|
SERVICES
|
DHARMA TEACHERS
|
CONTACT US
|
 HOME

What does Zen mean?
The Japanese word zen means "meditative absorption." It is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyana, which became ch'an as this form of Buddhism developed in China, and then son as it entered Korea. Traditionally, the emphasis of Zen Buddhism has been on intense meditation practice, with little emphasis placed on Sutra reading (the sermons of the Buddha) or doctrinal studies. Practically speaking, Korean Zen, of which Muddy Water Zen is a representative (Korean Buddhist Taego Order), includes all of the above as important for one's personal development and practice.

Is Buddhism a religion?
Buddhism is one of the world's major religions, generally ranked fourth behind Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Since it is non-theistic, i.e., God is not part of its framework, people often mistakenly assume it to be something other than a religious enterprise. Someone once said that "Religion begins with the first cry for help." The basis of Buddhism is that life is unsatisfactory no matter how good we seem to have it. This discontentedness, this unease is commonly called "suffering." When we recognize and admit this existential anxiety and search for relief we are led into the Eightfold Path advocated by the Buddha as the prescription for our disease.

Is Buddha a god?
Buddha, an epithet given to Siddhartha Gautama, was a man who lived in northern India about 2500 years ago. His transformational experience, termed "Awakening," led to him being called the Buddha or "awakened one." Buddha was not a god but a human being who had an awakening experience.

Why bow to Buddha and each other?
To bow to another person is to lessen ego and its grip on our habit energies. It is also to recognize the inherent value and worth in each and every human being as well as all sentient beings. To bow to the Buddha statue is to acknowledge the debt of gratitude owed to the historical Buddha and his teaching (Dharma); additionally, it is to acknowledge our own capacity for awakening.

Suggested Reading:

The following is a suggested reading list:

  • "The Dhammapada"
    This concise summary of the Buddha’s teachings is a collection of 423 verses and is one of the earliest to be put into writing. Although many translations are available, a favorite is edited by Anne Bancroft (1997) as part of the Element Classics of World Spirituality series. Her translation, while remaining faithful to the original Pali language, excels at being one of the more readable editions. Additionally, there is an informative Introduction about the Buddha and his life as well as some basic doctrines which the person new to Buddhism will find useful.Though not nearly as readable as the previous edition, The Dhammapada edited by Eknath Easwaran (1985) contains a wealth of information in its general Introduction as well as in the introductions to specific chapters.
  • "A Brief for Buddhism"
    Dr. Kenneth Jongmae Park; Manohar Publishers
  • "What the Buddha Taught"
    Walpola Rahula; Grove Press
  • "The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching"
    Thich Nhat Hanh;Broadway Books
  • "Buddhism Without Beliefs"
    Stephen Batchelor; Riverhead Books
  • "Way of Zen"
    Martine Batchelor; Thorsons
  • "Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind"
    Shunryu Suzuki; Weatherhill


Hundreds, probably thousands, of other books are available for the person wanting to learn about Buddhism. If you really want to learn the way of Buddha, come, sit. Rather than read someone else’s experience, have your own.
Contact us: (248) 506-3544 | haedoh@muddywaterzen.com