Most Zen centers in the Americas offer introductory programs to help you enter the path of Zen. These programs range from brief introductions prior to evening practice, to weekly workshops and monthly classes. Contact the nearest Zen Center to find out how you can get started.

If you don’t live close to a Zen center, you can join our Online Sangha. Online members can practice with others via streaming media, exchange correspondence with senior dharma teachers, and even have kong-an interviews with authorized teachers. Click here for more information.

ABOUT ZEN

by Zen Master Seung Sahn

Zen is very simple…What are you?

In this whole world, everyone searches for happiness outside, but nobody understands their true self inside.

Everybody says, “I” – “I want this, I am like that…” But nobody understands this “I.”

Before you were born, where did your I come from? When you die, where will your I go? If you sincerely ask, “what am I?” sooner or later you will run into a wall where all thinking is cut off. We call this “don’t know.”

Zen is keeping this “don’t know” mind always and everywhere.

Meditation in Zen means keeping don’t-know mind when bowing, chanting and sitting Zen. This is formal Zen practice. And when doing something, just do it. When driving, just drive; when eating, just eat; when working, just work.

Finally, your don’t-know mind will become clear. Then you can see the sky, only blue. You can see the tree, only green. Your mind is like a clear mirror. Red comes, the mirror is red; white comes the mirror is white. A hungry person comes, you can give him food; a thirsty person comes, you can give her something to drink. There is no desire for myself, only for all beings. That mind is already enlightenment, what we call Great Love, Great Compassion, the Great Bodhisattva Way. It’s very simple, not difficult!

Buddha said that all beings have Buddha-nature (enlightenment nature). But Zen Master Joju said that a dog has no Buddha-nature. Which one is right? Which one is wrong? If you find that, you find the true way.