What is Zen?

Term Paper # 101744

Religion and Theology > Buddhism

What is Zen?

An analysis of the concepts behind Zen with a view to trying to explain what it is.

2,294 words () | 8 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper attempts to offer an explanation of what Zen is. It explores the history of Zen and the effects that Zen has on people. It begins by describing the relationship between zen and Shakyamuni Buddha and its relationship to Buddhism. The paper also looks at what Zen helps people to achieve and the importance of this understanding of how to live and die without anxiety and fear.

From the Paper:

"Thus we see that Zen can be defined in historical terms, and it can be defined in terms of practice. Yet it is clear that the most important approach to what Zen is, is to see that Zen achieves for human beings. As we have seen, Zen enlightenment appears to hold the key to the two most important problems of life: how shall we live, and how shall we die. Zen enlightenment offers us nirvana, a place in which we can live and die without suffering. This seems to be a key way to understand what Zen is - to see what it can make possible for us. Thus, though it is hard to precisely define Zen, just as it must once have been hard for people to define the Sun, we can come towards an understanding of what Zen is, by understanding what it can achieve. If it can help us to achieve an understanding of how to live and die without anxiety and fear, then clearly it is a very important, powerful and wonderful thing - even if we cannot precisely define what it is."

Sample of Sources Used:

Cabezon, Jose Ignacio. Buddhism, Sexuality, and Gender. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1992.
Eliade, Mircea. (Editor in Chief) The Encyclopedia of Religion, Volume 1 & 2. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1987.
Heine, Steven, ed. The Koan: Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Leggett, Trevor. A First Zen Reader. 1st ed. Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle, 1960.
Mishra, Pankaj. "Twelve Steps to Enlightenment: Westerners Are Increasingly Turning to Buddhism as an Antidote to the Stresses of Modern Life." New Statesman (12 Apr. 2004): 48+.