What is the difference between Zen Buddhism and regular Buddhism?
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There are many forms of Buddhism and as you know, Zen is only one of them.  Zen is a form of Mahayana Buddhism. The Name Zen is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese Character Ch'an which was the name given to the Dhyana teachings of Buddhism. \n\nA few of the more distinctive teachings of Zen(Ch'an) are:\n- Zen puts a great deal of emphases on meditation. This includes traditional sitting meditation, walking meditation and meditation while performing daily tasks such as eating, working, etc...\n- Zen puts little emphases on textual studies. Zen practitioners do read the sutras, but unlike many other forms of Buddhism, the sutras are not considered the paramount in the achievement of enlightenment. \n- Some forms of Buddhism, such as most schools of Tibetan Buddhism as well as Pure Land schools of Buddhism have many ceremonies, and rituals. Zen has many fewer and less 'secretive' practices.  \n- The Use of the Koan.  Most other schools of Buddhism believe that Enlightenment comes from a deep understanding of the doctrines of Buddhism. Zen teaches the enlightenment is a spontaneous response that is NOT perpetuated by classical study and knowledge... It just happens. A koan is a question, statement or story that generally contains aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet may be accessible to intuition and thus lead to enlightenment. \n- Generally speaking, Zen puts less emphases on Buddha the man and more on Buddha's teachings. \n\nI hope this helps.
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To start with, Christianity has a problem with any faith that does not conform to the doctrines set forth in their bible. Buddhism does not conform to their teachings in any way.\n\nFirst and foremost, the argument is that the bible does not recognizes Buddha as one of gods messengers. And if it is NOT in the bible, it is not the truth. \n\nChristians teach that there is one god and only one god.  => Buddhism teaches that there are many devas and none are worthy pf praise for they are just beings trapped in Samsara. (The cycle of life, death and rebirth.) \n\nChristians believe that Jesus was the son of god and thus, god himself. => Buddhists do not share this belief because gods are not omnipotent creators to be praised. \n\nChristians believe in a soul...a sprit that lives on after the death of the body => Buddhist do not. There is no self that lingers or move on or anything.  There is no 'self'. There is just the essence of the Chita. \n\nChristens believe in a heaven with their god  => Buddhist do not have a belief in heaven. \n\nChristians believe that Jesus died to free them of their sins.  => Buddhist do not believe in sin. There is karma, and only we can change the outcome our actions and thoughts will have on us, not some god.\n\nChristians believe that only the chosen will be liberated and go to heaven. => Buddhist believe that ALL beings can be liberated and attain enlightenment. \n\nChristians believe that the catalyst for their salvation is external to themselves, via god.  => Buddhist believe that the catalyst for enlightenment can ONLY be found within ourselves...our unborn Buddha Mind! \n\nThere are many other arguments, but these are the most prominent. \n\nI hope this helps.
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hi there, mehereintheeast.  I'm not sure exactly where you can take Chinese classes.  I took some Chinese a few years ago and the way I found a teacher was by going to the campus of a university and asking people who looked Chinese. (Amazingly, every person who I thought was Chinese was actually from China.)\n\nYou answered my question about Guru Rinpoche, and I have a few more questions about it.  Your answer implied that Buddhas are not monks.  Most forms of Buddhism consider Shakyamuni Buddha to have been a monk, and in the Pali texts, he refers to himself that way, as do his disciples.  Is there a different view in the Nyingma school?  In the present case, I am not calling only lamas monks, but all five levels of ordained practitioners as defined by Tibetan Buddhism. Also, is there any record of Padmasambhava having been ordained?  He trained at monasteries in India, but I don't think he was actually ordained.  And finally, have you had any contact with Tibetans, Nyingmapa or otherwise, who feel that his choice to have various female consorts prevents him from maintaining the status of being a monk?  I understand that some people there feel that way.\n\nThanks.
