Central to Zen-practice is dhyana or meditation. The Zen tradition
holds that in meditation practice, notions of doctrine and teachings
necessitate the creation of various notions and appearances (Skt.
saṃjñā; Ch. 相,
xiāng)
that obscure the transcendent wisdom of each being's Buddha-nature.
This process of rediscovery goes under various terms such as
"introspection", "a backward step", "turning-about" or "turning the eye
inward".
Zazen
Sitting meditation is called
zazen (Jp.: 坐禅, lit. "seated meditation"), and in Chinese it is called
zuòchán (坐禅), both simply meaning "sitting
dhyāna". During this sitting meditation, practitioners usually assume a position such as the
lotus position, half-lotus, Burmese, or
seiza postures, using the
dhyāna mudrā.
To regulate the mind, awareness is directed towards counting or
watching the breath or put in the energy center below the navel (see
also
anapanasati).
[web 13] Often, a square or round cushion placed on a padded mat is used to sit on; in some other cases, a chair may be used.
