Zen is one of the most interesting Mahayana currents. It appeared in China one and a half thousand years ago. According to legend, a man came to China from the West, who abandoned worldly temptations and followed the path of self-improvement. He went to China at the urging of his teacher to preach the truth. Even then, there were rumors about him as a great healer and sage. His name was Bodhidharma.
He settled in a Shaolin monastery and was ordained as the first patriarch of Zen. There are many legends about the life of a missionary in China. Bodhidharma is the ancestor of kung fu, and since his time in the monastery, monks began to drink tea.
Zen's scientific name is "Buddha's Heart". Zen is a special Buddhist sect. Some argue that Zen is not Buddhism. But, using an analogy, and a plant in its ontogeny goes through many stages, a small bush does not at all look like the tree into which it will turn.
The very essence of Zen
Zen does not imply worship of God or his deputies, there is no reflection in it. This is not a religion or a philosophical system. Zen does not imply a departure from everyday life, it is extremely practical. The work of monks is an obligatory component of the daily routine. Monks do not practice asceticism, although they are content with extremely little, but the humiliation of the flesh, in their opinion, is not necessary to achieve the goal.
Their goal is to realize the true nature of the mind, to become the masters of your mind, to make sure that "the tail does not wag the dog." Zen combines thoughtlessness with extreme efficiency and practicality. In the language of psychologists, the unconscious guides our behavior. Without thinking, we do what we want, nothing holds us back.
The closer we come to understanding Zen, the further it drifts away. In Zen, there is no denial, but at the same time, there is no affirmation either. Zen operates with incompatible theses. When a bridge of understanding is built between them, then a person achieves enlightenment. All Zen literature is a record of conversations between a teacher and a neophyte, called mondo.
Mondo is used to fix the mind on one thing, to divert attention from our experiences, emotions, fears and other roughness of the mind. It is all this that envelops us in a veil, does not allow us to see the true essence of things.
In trying to understand the scriptures, the student reaches the extreme point of mental tension. Having completely confused, having spent all his energy on comprehending mondo, the monk reaches the point where the mind ceases to create protective barriers and opens in its entirety.
To understand the mood of the Far East, we need to touch Zen. Zen has had a huge impact on the creativity and culture of China and Japan. Zen appeared in Japan fifteen centuries after China. The inhabitants of the land of the "rising sun" quickly adopted Zen than the Chinese. This is because the "Buddha's heart" is in the spirit of the Japanese.
First of all, the influence of Zen was reflected in art. A new direction of painting was born, the art of fencing, the tea ceremony acquired its distinctive features. A feature of this painting is that the paint is applied to a thin sheet. A brush that lasts a moment longer than necessary tears the paper.
All movements of the masters are smooth, precise, confident. You must let go of your mind, the hand must become an extension of the hand. The body moves the brush without the intervention of the mind. Such drawings are characterized by their minimalism.
The line can represent a mountain, a cloud, or whatever you like. If the whole world is constantly changing and in motion, then what is the point of trying to convey the environment? Enough to hint. Such works are symbols of simplicity and sophistication, there are no definite rules and regulations, only a pure flow of creativity and freedom of expression.
The drawings are full of modesty, and this is misleading to untrained observers. You have to understand that real mastery always looks like inability. The paintings are filled with unexpected elements. Sometimes the absence of a point in the usual place evokes a special feeling. Such painting is filled with ideas of eternal loneliness.
The art of fencing is not only the art of techniques for handling the sword, but, to a greater extent, the work on the spirit. Stopping at one, we miss the other. Just as the centipede does not think about his steps, so the swordsman should not think about his movement in battle. Everything happens by itself, nothing surprises the fighter. He does not expect anything, so he is ready for anything.
The enemy attacks, you see first a man, then a sword in his hands, and you try to defend against a blow. This way puts you in a defensive position. When you have ceased to control the situation, you have ceased to be the master of yourself, the opponent directs your actions at his own discretion. At best, you will avoid death.
The more effective way is to simply perceive the opponent's attack, not focus on details. It is necessary to learn to see the whole situation as a whole, to stop thinking about the opponent's attacks, and your retaliatory attacks. Just be aware of your opponent's movements without letting your mind dwell on anything.
In this case, his weapon will turn against himself. Then the sword that brought you death will turn out to be your own and will fall on the enemy himself. It's important not to think about your opponent, but it's even more important not to think about yourself. The swordsman who has achieved perfection does not pay attention to the personality of the opponent, as well as to his own, for he is simply a witness to the drama of life and death in which he takes part.
What is the bottom line?
Thus, Zen is not a religion, not a philosophy, it is just a way to know oneself. Zen does not need to be talked about much; words only indicate the direction. Zen is primarily a practice, the practice of keeping the mind silent. Only direct experience is essential for the attainment of knowledge. No words can bring a person closer to understanding himself.