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You are both right.  It all depends on whether or not the practitioner is a believer or an atheist.\n\n If the practitioner believes in the Buddhist deities, then Buddhism is his/her religion. But if the practitioner is an atheist, then Buddhism is his/her philosophy.\n\n Its the same with Judaism. It all depends on whether or not the person is a believer or an atheist there too. If the person believes in God, then Judaism is his/her religion. But, if the person is an atheist, then Judaism is his/her culture.
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Sounds like a pretty cool priest who is smart enough to know that Zen is not a religion, it is a philosophy, and there is nothing contrary to a Christian practicing Zen meditation.\n\nIn fact, it's a great way to relieve stress and decrease emotional disregulation.  It's psychologically healthy.  Cognitive therapists are beginning to use techniques taught in Zen, such as mindfulness, to treat a variety of mental illnesses with a pretty impressive success rate.  I'd say this priest is doing his best to help his parishoners.
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What is Buddhism really all about?\nSimply speaking, this is to avoid harming others and to help them as much as possible. Another way of expressing this is, Abandon negative action; create perfect virtue; subdue your own mind. This is the teaching of the Buddha. By abandoning negative actions (killing, etc.) and destructive motivations (anger, attachment, close-mindedness, etc.), we stop harming ourselves and others. By creating perfect virtue, we develop beneficial attitudes, like impartial love and compassion, and do actions motivated by these thoughts. By subduing our mind, we cut away all false projections, thus making ourselves calm and peaceful by understanding reality.\n\nThe essence of Buddha’s teachings is also contained in the three principles of the path: definite emergence, the dedicated heart and wisdom realizing emptiness. Initially, we seek definitely to emerge from the confusion of our problems and their causes. Then, we see that other people also have problems, and with love and compassion, we dedicate our heart to becoming a Buddha so that we are capable of helping others extensively. In order to do this, we develop the wisdom understanding the real nature of ourselves and other phenomena.\n\nbrief overview:\nhttp://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/pathmaps.htm\n\nbecome enlightened:\nthe Buddhist teaching is one of being enlightened  now rather than doing anything to become enlightened. The idea that you must do something to become enlightened can only come from wrong understanding. Then enlightenment is merely another condition dependent upon something else - so it is not really enlightenment. It is only a perception of enlightenment. However, I am not talking about any kind of perception but about being alert to the way things are. The present moment is what we can actually observe: we can’t observe tomorrow yet, and we can only remember yesterday. But Buddhist practice is very immediate to the here and now, looking at the way things are.\n\nNow how do we do that? Well, first we have to look at our doubts and fears - because we get so attached to our views and opinions that these take us into doubt about what we are doing. Someone might develop a false confidence believing that they are enlightened. But believing that you are enlightened or believing that you are not enlightened are both delusions. What I am pointing to is being enlightened rather than believing in it. And for this, we need to be open to the way things are.\n\nWe start with the way things are as they happen to be right now - such as the breathing of our bodies. What has that to do with Truth, with enlightenment? Does watching my breath mean that I am enlightened? But the more you try to think about it and figure out what it is, the more uncertain and insecure you’ll feel. All we can do in this conventional form is to let go of delusion. That is the practice of the Four Noble Truths and the development of the Eightfold Path.
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There's actually an answer to this question, the problem is, it doesn't translate into English. The answer is "Mu" (in Japanese,  Wú orMou in Chinese). It's used as a response to certain koans and other questions in Zen Buddhism, intending to indicate that the question itself was wrong.
