zazen

zazen

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese 坐(ざ)禅(ぜん) (zazen), from 坐(ざ) (za, “sitting”) + 禅(ぜん) (zen, “meditation”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /zɑːˈzɛn/
• Rhymes: -ɛn

Noun

zazen (usually uncountable, plural zazens)

1. (Buddhism) A form of seated meditation in Zen Buddhism.
   • 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 269:

     If Professor Jaynes had extended his studies of introspection into zazen or yogic forms of meditation, he would understand that the ego is just such a construction that is extended over the gaps in time from moment to moment.

   • 1985, Lawrence Durrell, Quinx, p. 1226:

     They had sent out scouts to try and locate the original cave where the practice of Zazen was first initiated.

   • 1992, Donna Tartt, The Secret History:

     In the practice of Zen there is an exercise called zazen—similar, I think, to the Theravedic practice of vipassana. One sits facing a blank wall. No matter the emotion one feels, no matter how strong or violent, one remains motionless. Facing the wall. The discipline, of course, is in continuing to sit.

   • 2003, Brad Warner, Hardcore Zen, p. 92:

     For everyone—everyone—who first takes it up, zazen is tedious and awful... Zazen isn't about blissing out or going into an alpha brainwave trance. It's about facing who and what you really are, in every single goddamn moment. And you aren't bliss, I'll tell you that right now. You're a mess. We all are.

Synonyms

• Zen meditation

Translations

form of meditation

Czech: zazen m French: zazen (fr) m

Anagrams

• zanze

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Czech

Noun

zazen m

1. zazen

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Japanese

Romanization

zazen

1. Rōmaji transcription of ざぜん