Enlightenment Through Zen
Enlightenment through Zazen
Zen Buddhism is the fundamental belief that all humans inherently have a Buddha-nature inside of them. Through insightful meditation and devotion, one can realize this awareness of the Buddha and attain enlightenment. Philip Kapleau's The Three Pillars of Zen is a comprehensive guide to the core elements of Zen, encompassing teaching, practice, and enlightenment. The book is divided into three main sections, the first of which includes teaching and practice with predominance on the methods of zazen. The second section is comprised of kensho enlightenment stories or personal narratives of both Asians and Westerners. And, the third section is made up of a variety of supplemental material. Therefore, the book is in a lot of ways a reference manual, and it proves to be a useful tool to any individual interested in Zen Buddhism. The Three Pillars of Zen leads the reader through the techniques of zazen, the experience of kensho, and the degrees of enlightenment.
The first pillar of teaching is necessary in understanding the proper method of meditating. In Zen Buddhism, the concept of zazen is described as sitting meditation in which an individual is able to see through the delusions of the world in order to wake up to one's inherent purity and wholeness. Yasutani Roshi gives a detailed portrayal of how he thinks zazen should best be practiced. He suggests choosing a room free of distractions and laying out a square mat on the floor. One should sit on a small circular cushion and if possible, in the full lotus posture. The hands should be placed in the lap, facing upwards, with the left palm on top of the right. The body should be erect as to prevent unnecessary aching, and the eyes should remain partly open, yet directed downwards to avoid distraction or strain. After paying attention to these important physical requirements, the person meditating must then learn how to concentrate one's mind. For beginners,...
Please login to view the full essay...