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My Dear Friends, \n\nEverything in the above that you have mentioned is totally valid and I commend you by placing my palms together in a prayer action; this is the way that Buddhists greet each other - it represents the utmost respect and trust to the recipient.  However, if I was a non-Buddhist and read these comments, I would feel very critical and believe that Buddhism is about belittling other religions.  Please permit me to give you some of my humble insight on what makes Buddhism a much favoured religion.  But please keep in mind that the points made below are all made in different points of view; due to the different lineages and traditions, different schools focus on different teachings.  I will present you a mix.\n\nWhen introducing a religion we must speak of both the positive and negatives aspects; as most of you know there are few of the latter in this religion, but nonetheless I am obliged to raise them.  In Buddhism there are no disagreements, but rather I would like to call it a problem with viewpoint.  For example, a student in Grade 1 says "1+1=2, but we cannot have 0-1=?" It is not they are lesser or inferior, but merely they do not have the teaching, and only when we get to Grade 4, we can say "1+1=2, 0-1=-1, but you cannot have letters like 2xy".  Now, in Grade 8 the students will think that those students below are foolish, but once again it is not because they are incapable, but merely they do not have the textbook - in this case sutra.  So the main arguments or disharmony in this religion are usually due to difference in teaching.\n\nWAIT! STOP! HALT! I can hear people calling me "LIAR" and at the same time ask "how can they be different teachings if they are all from the Lord Buddha?  That must mean there are fake Buddhisms out there."  Cleverly spoken, I would reply.  However, remember that the Lord Buddha taught us, "disseminate the Dharma according to the circumstances." Although Buddha's disciples were all of great caliber, I can say after 2550 years (after His birth), that no single person is identical; thus the understanding of the Dharma and the actual Dharma taught would obviously be different.  If I have made this too complex, just look at the above example about Maths in School - see what I mean now?  After the Lord Buddha pir-nirvana, His disciples congregated to write out the Sutras, which would become part of the Tripitaka (three ways that the Lord Buddha's teachings were recorded - if interested in the other two, and then some ASK about it.  I'll answer separately.)  Of course, the followers were of great achievements, but none of the present had actually attained Buddhahood (this is in the perspective of the Theravada); hence some arguments occurred, even the expulsion of the Lord Buddha's closest aide - Ananda.\n\nBUT - this is a big BUT - there is the unanimous opinion that Buddhism, in all, is about the Universe.  Due to this Universal attitude to all things, Buddhism also respects all other religions; even acknowledging the founder of each religion a holy deity.  The Lord Buddha Himself even proclaimed that Buddhist Dharma is about the Universe and not about Him - He is merely a tool used by the Universe to show how one should behave, speak and think when on the path to liberation.  Once again, depending on tradition you can find different methods to walk the Bodhi path; for some reason everyone has the stereotypical theory that all Buddhist live in mountains, away from the populous and only hope to save themselves - this is Theravada (Hinayana).  Just for the interest of you my friends, in Mahayana they mingle with the populous with the aim of saving others before fully attaining Buddhahood themselves; then of course there comes the Tantrayana (Vajrayana).  \n\nTo do justice to the religion, I will not go on any further, because in the end of the day we must have the attitude of a 1:9 ratio.  What would that be?  1 he
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The most prevalent forms are the Mahayana Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.  This has been popularized by the Dalai Lama.  The next is Zen Buddhism which came to us from Japan and is popular because Japanese buddhists have immigrated throughout the US and shared their beliefs with other Americans.
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You have to understand that Buddhism blends wherever it goes. Although the core teachings remain intact, but the outer bark--the "form" that the religion/philosophy expresses--adapts to the receiving culture. Therefore, iconic representations of ideas or teachings differ from area to area. Tibetan Buddhism has a unique flavor, and so do Japanese Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Thai Buddhism, Sri Lankan Buddhism, and so on. \n\nYou can think of Buddhist teachings as a vehicle, a car. You'd have all sorts of models, parts, designs, etc., but a car is still a car despite all its variable forms to choose from. \n\nTo get back to your question, the Fat Buddha ("Laughing Buddha") has been an image exclusive to Chinese Buddhism. It has come to represent good luck and wealth, which reconciles amicably with the Chinese merchantship. As for the actual, historical Fat Buddha.. we don't know if he did exist. He's as far back as a legend. I could be wrong though, about the legend part; I'm not an expert in Chinese Buddhism. You have to go dig history. \n\nThe Buddha--Siddhartha Gautama--has taught, and lived, a life of moderation so it is insensible for people from any culture to portray him as having a fat, gluttonous belly.
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Buddhism is a philosophy, and so can be compatible with various religious beliefs. Christianity is a belief system, which makes it incompatible with other beliefs.
