The meaning of zen
The richness of Buddhist spirituality is not limited to the practice of sitting meditation alone. Although zazen is the source (zen is zazen), the spirit of zen is embodied in every aspect of daily life.
The art of concentration
The omnipresence of screens (televisions, tablets, smartphones, etc.) leads to a dispersal of attention. The uninterrupted succession of brief sequences of fleeting attention influences the way we think, disrupting the mind and preventing any encounter with ourselves and any discovery of ainsity (the true nature of reality beyond any conceptual definition).
Zen concentration consists of focusing one's attention for a long time and exclusively on an activity, without distraction or tension: letting your thoughts pass, relaxing and letting go, breathing, walking, performing a manual activity of any kind, can all be forms of meditation if they are carried out with full awareness.
Our presence in the world is reflected in our attention to forms, to all the forms that come our way in the course of our lives," explains Maître Jean-Pierre Taiun Faure (link to "The Teachers"). To avoid paying attention to forms is to avoid the authentic life, that of Buddha".
Regular practice of concentration develops attention to ordinary acts, cultivating the ability to be fully present at every moment of one's life. All the richness, depth and power of existence are then revealed.
Zazen, the Buddha Way
Zazen is objectless sitting meditation as practised by the Buddha 2,600 years ago, a teaching passed down orally through the centuries by an unbroken line of "I shin den shin" masters: from mind to mind. This practice involves meditating in the silence and nakedness of the present moment. It is a return to "what is before thought unfolds" in an attempt to grasp what simply is, the true nature of reality at a given moment. It is the direct experience of ultimate reality. This practice 'simply' means being attentive to what is here and now. The time of meditation escapes time itself because it is a return to the immobile source of our existence. When the original source is contacted, the duality between subject and object disappears. Every breath, every action, every movement spontaneously becomes the luminous expression of life itself.
A teaching text
by Master Roland Yuno Rech (link to "The Teachers")
"Zen has often been described as the religion of everyday life.
For many people, daily life is perceived as a succession of constraining and boring activities that make them think that real life lies elsewhere. The spiritual path is sometimes seen as something beyond the everyday. However, from the experience of zazen, the root of our life, we understand that it is in the simplest actions of life that ultimate reality is actualised as presence. Life is then lived as a unity of body and spirit. It reminds us of the importance of the here and now.
Awakening to impermanence invites us not to become attached to what is perishable. But what isn't? How can we avoid wasting the precious time of this human life by missing the essential? Awakening to our unity with other people invites us to be kind and compassionate. And Awakening to our unity with all other existences invites us to communion with nature and urges us to love and protect it (link to the Permaculture PDF "La Gendronnière, Temple at the service of the Living).
This experience of Awakening is at the heart of the Zen Way, and transforms everyday life into a place where we can express what Awakening implies: living each activity fully and for its own sake, no longer reducing it to being just a means to something else. Living in this way reconciles us with what is lacking, de-dramatises the causes of suffering and helps us to rediscover harmony with the true nature of our existence".
Experiencing the profound truth of simplicity
The aesthetics of Zen are manifested in its simplicity: simple flowers in a vase teach this simplicity. Beyond the purified visual dimension and the aesthetic emotion, the aim is for the practitioner to gain access to profound joy from simple experiences, to the revelation of a profound life detached from material goods, in the "happy sobriety" described by Pierre Rabhi, a leading figure in agro-ecology in France. A life in which respect for the environment in all aspects of daily life takes centre stage, notably through the introduction of permaculture (link to the "Permaculture" sub-menu). Finally, a life in which the practitioner, at peace with his or her emotions, no longer resorts to consumption to fill a need.
The meaning of ritual
In the places where Zen is practised - temples, Zen centres, dojos and groups - as well as at the Mother Temple at La Gendronnière, Zen rituals add another dimension to the strict practice of meditation.
Ceremonies enable practitioners to harmonise with others. According to Buddhist tradition, they are dedicated to the liberation of all beings.
At mealtimes, particularly during retreats, chanted sutras invite us to develop a spirit of gratitude for everything that has contributed to our being able to enjoy this food, and to think of those who are not so fortunate. They allow us to experience "the interdependence between the giver and the receiver". We understand deeply, beyond words, that life is given to us at every moment by the sun, the earth, the rivers, the forests, the fields, the animals, the people...".
