Today I woke up !

Today I want to recollect this piece of information with you.
It is about the origin of the word ZEN.

This Japanese word zen actually originated from the Indian (Sanskrit) word : Dhyana
Dhyana , being an important activity in Buddhism - Mahayana Buddhism, travelled from India to China. Chinese changed Dhyana to Ch'an which is a form of Mahayana Buddhism. When brought to Japan, it became known as zen, and branched into two main schools , Rinzai and Soto. There are arguments on the origin of Mahayana :- whether it means maha-yana (great journey) or something derived from maha-gyana (great knowledge) ...this is a different topic.

Zen is said to be the direct teaching of  The Buddha, and speaks of sudden enlightenment (what we all get after writing an exam !). It points to a direct understanding of the mind, without words, ceremony or scripture.

Zen teaches focus, concentration of mind and self-control, and claims that all beings have the capacity for enlightenment, that the Buddha-nature is inherent in us all.

Here are a few gems which I found very useful for myself (there is so much to improve !) :

1." How can I enjoy a life of pleasure when there is so much suffering in the world ?" - Buddha
2. "Neither my life of luxury in the palace nor my life as an ascetic in the forest is the way to freedom. Overdoing things can not lead to happiness." - Buddha
3. Buddha won the hearts of the people because he dealt with their true feelings.
4. He advised them not to accept his words on blind faith, but to decide for themselves whether his teachings are right or wrong, then follow them.
5. "You should do your own work, for I can teach only the way." - Buddha
6. "If we destroy something around us, we destroy ourselves. If we cheat another, we cheat ourselves."- Buddha
7. Karma (the law of cause and effect): Nothing ever happens to us unless we deserve it. We receive exactly what we earn,whether it is good or bad. We are the way we are now due to the things we have done in the past. Our thoughts and actions determine the kind of life we can have. If we do good things, in the future good things will happen to us. If we do bad things, in the future bad things will happen to us. Every moment we create new karma by what we say, do, and think. If we understand this, we do not need to fear karma. It becomes our friend. It teaches us to create a bright future.
8. He never became angry or impatient or spoke harshly to anyone, not even to those who opposed him. He always taught in such a way that everyone could understand. Each person thought the Buddha was speaking especially for him.
9. "There have been many Buddhas before me and will be many Buddhas in the future." - Buddha

To know who we are, we need to understand that we have two natures. One is called our ordinary nature, which is made up of unpleasant feelings such as fear, anger, and jealousy. The other is our true nature, the part of us that is pure, wise, and perfect. In Buddhism, it is called the Buddha nature.

The only difference between us and the Buddha is that we have not awakened to our true nature.

Here are the five precepts of Buddha :
(precepts are usually commands respecting moral conduct.)

1. No killing :---respect for life
2. No stealing :---Respect for others' property
3. No sexual misconduct:- Respect for our pure nature
4. No lying :--Respect for honesty
5. No intoxicants :--- Respect for a clear mind

Some mornings look different. This was one of them
How long this feeling lasts is anybody's guess !

Asatoma Sadgamaya....