Zen gave us a perspective that opened new possibilities for psychology. In our studies in hypnosis with Milton Erickson, we saw a way of using Zen, that the unconscious was natural and intuitively intelligent. In fact it can be very wise. Our martial art, Tae Chun Do a form of moving meditation, continued to be a source of vitality and inner focus. We also took a Zen approach to the arts, specializing in wood crafting.
Just as we have been able to draw on Zen to enhance the quality of our lives, we hope that you, the reader, will find ways to make the most of Zen for yourself. There are many pathways into Zen, the capacity is already wired in. As the Zen masters say, “Nothing is missing.”
ABOUT SIMPLE ZEN
This book is designed to help you understand Zen. It is divided into three interrelated parts. Part I gives the background and development of Zen, illustrated with classic enigmatic stories of great Zen masters to set you on the Path. Time lines are included in the end of the book for quick reference. Part II explains key themes, pointing you in the right direction. Part III shows you how to bring the insights of Zen into your life, through the practice of meditation and Zen arts, just as Zen practitioners have done for centuries.
You may choose to apply relevant Zen concepts to help you improve your life, or you may decide to follow its path more deeply and comprehensively. Start with where you are. However you decide to integrate the Zen Way into your life, let it open your potentials and guide you to simply living fully, moment by moment.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
Meditate regularly. This is the basis for discovering Zen. Meditation helps you clear away extraneous chatter, to focus on what really matters. When your mind is clear, you will find it easier to concentrate on what you are doing. You will be able to meet life’s situations calmly and more energetically.
Zen is not just a set of concepts or a theory. It must be experienced. We encourage you to do the exercises. Read through the directions once or twice, then set the book aside and try them. When working with Zen arts, gather your materials first. Then set everything out and read through the directions before you begin. Concentrate on the quality of your mental attitude, not on the finished product or the goals. The journey is the essence of Zen: from an attuned, meditative awareness, you express yourself, your true self, at your best.
We invite you to enter the Path, and may you enjoy the journey!
PART I
Zen In Time
In the light of the moment we are Lost in eternal Now
As emptiness beckons mysteriously
—C. Alexander Simpkins
History is usually about dates and events of the past. Zen’s history, however, is much more. Dialogues with pivotal masters, their pronouncements, and important incidents are windows that can show a doorway to Zen enlightenment. Stories about the founding Zen fathers were transformed into koans, teaching tools that transmitted the original spirit of Zen to later generations of students. When you read about how Bodhidharma stunned Emperor Wu, or when Lin-chi answered a student’s question with a strike, or how Dogen heard enlightenment’s wisdom from a cook, you get a vivid glimpse into the minds of these great teachers. Throughout Part I, as you learn about Zen’s journey from its beginnings, you may begin your own journey on the Path to enlightenment.
Limestone/Budda, Chinese, sixth century
CHAPTER 1
Origins
Eyes closed, see your inner being in detail. Thus see your true nature.
—Vigyan Bhairava, ancient Hindu text
The origins of Zen reach back to ancient India and one of its indigenous religions, Hinduism. Early Hinduism guided people through a broad range of spiritual pathways. Many ancient writings described a myriad of Hindu practices and beliefs. The Vedas were written by the Aryan people who migrated from Persia and Russia to India around 2000 B.C. The Upanishads were brought to India between 800 and 600 BC. These ancient scriptures express Hinduism. Hinduism incorporated Yoga to put the philosophy into practice. Mind and body were enhanced through meditation. Yoga practices taught people to direct their attention away from the struggles of daily life, toward a higher plane of consciousness. The word yoga, from Sanskrit, means “to yoke or join” and signifies the goal of yogic practice: to link or join the individual spirit to the universal spirit. There are many forms of yoga. Each includes exercises to direct the mind toward higher development. Yoga was one of the earliest practices to use meditation as its primary method.
Buddhism grew from the broad and varied philosophies of the Hindu tradition. Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 B.C.), the founder of Buddhism, was the son of an Indian king. Prince Siddhartha was raised with every luxury at his father’s palace. He read the Vedas and Upanishads and was taught Hinduism. Through his loving and careful upbringing, he developed into a highly sensitive and cultured young man. He married a beautiful princess who bore him a son. Siddhartha seemed to have everything anyone could want. He was happy. One day he took a trip outside his sheltered palace to survey the kingdom. He felt greatly disturbed by the poverty, sickness, and death he saw. He felt deep concern for the suffering in the world, and decided that he must leave his happy, luxurious palace life to seek answers for his people. Much to the chagrin of his wife and father, Siddhartha joined a group of ascetics, holy men who practiced self-denial in order to find wisdom. Siddhartha dressed in monks robes and fasted, as was the ascetic way. As he neared death he realized that if he died, he would never find the answers he sought. His search would have been in vain. He took food and water and vowed to continue his quest as he contemplated even more deeply. He would not stop until he had solved the problem of suffering. That night, he sat meditating under a bodhi tree. When dawn came, the first rays of the sun brought inner light to him. He realized that all the suffering in the world comes from our own minds and our own actions. The way to live is not to engage in extremes but to follow awarely along a middle path. With his enlightenment, Siddhartha Guatama became known as the Buddha, the Awakened One. He expressed his insight in these words:
I, Buddha, who wept with all my brothers’ tears, whose heart was broken by a whole world’s woe, laugh and am glad, for there is liberty! Ho! Ye who suffer! Know ye suffer from yourself. (Parulski 1976, 50)
With time, Buddha formulated the path for all people to follow regardless of their social class. This was a radical departure from the structured caste system in place in India, which allowed only the religious caste, the Brahmins, to seek spiritual enlightenment.
Buddha’s path was the Middle Way, neither engaging in extremes of self-indulgence nor of self-denial. He devised Four Noble Truths that could be readily followed by anyone who sincerely tried. First, people must realize that there is suffering in life. Second, they must recognize that the cause of this suffering is their own cravings. Third, suffering could be avoided by renouncing craving. And finally, the way to bring this about was to follow the Eightfold Path: right views, right aspirations, right speech, right behavior, right livelihood, right effort, right thoughts, and right contemplation. The practice of meditation, along with living a moral and ethical life, could bring about a peaceful existence devoid of suffering. Buddha’s message drew many followers. According to legend, his entire family—his father, wife, and son—joined him in the search for enlightenment, helping to spread this new philosophy.
Zen evolved as a sect of Buddhism, as will become clear in later chapters. The spirit of Zen was born one day when Buddha was speaking to a group of disciples at Vulture Peak. All were listening to every word, searching for deeper meanings. As Buddha ended the sermon, he held up a flower and looked out over the audience. Only