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I know a bit about Hakuin, but I'm not familiar with "the great doubt."\n\nHowever, I looked it up, and my understanding--cursory as it is--is that a sudden realization comes upon a student of Zen after a perhaps years-long process of coming to.\n\nSo, it's both.\n\nWhich, given the practice of Zen, is fitting.
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visit these websites for zen stories\n\nhttp://www.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/zenstory.html\n\nhttp://www.101zenstories.com\n\nhttp://www.inspirationalstories.com/buddhism-1.html\n\nhttp://www.maths.utas.edu.au/People/Allison/zen.html\n\nhttp://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&q=zen+story&btnG=Search&meta=
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Buddhism is a way of life that was passed down in a teacher-student relationship, unlike most religion in the west which is God -  man.  Since religion is define as worship to a God, Buddhism can not really be label as a religion since its not about worship detities; its a teaching about life, universe and the path to enlightenment.\n\nBuddhism in a nutshell is the search of understand yourself and its surrounding; Buddhist believe that man was pure in heart but for various reason we were polluted and tainted by desires and sin.\n\nSo the goal of Buddhism is to purify your soul/mind and through various methods to revert back to our original state of being.\n\nBuddhist follow the teaching of Buddha, a man that exist in India around 500 B.C.  He was born a prince but he gave everything away to pursuit the path of enlightenment. He ultimately achieved its goal and spend all his time teaching / sharing his knowledge to his students and people.\n\nBuddhism use different method to achieve its goal,hence you see different practice method of Buddhism: Zen, pure-land, Tibetan and many others.\n\nThere is no disrespect to try to understand something and ask question, I'm sure your friend would be happy to answer any question you may have.\n\nThis is just a very brief outline of Buddhism. If you are interested, there is an non-profit organization that promotes Buddhism in the U.S.  They have books and videos for free distribution.  \n\nYou can write or call them and they can send you books free of charge too.  Their website is http://www.amtb-usa.org
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Zen is a branch of Mahayana Buddhism which strongly emphasizes the practice of meditation.\n\nTraditionally, Zen traces its roots back to Indian Buddhism; it takes its name from the Sanskrit term, dhyāna, which means meditative concentration (zen is short for the rarely-used form zenna). According to traditional accounts, Chan was established in China around 500 CE by an Indian monk named Bodhidharma. Bodhidharma is said to have been the twenty-eighth patriarch of Zen and the last Indian successor in a line begun by the Buddha's disciple Mahakaśyapa. His school was also known as the Buddha Heart School
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There is no singular head of Buddhism. \nHis Holiness the Dalai Lama is only the religious leader of Tibet .
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hello..\nactually i'm not a truly buddhist.. i'm an atheist but i learn lots from Buddhism..\n\nit's just hard to explain in words, Buddhist doesn't really care about religion, its focus in self-spiritual-development.. to gain wisdom and practice compassion..\n\n “Do not go by revelation or tradition, do not go by rumor, or the sacred scriptures, do not go by hearsay or mere logic, do not go by bias towards a notion or by another person’s seeming ability and do not go by the idea ‘He is our teacher’. But when you yourself know that a thing is good, that it is not blamable,  \nthat it is praised by the wise and when practiced and observed that it leads to happiness, then follow that thing.”\n\nThe Buddha taught us to try to understand our fears, to lessen our desires and to calmly and courageously accept the things we cannot change. He replaced fear, not with irrational belief but with rational understanding.\n\nthe Buddha saw that each human being had the capacity to purify the mind, develop infinite love and compassion and perfect understanding. He shifted attention from the heavens to the heart and encouraged us to find solutions to ¬ our problems through self-understanding.\n\nWe believe in humanity. We believe that each human being is precious and important, that all have the potential to develop into a Buddha — a perfected human being. We believe that humans can out¬grow ignorance and irrationality and see things as they really are. We believe that hatred, anger, spite and jealousy can be replaced by love, patience, generosity and kindness.  \n\nNo one saves us but ourselves, No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path, but Buddhas clearly show the way