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Dōgen often stressed the critical importance of zazen, or sitting meditation as the central practice of Buddhism. He considered zazen to be identical to studying Zen. This is pointed out clearly in the first sentence of the 1243 instruction manual "Zazen-gi" (坐禪儀; "Principles of Zazen"): "Studying Zen ... is zazen". [24]
Zazen is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] The generalized Japanese term for meditation is 瞑想 ( meisō ); however, zazen has been used informally to include all forms of seated Buddhist meditation.
The sesshin schedule typically allows for four to five hours of sleep per night, though practitioners occasionally will spend much of the next-to-last night of a five- or seven-day sesshin in zazen. This is called yaza and is much revered as a particularly effective time to meditate when the thinking mind and ego lack the energy to derail practice.
The original exchange between Rujing and his disciples indicates a clear meaning of the teaching: that high-flung ceremony and study are unnecessary and irrelevant, that zazen, dhyana, and similar meditation practice of whatever kind (whether sitting, resting, breathing, gazing at a scene, walking, or simply engaging in silence) should be ...
A zazenkai (座禅会), literally meaning "to come together for meditation" is a Zen Buddhist retreat that is usually less intensive and of shorter duration than sesshin.It may comprise a short meeting, without liturgical service, headed by a monastic, or by a group of practitioners without the presence of a teacher.
Zazen in a dojo. Zen emphasizes zazen, meditation c.q. dhyana in a sitting position. In Soto, the emphasis is on shikantaza, 'just sitting', while Rinzai also uses koans to train the mind. In alternation with zazen, there is walking meditation, kinhin, in which one walks with full attention. To facilitate insight, a Zen teacher can assign a kōan.
Nishijima was the author of several books in Japanese and English. He was also a notable translator of Buddhist texts : working with student and Dharma heir Mike Chodo Cross, Nishijima compiled one of three complete English versions of Dōgen 's ninety-five-fascicle Kana Shobogenzo ; he also translated Dogen's Shinji Shōbōgenzō .
In Sōtō practice kenshōs "are allowed to occur naturally, as a by-product of practice. Meditative training is seen as the unfolding of one great kenshō : [ 21 ] According to the tradition of Soto Zen, although working on a koan is one way of attaining kensho, the best way is zazen.