People who look for "what is zazen in Zen Buddhism" often find tips about posture, breathing, and cushions. These are just the physical basics. The real question is why we do this practice.
The answer comes from the Soto Zen tradition's core beliefs. Zazen is not a method to reach enlightenment someday in the future. It shows our Buddha-nature that already exists right now.
This article goes beyond a simple guide and explores zazen's deeper meaning. We will look at:
- How physical form expresses spiritual truth
- The idea of "practice-enlightenment"
- Understanding "non-thinking" (Hishiryo)
- How this philosophy changes the way practitioners experience zazen
The Foundation: More Than Posture
Zazen's physical form isn't just a set of random rules. The body expresses stillness and presence through this form.
Body as Anchor
Your body grounds your mind in the present moment. A few key elements create stability.
Most people sit on a zafu (round cushion) placed on a zabuton (flat mat). The zafu lifts your hips and lets your knees rest on the zabuton, making a stable three-point base.
You cross your legs in a stable position. Full-lotus is traditional, but half-lotus is more common. Other positions like Burmese style or using a bench or chair work fine too. The goal is stability, not pain.
Keep your spine straight but not stiff, as if reaching toward the sky. Tuck your chin slightly to align your head with your spine. Your hands form the cosmic mudra: left hand rests on right palm, with thumbs lightly touching to make an oval shape.
| Posture | Stability | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Full-Lotus (Kekka-fuza) | Highest | Experienced practitioners with high flexibility. |
| Half-Lotus (Hanka-fuza) | High | Most common posture, good balance of stability and accessibility. |
| Burmese / Seiza / Chair | Good | Beginners or those with physical limitations. The principle of an upright, dignified posture remains. |
The Breath of Being
In zazen, we focus on natural belly breathing. We gently place our awareness in the hara, about two inches below the navel.
This isn't forced breathing like in yoga. We simply return our attention to the body's natural rhythm. The breath takes care of itself.
The Philosophical Core: Why Sitting is Everything
To truly understand "what is zazen in Zen Buddhism," we must go beyond mechanics. Zazen's philosophy makes it different from other types of meditation.
Shikantaza: The Art of "Just Sitting"
The main instruction in Soto Zen is Shikantaza, which means "just sitting" or "nothing but precisely sitting."
In this practice, we sit with open awareness without focusing on any specific object. We don't even focus only on the breath.
Thoughts aren't enemies in Shikantaza. They're just mental activity, like clouds passing through the sky of your mind. The point isn't to stop thinking, but to stop getting caught up in thoughts.
It's like sitting quietly in a room while people walk in and out. You don't serve them tea or push them out. You just notice them passing through.
This is very different from meditation that aims to achieve specific states or solve problems. In Shikantaza, there's nothing to achieve.
Practice-Enlightenment: Path and Goal
This leads to zazen's most radical idea: Shusho Itto, or "practice and enlightenment are one."
Most spiritual systems say you're here (unenlightened) and need to get there (enlightened). The practice is the bridge between these two states.
Zen master Dogen turned this idea upside down. You don't sit to become a Buddha. You sit because you already are a Buddha, and sitting expresses this awakened nature.
As Dogen wrote in his Fukanzazengi: "To practice the Way is, in itself, enlightenment. There is no practice without enlightenment, no enlightenment without practice."
This changes why we sit. We're not trying to gain something we lack. We're expressing the completeness that's already here.
Hishiryo: Beyond Thinking
If we're not trying to think or trying to stop thinking, what is the mind doing? The state in zazen is called Hishiryo, or "beyond thinking."
To understand Hishiryo, let's look at what it isn't:
- Thinking (Shiryo): This is the normal mind that analyzes, plans, and worries.
- Not-Thinking (Fushiryo): This is trying to force the mind to be blank.
- Beyond-Thinking (Hishiryo): This is awareness that emerges naturally when you're fully present in your posture and let thoughts pass without getting caught in them.
We can't force Hishiryo to happen. It's the mind's natural state when we stop controlling our experience.
Practitioner's Reality: The Inner World
How does this philosophy feel in real practice? The actual experience is very human and sometimes messy.
"Am I Doing This Right?"
Most practitioners wonder if they're doing zazen correctly. "My mind is too busy." "This is boring." "My leg hurts." "When will this end?"
From the perspective of Shusho Itto, this judging mind is exactly what we're learning to let go of. Constantly checking "Am I doing this right?" is the goal-oriented thinking we're moving beyond.
The practice isn't to have a "good" meditation without thoughts or pain. The practice is to return again and again to the present moment, right in the middle of noise, boredom, and discomfort.
Pain, Boredom, and Sleepiness
These three experiences commonly visit during zazen. The practice isn't to get rid of them but to learn how to be with them.
Pain is real. First, know the difference between muscle stretching discomfort and actual injury. With normal discomfort, observe the sensation directly without adding the story "I can't stand this."
Boredom is the mind wanting entertainment. Sitting with boredom teaches us to be with reality as it is, even when nothing seems to be happening.
Sleepiness might mean you're tired, but it's often mental resistance. Gently straighten your spine, open your eyes wider, and commit to being present for just this breath.
Beyond the Cushion: A Way of Life
Zazen's true power shows up when it enters our daily lives. We're not trying to become professional cushion-sitters.
Action as Meditation
The qualities we develop in zazen can be brought into every activity. This is sometimes called "moving Zen."
Washing dishes can be meditation: feeling the warm water, hearing the plates, smelling the soap. Walking can be meditation by feeling your feet on the ground. Listening to a friend can be a practice of giving your full attention.
The ultimate answer to "what is zazen in Zen Buddhism" is found here. It's not just a 30-minute activity. It's developing a mind that stays present and open during all of life's experiences.
Conclusion: Returning to Being
We've explored zazen from its physical form to its deep philosophy. We've seen that it's not a technique to fix ourselves or reach some future goal.
Zazen is simply being fully present with what is. It expresses our fundamental nature, available right here and now. It's the practice of returning, over and over, to the simple dignity of being human.
The deepest answers aren't found in books or future achievements. They're found in sitting.
