Mnemonic
At the altar, a monk kneels in silence. His method is simple: empty your mind, sit, breathe. No elaborate doctrine, no complex ritual—just pure stillness at the altar. This is zen.
Additional thoughts
Picture a bare stone altar with absolutely nothing on it—its simplicity IS the teaching. The emptier the altar, the deeper the Zen. Simplicity and sacred space fuse into meditative truth.Quick recall
A simple practice at the altar—that's zen.Details
The keyword for 禅 is zen. This kanji refers to a school of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes meditation and direct insight into one's true nature as the path to enlightenment. Originally derived from the Sanskrit word *dhyāna* (meaning meditation or contemplation), it was transliterated into Chinese as *chán* and later adopted into Japanese as Zen. The character carries connotations of deep meditative practice, spiritual discipline, and the pursuit of inner stillness.
- On'yomi
- ぜん、せん
- Kun'yomi
- しずか、ゆず.る