mettavalokanaya_international_buddhist_magazine_december_2019

Seeking
the way of
Zen….
At the heart of the Japanese
culture lies Zen, a school of
Mahayana Buddhism. Zen is,
first and foremost, a practice
that was uninterruptedly transmitted
from master to disciple, and that goes
back to the spiritual Enlightenment
of a man named Siddhārtha Gautama
(Shakyamuni Gotama in Japanese) - The
Buddha - 2500 years ago in India.
The practice of Zen meditation or
World Popular Dharma
Lecture & Buddhist Books
Publisher
Liang Chung Ming
Taiwan
Zazen ( 座 禅 - za meaning sitting, and Zen
meaning meditation in Japanese), is
the core of Zen Buddhism: without it,
there is no Zen. Zen meditation is a way
of vigilance and self-discovery which is
practiced while sitting on a meditation
cushion. It is the experience of living
from moment to moment, in the here
and now. It is through the practice of
Zazen that Gautama got enlightened and
became the Buddha.
Zazen is an attitude of spiritual
awakening, which when practiced,
can become the source from which all
the actions of daily life flow - eating,
sleeping, breathing, walking, working,
talking, thinking, and so on. Zen is not a
theory, an idea, or a piece of knowledge.
It is not a belief, dogma, or religion; but
rather, it is a practical experience (read
our Buddhism FAQ for more details). We
cannot intellectually grasp Zen because
human intelligence and wisdom are
too limited - the dojo (the hall where
Zazen is practiced) is different from the
university.
Based on the Four Noble Truths
and the Eightfold Path, Zen is not a moral
teaching, and as it is without dogma,
it does not require one to believe in
anything. A true spiritual path does not
tell people what to believe in; rather it
shows them how to think; or, in the case
“Zen is an attitude
of spiritual
awakening”….
Goh Bee Wah
From Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
of Zen - what not to think. Zen is not a stronger as my eyes brimmed with tears.
theory, an idea, or a piece of knowledge. I kept searching for the truth about who I
It is not a belief, a dogma, or a religion. was, and what “life” was all about.
Zen is not interested in metaphysical I held my baggage in a determined
theories and rituals and focuses entirely way, trying to seek the truth while
on the mindful practice of Zazen. Zen is lading a meager life along this journey.
very simple. It is so simple, in fact, that When I observed and pondered more
it’s very difficult to grasp. In the silence thoroughly, I discovered that everyone
of the dojo or temple, quietly sit down, could be my own mentor, as I was able
stop moving, and let go your thoughts. to learn from them in some way. For that
Focus just on your Zazen posture and reason, I regard my journey of life as
your breathing. Keep your back straight. seeking the way of Zen.
Let your ego and your unconscious mind During this journey, I came across
melt away, merge with the universe. This eight people, just like Sudhana took
is the Zen.
great pains to visit 53 wise advisors
When I turned sixteen, I left my described in Huayen Sutra. This has
hometown, embarking on my solo helped me to open up my mind’s eye
journey. It is not an overstatement to and gain wisdom. These eight people
say that was prompted by Karma, since I were: a young traveler, a parvenu boss,
could not find the courage to look back. a child with a negative thinking pattern,
I just walked on and on, starting that trip a young man who made cutting remarks,
without the slightest clue as to what I a short-tempered chief supervisor on
was heading.
the construction site, a muddle-headed
Then I learned to embrace the abbot, a traveler who lost his way, and
unknown and let go of the burden of a kid who learned to adapt himself to
Karma. I wiped away my tears, and reality.
opened my eyes just trying to see myself, These small clues helped me to
and the world, more clearly. I wept slowly find the way toward Zen, and
alone in this prosperous bustling city. I made me less afraid of uncertainty.
also struggled and felt depressed and “When I realize what śūnyatā is, I see the
lost in the big city… I learned to become Buddha. Then I feel at home wherever I
go.” As long as I get a grasp of śūnyatā,
I will be feeling calm and composure at
the present moment, no matter where I
am.
問
禪 之 旅 梁 崇 明 十 六 歲 那 年 ,
我 就 離 開 故 鄉 , 開 始 過 著 流
浪 的 生 涯 。 說 是 業 力 的 驅
使 , 一 點 也 不 為 過 。 那 時
候 連 頭 都 不 敢 回 , 只 能 往 前 走 去 , 踏 上 未
知 的 盲 目 之 旅 。 擁 抱 未 知 , 我 放 下 業 力 的
包 袱 , 拭 去 淚 水 擦 亮 雙 眼 , 就 是 想 看 清 自
己 , 看 清 這 個 世 界 。 我 在 繁 華 的 都 市 裡 哭
泣 、 掙 扎 、 悲 傷 、 徬 徨 ……, 在 城 市 裡 閃
著 淚 光 學 習 堅 強 。 不 斷 地 尋 尋 覓 覓 , 就 是
為 了 瞭 解 自 己 的 真 相 , 生 命 到 底 是 什 麼 ?
提 起 不 認 輸 的 行 囊 , 在 邊 求 生
存 、 邊 尋 求 真 理 的 過 程 中 , 當 我 深 入 的 觀
察 , 才 發 現 每 一 個 人 都 是 自 己 的 老 師 , 都
是 我 生 命 中 最 好 的 借 鏡 。 因 此 , 我 將 自 己
的 生 命 之 旅 , 視 為 「 問 禪 之 旅 」。 在 旅 程
中 , 奇 遇 的 八 人 , 就 像 《 華 嚴 經 》 裡 的 善
財 童 子 的 53 參 , 讓 我 開 啟 生 命 的 智 慧 , 包
括 年 輕 旅 行 者 、 暴 發 戶 大 老 闆 、 往 壞 處 想
的 小 孩 、 很 毒 舌 的 公 哥 、 急 性 子 的 工 地 主
任 、 糊 塗 的 住 持 、 盲 目 的 旅 人 、 學 會 自 我
改 變 的 小 孩 。 這 些 悟 道 的 敲 門 磚 , 讓 我 不
再 害 怕 無 常 ,「 悟 得 空 性 見 如 來 , 天 地 何
處 不 悠 哉 。」 只 要 契 入 空 性 第 一 諦 。 此 時
此 刻 即 是 故 鄉 的 本 地 風 光 。
38 l Mettavalokanaya l December l 2019 l www.mettavalokanaya.com www.mettavalokanaya.com l 2019 l December l Mettavalokanaya l 39