When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
What is Zen?
"They who know do not speak.
They who speak do not know."
"They who know do not speak.
They who speak do not know."
However, here is a taste of the aroma of Zen:
"Zen is a religion, but a religion with a unique quality. To understand Zen properly you must understand this quality.
Zen makes a religion of tranquillity. It is not a religion that arouses tears in the eyes, causing one to call out in the name of any god.
When soul and mind meet in a perpendicular line, in that moment complete unity between the universe and the self may be realised.
You do not come to this moment through logic or philosophy.
If you come to an understanding of reality by reading, or biting the tip of your pencil, such understanding will not be religion.
It is through meditation that reality is to be realised. To that end we refer all the activities of life. To us this is religion.
Our religion has its own atmosphere. When we come into the meditation hall where all our brothers sit in meditation, we are absorbed into the quietude.
This is why you find that all our temples can be found where the music of pine trees can be heard, or the murmur of running water.
SOKEI AN writing in "The Religion of Tranquillity " New York 1947
You can explore yourself and the Zen world a little more deeply with these videos and spoken word gifts below. Please enjoy!
Tenzo joined a Zen monastery with rather strict rules. You had to spend a year in silence.
Then, on the anniversary of your arrival, you got a sixty second session with the master teacher, but you were only allowed to speak two words. The same after the second year and so on.
In his first encounter, on being invited to speak, Tenzo said "Bed's hard". Teacher smiled and gave a shrug.
Another year rolled by. This time, on entering, he simply said "Food's bad". Teacher merely stared, said nothing.
On his third annual encounter, Tenzo said " I QUIT!"
"Good. I am happy to hear this", replied the teacher; you have done nothing but complain since you got here".
Then, on the anniversary of your arrival, you got a sixty second session with the master teacher, but you were only allowed to speak two words. The same after the second year and so on.
In his first encounter, on being invited to speak, Tenzo said "Bed's hard". Teacher smiled and gave a shrug.
Another year rolled by. This time, on entering, he simply said "Food's bad". Teacher merely stared, said nothing.
On his third annual encounter, Tenzo said " I QUIT!"
"Good. I am happy to hear this", replied the teacher; you have done nothing but complain since you got here".
Clear and gentle explanations and explorations shared below. Please enjoy!