When I say, Zen,...

[Amelia]

An experiment:

When you think of the word, "Zen", what images pop up in your mind's eye? This is aside from all of our philosophical or "nothingness" thoughts. Just, what do you see?

I'll go first, of course.

I usually think of gardens and water.

[Seiryu]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

I think of cherry blossoms

[chicanobudista]

Re: When I say, "Zen,"...

The video from Bush.

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[pinoybuddhist]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

Bruce Lee! 8)

"I do not punch, it punch all by itself."

"Be water my friend."

"It is like a finger pointing to the moon." *Student looks at Bruce's finger* WHACK! "Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory!"

"WHAYAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"

[Al]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

One robe, one bowl

[AlanLa]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

sitting

[will]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

Zen comes from the word "Chan", which is what the monks used at Shaolin, to describe what Bodhidharma was doing. When I hear Zen, I think practice. Depends on the context. Sometimes it's an iphone, or console game.

Gassho

W

[Ryumon]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

A zafu.

This said, I have visited a couple of very impressive Japanese gardens - not in Japan - so your "gardens and water" definitely resonates with me.

[Omoi Otoshi]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

First there was an image of someone dressed in a Kesa sitting cross legged on a zafu. Immediately after though, I started thinking about my two-year-old son. Good exercise! :wink:

/Pontus

[Rich]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

Yesterday nothing came to mind. Today in no particular order its brushing my teeth, leaf floating on pond, bodhidharma sitting facing wall, Buddha sitting under tree..............

[disastermouse]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

This is personal so it won't mean much to anyone else.

I think of winter in the woods and a very particular corner in the country near where I grew up. It's a corner at the bottom of a hill. Frequently when I think or talk about Zen, this image flashes in my mind.

Chet

[Kyosei]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

Interesting!

I think on those "gardens" made of sand at first (we find most of those as decorating pieces on some houses here in Brasil), then on a Zafu.

Gassho!

[Hoyu]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

When you think of the word, "Zen", what images pop up in your mind's eye?

No images in the mind's eye. More like a feeling in the mind's heart.

Gassho,
Hoyu

[ghop]

Re: When I say, Zen,...

I just asked my wife and she said the first thing she thinks of is the new Chinese Buffet that just opened up down the street. It's called, if you can believe it, ZEN HIBACHI GRILL. Seriously. I have no idea what Zen has to do with buffet, but hey, if it brings in the $$$ :mrgreen:

There used to be a store in town that sold flooring. It was called Carpets For Christ. I've really got to move to a new town.

Anyway...

When I hear Zen I think mountains. Just a lone mountain with the wind blowing through the trees. No place to go. Nothing to do. Just me and the sky and the mountain. Freedom. Kinda like biting into a York Peppermint Pattie :lol:

gassho
Greg

[Omoi Otoshi]

When I say, "Zen,"...

When I think about Zen, there is often water involved.