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Scholar Kenneth Ch’en describes Zen as “an intuitive method of spiritual training aimed at the discovery of a reality in the innermost recesses of the soul.” Ch’en says: | Scholar Kenneth Ch’en describes Zen as “an intuitive method of spiritual training aimed at the discovery of a reality in the innermost recesses of the soul.” Ch’en says: | ||
<blockquote>This reality is the fundamental unity which pervades all the differences and particulars of the world. This reality is called the mind, or the Buddha-nature, that is present in all sentient beings. | <blockquote> | ||
This reality is the fundamental unity which pervades all the differences and particulars of the world. This reality is called the mind, or the Buddha-nature, that is present in all sentient beings. | |||
Zen teaches that this reality is ''sunya'', meaning empty or void, inexpressible in words and inconceivable in thought. To illustrate this, the Zen masters often resorted to silence or negation to express the truth. | |||
Being inexpressible and inconceivable, this reality or the Buddha-nature can only be apprehended by [[intuition]] directly, completely and instantly. Intellectual analysis can only divide and describe and scratch the surface.... | |||
In order to apprehend the Buddha-nature, one must calm the mind. When the Zen follower apprehends the Buddha-nature within himself, he experiences an awakening or enlightenment called ''wu'' in Chinese, ''satori'' in Japanese. | |||
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This is an awareness of the undifferentiated unity of all existence. | This is an awareness of the undifferentiated unity of all existence. | ||
<blockquote>He is now one with the whole universe. He sees all particulars and differences merged into one fundamental unity, and he is no longer troubled by problems and incidents. This apprehension does not mean the acquisition of something new. It means only the realization of something that is always present in him. The only trouble is that he is not aware of this because of his ignorance and folly. | <blockquote> | ||
He is now one with the whole universe. He sees all particulars and differences merged into one fundamental unity, and he is no longer troubled by problems and incidents. This apprehension does not mean the acquisition of something new. It means only the realization of something that is always present in him. The only trouble is that he is not aware of this because of his ignorance and folly. | |||
In the state of awakening, when the mind is calm and tranquil, when the conscious self is eliminated, the mysterious inner mind takes over, and the actor performs his action automatically and spontaneously. Such a state of awakening can be repeated many times.<ref>Kenneth Ch’en, ''Buddhism in China: A Historical Survey'' (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1964), pp. 357–59.</ref> | |||
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Author Edward Rice says the goal of Zen is “to induce the direct mystical experience of Reality—that is, to reveal the Buddha within—through a nurturing of the inner experience.”<ref>Edward Rice, ''Eastern Definitions'' (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1978), p. 418.</ref> | Author Edward Rice says the goal of Zen is “to induce the direct mystical experience of Reality—that is, to reveal the Buddha within—through a nurturing of the inner experience.”<ref>Edward Rice, ''Eastern Definitions'' (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1978), p. 418.</ref> | ||