I was reading a really nice book that I found laying around in my house, "The Zen Commandments," and it was talking about meditation, it emphasized how much nothingness you should focus on and how you should keep your eye's open, your body relaxed, open up your peripheral vision and allow things to pass.
It said that as things begin to move in your vision look at it take it in and and let it go allowing it to pass without the idea of the object crowding your mind.. or something like this
A question I have is (since I cannot find the book)- what is it called in the Zen Buddhist belief to do nothing. I liked the name but have forgotten it. So yes-- If you can translate "to do nothing" for me, I would very much appreciate it.
What you're asking about is a very complex question and touches the heart of Zen itself. I am not personally very well versed in Zen, though I have read a bit on the basics. When Zen teachers talk of "doing nothing", they're usually talking about learning to "sit with" your transitory thoughts as they come up in meditation, not chasing them or trying to shut them out. There are many ways to talk about this, and Zen has many metaphors to help guide students on this point.
So that's about as far as I can explain--perhaps someone else more familiar with Zen could comment. I will say that the concept of "doing nothing" may apply to more contexts than just sitting meditation, as I'm sure any Zen practitioner will tell you. Sometimes the language of Zen can seem cryptic and elusive, but it is not meant to be that way. That's why there are many different metaphors; different concepts get through to different people. But it's important to remember, and Zen teachers often emphasize this point very much, that language is conceptual and limited. In other words, it merely points you in the right direction.
Yes, thank you very much, I found the book and you are very right, it was "Just Sitting". =]. I figured out the concept on how to do it and what was meant to be done based off of the name, I enjoy this meditation, it gives me the same affect of the 'loving-kindness' meditation. Thank you friend, Christian
Yes, thank you very much, I found the book and you are very right, it was "Just Sitting". =]. I figured out the concept on how to do it and what was meant to be done based off of the name, I enjoy this meditation, it gives me the same affect of the 'loving-kindness' meditation. Thank you friend, Christian
