To become a Buddhist is to take refuge in the Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures or the Three Refuges. The Three Jewels are the Buddha (The Teacher), the Dharma (The Teaching), and the Sangha (The
When Buddha saw suffering for the first time, he was deeply disturbed to see death and misery in the world. He gave up his place in the darkness of the night and set out to
The Eightfold Path is a fundamental teaching in Buddhism that outlines the path towards the cessation of suffering and the attainment of enlightenment. It is considered the fourth Noble Truth, which is the path that
We find in the heart of Buddhism, Samsara, the cycle of rebirth in which are prisoner beings who have not yet achieved enlightenment or supreme liberation. Called commonly reincarnation in the West, this cycle of
The practice of Zen meditation or Zazen is at the heart of the Zen Buddhist experience. Originally called Dhyana in India, Zen meditation is a very simple yet precise method of meditation, where the correct
In Buddhism, the sanskrit word Karma means “action”, and is defined as the intention manifested in the action of thought, body, and speech – it is the intention that produces Karma, and not the act
Zanshin is a concept found in Zen, Budo (Japanese martial arts), particularly Kendo, and in many Japanese arts, such as Ikebana (flower arrangement), chado (the tea ceremony) and sumi-e (ink painting). Simply put, Zanshin is
Since the beginning of time, man is searching for the truth. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors, sat under the stars, and around the campfire discussed and asked themselves the same questions we ask ourselves
Trying to explain or define Zen Buddhism, by reducing it to a book, to a few definitions, or to a website is impossible. Instead, it freezes Zen in time and space, thereby weakening its meaning.
Soon after its arrival in Japan, Zen Buddhism began to have a strong influence on the development of Japanese culture, and it eventually became part of Japan’s spiritual and aesthetic foundation. Through the practice of
