The article examines how Zen Buddhism conceives the relationship between intellectual knowledge and holistic wisdom, contrasting this with Western philosophy's tendency to reduce philosophy to epistemology. Drawing on Aristotle and the history of Western philosophy, it poses the question of whether modern philosophy has become narrowly focused on knowledge. It then turns to two modern Japanese philosophers of the Kyoto School, Nishida Kitarō and Nishitani Keiji, who were both Zen practitioners and scholars of Western philosophy. The article investigates how the Zen tradition, using Mahāyāna Buddhist and Daoist texts, reveals the limits of knowledge and the delimiting effects of knowing, and how Zen meditation and holistic practices cultivate wisdom to intuitively apply perspectivally delimited knowledge.
Liberating wisdom in Zen Buddhism can only be obtained through experiential, holistic practice, not merely by memorizing or intellectually reflecting on teachings. Zen meditation is a non-discursive practice of clearing the heart-mind through subtraction—letting go of words, images, thoughts, and egocentric agendas. The ultimate aim is to become an egoless vehicle for the Bodhisattva vow to liberate all sentient beings from suffering. The chapter also critiques secularized mindfulness techniques and describes proximate benefits of Zen meditation, including reduced stress and increased concentration and self-confidence.
This chapter offers instructions for practicing Zen meditation, zazen, covering how to set up a meditation space, body positioning (on a chair, cross-legged in Burmese, half-lotus, or full-lotus, or kneeling), and the method of counting breaths up to ten to concentrate and calm the mind. It emphasizes physical stillness as a path to mental, emotional, and spiritual peace, advising practitioners to neither chase after nor chase off distracting thoughts. The chapter concludes with guidance on walking meditation, kinhin.