(See below the teaching of Master Jean-Pierre Taiun Faure).
These attitudes demonstrate the extent to which Zen meditation goes far beyond a simple practice of personal development.
A teaching text
by Master Jean-Pierre Taiun Faure (link to "The Teachers")
"Human beings, but also animals, use rituals to lead their lives. You only have to look at the life of an anthill or a beehive to be convinced. Rites existed at the very beginning of humanity, even before we could speak of religion. Other rites appeared later as expressions of religious feeling.
In monotheistic religions, rites are addressed to God. Buddha is not a god: it is the foundation of our being, our Buddha nature, that is essential. The aim of rites, then, is to achieve non-separation between the self and all existences.
Like art, ritual enables us to express together, in a visible and tangible way, a truth that is intuitively perceived and shared by all.
In addition to practising zazen and studying the teachings, Zen masters recommend bringing ritual into our lives, in offering ceremonies and reciting the sutras, as well as in secular activities.
They ask us to do things as they should be done, without expecting anything for ourselves, and yet to do them wholeheartedly.
"Wholeheartedly" means that each situation is experienced with the mind totally absorbed in what we are doing. Our presence in the world is reflected in our attention to forms, to all the forms that come our way in the course of our lives. To ignore forms is to ignore the authentic life, the life of Buddha.
In Zen monasteries, activities such as eating, dressing and bathing are ritualised. Observance of the rite through transmitted forms, through the attention it requires, encourages freedom of the mind and opens the door to other values.
The ritual of the oryokis (black lacquered bowls in which meals are eaten), for example, brings to life the interdependence between giver and receiver. Beyond words, we deeply understand that life is given to us at every moment by the sun, the earth, the rivers, the forests, the fields, the animals, the people...
Another example is the great concentration with which the kesa (the garment given to Buddha's disciples when they are ordained monks, nuns or bodhisattvas) is sewn, following the traditional method, transforming an ordinary cloth into a garment of enlightenment. Preceded by the recitation of a sutra, the act of washing takes on a whole new dimension; this harmless act, in fact, also washes our minds...
The rite, whether profane or sacred, in its essence brings us back to the life of Buddha, to unity with the world around us. The transformation of our ordinary mind into the mind of Buddha is achieved through our daily ritualised practice".
Deepening your practice
Practising Zen requires regularity, concentration, observation... and time. The Middle Way is demanding because it is a constant state of mind that imperceptibly permeates daily life and actions, the intimate experience of everyday situations.
Here are a few practical tips to guide you along this path.
Regularity
It's important to come to the dojo once or several times a week, but on a fixed date, in order to establish a regular practice. With time, the energy needed to go to the dojo no longer comes from willpower but spontaneously emanates from the body.
Joining a sangha, meeting a master
The word sangha (link to glossary) means 'community of practitioners'. The dojo is the place where a sangha practises. The word sangha is also used to designate a group of people practising under the direction of a spiritual master. Joining a sangha or a group of practitioners is an important step on the Zen Way. It is also a meeting with a spiritual master who, having travelled the path for many years or even decades, is in a position to guide the practitioner. The master does not intervene in the lives of his disciples, but can help them at difficult times, when they are in doubt or deeply questioning something. He transmits the Buddha's teaching as much through his words as through his actions and attitudes.
The masters, men and women, of the International Zen Association followed the teachings of Master Deshimaru or his successors before teaching in their own right. They meet regularly to exchange ideas, share experiences and grow together.
Taking part in a spiritual retreat
During the sesshins, the emphasis is on sitting meditation and samu, the tasks of daily life to be carried out in concentration. It's an ideal opportunity to plunge into the heart of Zen spirituality.
The retreat days are highly structured, with a precise timetable alternating between periods of zazen, ceremonies, samu and meals, which are generally taken in silence.
This structuring of time allows practitioners to let themselves be guided and to put all their energy into zazen, without worrying about organisation.
Certified masters teach during these sesshins, notably in the form of kusens (link to glossary) during zazen or mondos (link to glossary), question-and-answer sequences that deepen understanding of Zen Buddhism. Sesshins can last from 2 to 9 days.
Forthcoming sesshins can be found here (link to Calendar of sesshins in France)
Morning meditation
During the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Zen in Europe, on Sunday 14 May 2017, more than 350 people gathered for morning zazen.
Video
