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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 Zuòchán Yí or Principles of Zazen (Chinese: 坐禅仪), is a short Chan Buddhist meditation manual attributed to a monk named Changlu Zongze (flourished c. turn of the 12th century) during the Northern Song dynasty (CE 960 - 1126) which exemplifies the practice of seated meditation which aims at "sudden" enlightenment.
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]
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.
Formal Rinzai training focuses on zazen (seated meditation). Practices such as different forms of breath meditation (breath counting, diaphragmatic breathing and tanden, breath cultivation), kōan introspection, wato, and mantra practice (such as using the mantric syllable Ah) are used in zazen.
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 ...
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.
Fukan zazengi (Japanese: 普勸坐禪儀), also known by its English translation Universal Recommendation for Zazen, is an essay describing and promoting the practice of zazen written by the 13th century Japanese Zen monk Eihei Dōgen. The date of its composition is unclear, and the text evolved significantly over the author's lifetime.