Contemporary relevance of Zen
Enlightenment is often viewed (even by experienced Zen practitioners) as something tangible and permanent that marks the culmination of spiritual endeavour.
However, when asked what he had attained from enlightenment, the Buddha replied, "I attained absolutely nothing from complete and perfect enlightenment." When asked a similar question, Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch or founding father, replied, "Vast emptiness. Nothing holy about it." So what are we to make of these answers? Why strive for enlightenment if we get nothing in return?
This paradoxical situation arises out of the opposition of two perspectives. The first perspective is that of the I, the ego or self, which, seeking something for itself, embarks on the search for enlightenment. If enlightenment is experienced, however, there is an awakening from the delusion of a separate self. In Zen terminology this is called 'dropping off body and mind'. From this second perspective there is no experience of enlightenment because there is no one there to experience it; thus there is nothing to attain, nothing to acquire and nothing to become.
In Japanese, awakening to enlightenment is called satori or kensho. These two terms are often used interchangeably although, since realization may be either sudden or gradual and more or less profound, it is usual to call limited insight kensho, and enlightenment itself satori or dai-kensho (meaning Great Awakening). A kensho experience can feel strangely familiar and the involuntary reaction of someone for whom kensho becomes a reality is often one of surprise: "Of course! How stupid of me!", often accompanied by a huge bellylaugh at the obviousness of it all.
It is not an easy task to follow the Zen path, for it requires tenacity, discipline, faith and - above all - practice.
In the Zen tradition, this does not mean becoming an expert some time in the future, but rather practising mindfully in the present moment. We practise over and over again, returning to the here-and-now, appreciating life as it is exactly where we stand. It is like drinking something you enjoy: you do not worry about becoming an expert at it; you just drink it, but if you are daydreaming about something else during the process, you forget the joy of the drink. By applying your attention to the present moment you can begin to appreciate life more so that living becomes more vital.
Ideally, practice in daily life is an extension of sitting meditation, and it is important to understand the similarities between zazen and meditation in action. In both cases awareness continues to be present, and bodily sensations and mental activity are experienced. When we rise from the meditation cushion, our awareness continues pretty much the same as it did while we were sitting. In Zen practice, sitting meditation is just one part of a seamless twenty-four-hour meditation. How we choose to conduct ourselves in the world as Zen students will depend on our own particular circumstances, our personalities and the insights and wisdom that we are able to develop.
Liverpool city view over Albert docks
