Describing Zen to another person

[Heisoku]

Thank you Taigu and Jundo. The reason I don't really talk about zen, is how can you talk about the presence of everything in one breath? How can you speak of moments that are gone as soon as they arise? How can I speak when I have no idea?!
A really helpful thread. Gassho.

[Kyotai]

I think most topics have been discussed multiple times over the years. But thank you for raising it again.

Your co-worker that asked what Zen is..are they really asking, what the whole Buddhism thing is in general? Regardless, I would

say to them, rightly or wrongly, but for the sake of simplicity, that zen is a practice within Buddhism, which allows one, to

experience the world around them, with fewer filters, through the

practice of zazen. Teaches you to live in the moment and not be gripped by our constant bombardment of thoughts and fears,

but to embrace all life experiences, good and bad only as they are. Your initial reaction in my opinion is the "true" answer..but in

reality, that probably confused your coworker even further. But then again, what do I know.

Gassho

Shawn

[Jundo]

To bring the conversation down to practical terms, I actually do get asked this question quite a bit.

I usually answer that Zen Buddhism/Zazen is, at heart, a path to drop the frictions and divisions between oneself and this sometimes hard and painful world, and all the suffering and resistance which results when life does not go as one wishes. It is also a path to live peacefully and gently in this world with compassion for others.

Only later, perhaps, might one get into how radical is that "dropping" of the self and the divisions between the self and all this life-world-other.

Gassho, J

[Jakugan]

Thanks for everyone's input.

I think it's human nature for people to be confused or wary of what they do not understand, that is why I asked the question. Zen seems so much more different or undefinable than anything else I've come across. I don't think I'm the kind of person to preach about it but when asked about the subject most people seem to give me a bizzare look.
I gather it's probably best to keep it simple and leave it up to them.

Gassho,

Simon

[Joyo]

To bring the conversation down to practical terms, I actually do get asked this question quite a bit.

I usually answer that Zen Buddhism/Zazen is, at heart, a path to drop the frictions and divisions between oneself and this sometimes hard and painful world, and all the suffering and resistance which results when life does not go as one wishes. It is also a path to live peacefully and gently in this world with compassion for others.

Only later, perhaps, might one get into how radical is that "dropping" of the self and the divisions between the self and all this life-world-other.

Gassho, J

Thank you, Jundo, for the reminder. As I sit here with my 5-yr-old, wishing he were asleep because it is late and I desperately want some time to myself, I realize dropping the attachments and living in the moment is a much better way to live.