Zen
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Japanese 禅 (zen), from Middle Chinese 禪 (MC dzyen), an abbreviation of 禪那 (MC dzyen na), from Sanskrit ध्यान (dhyāna, “a type of meditation”). Doublet of dhyana and chan.
Pronunciation
Audio (US): (file)
Proper noun
Zen
- (religion) A school of Mahayana Buddhism characterized by sudden enlightenment achieved by indirect means and principally associated with China and Japan.
- 1953, Richard Francis Carrington Hull translating Eugen Herrigel's Zen in the Art of Archery, p. 3:
- For Orientals these mysterious formulae are clear and familiar truths, but for us they are completely bewildering... Dhyana Buddhism, which is known in Japan as "Zen"... is not speculation at all but immediate experience of what, as the bottomless ground of Being, cannot be apprehended by intellectual means, and cannot be conceived or interpreted even after the most unequivocal and incontestable experiences: one knows it by not knowing it.
- 1974, Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, p. 235:
- Philosophical mysticism, the idea that truth is indefinable and can be apprehended only by nonrational means, has been with us since the beginning of history. It's the basis of Zen practice.
- 2003, Brad Warner, Hardcore Zen, p. 25:
- While Christianity teaches that man was expelled from the Garden of Eden, Zen teaches that we are living in paradise right now, even amid all the shit that's going down. This world is the Pure Land. This world is paradise. In fact, this world is better than paradise—but all we can do is piss and moan, and look around for something better.
- 1953, Richard Francis Carrington Hull translating Eugen Herrigel's Zen in the Art of Archery, p. 3:
Usage notes
In reference to a specific lineage of Buddhist teachers, Zen is sometimes inclusive of its Chinese development and masters and sometimes distinguished as the particularly Japanese form of Chan, from the modern Mandarin pronunciation of the same character.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
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Noun
Zen (uncountable)
- Alternative letter-case form of zen: (religion) enlightenment and (informal) mindful action, instruction, or behavior considered similar to Zen.
- 1934, Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, p. 102:
- Hōyen... used to produce his own hand and ask his disciples, why it was called a hand? When we know the reason, there is satori and we have Zen.
- 1934, Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, p. 102:
Usage notes
Similar to the proper noun, Zen’s use as a synonym for enlightenment is sometimes limited to the specific form acquired through Zen meditation. In general application, Zen can carry orientalizing overtones, particularly of smug superiority over conventional western thought. It is therefore also applied sarcastically to disparage shallow understanding, feigned wisdom, or bullshitting.
Adjective
Zen (comparative more Zen, superlative most Zen)
- (religion) Of or related to Zen Buddhism.
- Zen meditation... Zen monk... Zen master...
- (colloquial) Alternative letter-case form of zen.
- 2010, Martin Avery & al., Zen Forest:
- "It sounds very Zen," I said. "A log cabin with no logs."
- 2020, N. K. Jemisin, The City We Became, Orbit, page 431:
- Part of him is still so much the newbie, amazed to find this place of sand and sun stuck onto the ass end of the greatest city in the world, but the rest of him has relaxed into acceptance already. He's Zen like that.
- 2010, Martin Avery & al., Zen Forest:
See also
Anagrams
German
Pronunciation
Audio: (file)
Noun
Zen m (strong, genitive Zens, no plural)
Declension
Further reading
- “Zen” in Duden online
Irish
Proper noun
Zen m
Japanese
Romanization
Zen
- English terms borrowed from Japanese
- English terms derived from Japanese
- English terms derived from Middle Chinese
- English terms derived from Sanskrit
- English doublets
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English proper nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- en:Religion
- English nouns
- English informal terms
- English adjectives
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- German lemmas
- German nouns
- German uncountable nouns
- German masculine nouns
- de:Buddhism
- Irish lemmas
- Irish proper nouns
- Irish terms spelled with Z
- Irish masculine nouns
- ga:Buddhism
- Japanese non-lemma forms
- Japanese romanizations