What Really Is Zen?

Abstract

This chapter addresses two questions: What really is Zen, in contrast to how it has been repackaged and watered down in the pop culture of the West? What issues should modern Westerners with a serious interest in Zen bear in mind as they adopt and adapt its teachings and practices? Readers are invited to reflect on their preconceptions about Zen so that they may “empty their cups,” open their minds, and recover what Zen calls the “beginner’s mind.” This clearing the mind of prejudices and preconceptions is not just a requisite for learning about Zen; it is also a first lesson on what Zen practice is all about. Also discussed is the question of how the study and practice of Zen Buddhism should be understood in the context of interreligious dialogue.