Zen Meditation as a Practice of Clearing the Heart-Mind
Zen Pathways February 10, 2022 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197573686.003.0003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Zen meditation |
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that liberating wisdom in Zen can only be obtained experientially through holistic meditation practice, not through received or intellectual wisdom alone. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter explains the importance of meditation for Zen in terms of what the Buddhist tradition calls the three levels of wisdom: received, intellectual, and experiential wisdom. As important as memorizing teachings and intellectually reflecting on them are, liberating wisdom can only be obtained experientially through holistic practice. Zen meditation is a non-discursive practice of clearing of the heart-mind. Rather than adding words, images, or thoughts to the mind, it proceeds by way of “subtraction.” It is only by letting go of all egocentric agendas that one can fulfill the ultimate aim of Zen, which is to become an egoless and effective vehicle for the great Bodhisattva vow to liberate all sentient beings from suffering. After explaining how Zen teachers have criticized misuses of secularized “mindfulness” techniques, the chapter ends with an account of the proximate benefits of practicing Zen meditation, such as reducing stress and increasing concentration and self-confidence.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |