but just keep the mind on the intake of air through the nose. When random thoughts occur while counting, ignore them and continue counting. If wandering thoughts cause you to lose count or go beyond ten, as soon as you become aware of it start over again at one. If you have so many distracting thoughts that keeping count is impossible, you can vary the method–counting backward from ten to one, or counting by twos from two to twenty.

When wandering thoughts are minimal, and you can consistently maintain the count without losing it, you can drop counting and just observe your breath going in and out. Keep your attention at the tip of your nose. Do not try to control the tempo or depth of your breathing; just watch it. When you become aware that you have been interrupted by thoughts, return at once to the practice. Another method of regulating the mind is to focus the attention on the tan-t’ien (tanden in Japanese), which is a point located just below the navel. The tan-t’ien is not an organ but a center of psychic energy. This method is best employed when breathing has descended naturally to the abdomen. Mentally follow the movements of the tan-t’ien as the abdomen moves in and out naturally with each breath. This method is more energetic than counting or following the breath, and it should be used only after gaining some proficiency in those two techniques.

In zazen it is important that body and mind be relaxed. At times of excessive physical or mental tension, forced zazen can be counter-productive. If you are relaxed, the various sensations that arise are usually beneficial (pain, soreness, itchiness, warmth, coolness, and so on). For example, a pain that arises during relaxed zazen may mean that unconscious tensions are benefiting from the circulation of blood and energy induced by meditation. A longstanding problem may thus be alleviated. On the other hand, if you are very tense while doing zazen and feel pain, the tension itself may be causing the pain. A safe and recommended approach is to limit sitting initially to half an hour, or two half-hour segments, in as relaxed a manner as possible. If the mind is overburdened with outside concerns, it may be better to relieve some of those concerns before sitting. For this and other reasons, it is best to sit early in the morning, before the mind fills with the problems of the day. Sitting times may be increased with experience.

Although the methods of zazen given here are simple and straightforward, it is best to practice them under the guidance of a qualified Zen teacher. Without a teacher, a beginning meditator will not be able to correct his or her mistakes, and these could lead to problems or lack of results. The fruits of correct zazen practice include centeredness, calmness, and clarity.

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