A study of Zen （禪）

description

Zen（禪）

            Modern characters are transformed from ancient pictographic characters. Each character can be explained by the elements composing these characters.  Zen is written as “禪” in Chinese character and can be separated into “礻” and  “單”. There are two ways to explain this character:

If we separate “禪” (Zen) into “礻” and  “單”; “礻” is a short form of “示”, “示” means “to show/display or reveal”. “單” means single/pure and simple. These two characters combined together means show yourself or show your simplicity to non-self and this practice is called Zen (禪).

If we explain “禪” from a pictographic point of view, “礻” is like a light in ancient Chinese writing, light always means wisdom in China. “單” is like a person sitting on a floor and strongly rooted in the earth and staying stable. If we combine them together will be wisdom and composure, to be wisdom and composure is Zen.

Secondly, in Chinese sayings, the whole world formed with Yin and Yang, so Zen can be explained by Yin and Yang too. “Yin Yang” simply means two opposing principles in nature, the former feminine and negative and latter masculine and positive. But Yin Yang implies balance, which is like the way of practicing Zen. When we are practicing Zen, we need to sit on the floor and concentrate. The reason of sitting on the floor is because this position is neutral between working and relaxing for the body. If a person is standing, his or her whole body is working; every muscle and tendon on their body is supporting them in order to keep them standing up.  If a person is lying down, he or she will be in a fully relaxing position. When a person is sitting on the floor to study Zen, the top part (brain) means workability, the bottom part (body and legs) means stability.

Some people feel like sitting on the floor is more tiring than sitting in a chair, which is because his or her brain is not calm and healthy. For example, if a person is having insomnia, he or she will toss and turn in bed and feel uncomfortable in bed also. This is because he or she is not calm and healthy. There is another difference between sitting in a chair and sitting on the floor is the human body can absorb the aura from the earth.