Glossary of Zen Names and Terms as Used in the Kwan Um SchoolTo The Kwan Um School of Zen home page Glossary of Zen names and terms as used in the Kwan Um SchoolAIGO (Korean): word for responding to an incomprehensiblesituation, such as sudden death, or grief, or even surprise. Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi (Sanskrit):"perfect universal samadhi"; the enlightenment experience in which a personbecomes a Buddha. Avalokitesvara (Sanskrit): bodhisattva ofcompassion (see Kwan Seum Bosal). beads: a string of beads resembling a bracelet or necklace, usedfor counting bows or repetitions of a mantra in various sects of Buddhism. Also knownas a "mala."Bhikshu (Sanskrit): a fully ordained monk. Bhikshuni (Sanskrit): a fully ordained nun. Blue Cliff Record (Chinese: Pi-Ye-Lu; Japanese:Hekigan Roku): compiled in 1125 CE, one of the most important collections of kong-ans,still in use today. bodhi (Sanskrit): "awakening"; enlightenment.Bodhidharma (Sanskrit): the first Zen patriarch; hereputedly came to China in 520 CE. and sat for nine years facing a wall at Shao-Lintemple. bodhisattva (Sanskrit): a being whose actionspromote unity or harmony; one who vows to postpone one's own enlightenment in order tohelp all sentient beings realize liberation; one who seeks enlightenment not only foroneself but for others. The bodhisattva ideal is at the heart of Mahayana and ZenBuddhism. bodhisattva teacher: in the Kwan Um School of Zen,one who has met certain training requirements, usually over at least ten years, and hastaken sixty-four precepts. bosalnim (Korean): in Korea, a lay woman who helps ata temple Buddha (Sanskrit): an awakened one; refers usually toSiddhartha Gautama (sixth century BCE), historic founder of Buddhism. Buddha-nature: that which all sentient beings share andmanifest through their particular form; according to Zen, the Buddha said that all thingshave Buddha-nature and therefore have the innate potential to become Buddha. center: the vital energy center of the abdomen; in many Zentraditions it is considered to be the seat of the heart-body-mind. Focusing one'sattention on the hara is a technique used in some forms of Zen practice for centering anddeveloping samadhi power. ch'i (Chinese): life force. Chogye order: the major order in Korean Buddhism, formedin 1356 by the unification of the Nine Mountains Schools of Zen. Dae Soen Sa Nim (Korean): title used by Zen Master SeungSahn's students in referring to him; "great honored Zen Master." In the Koreatradition, all Zen Masters are referred to as "Soen Sa Nim." "Dae"(great) is added to their title when a teacher turns sixty. dharani (Sanskrit): a long, mystical chant supposed tohave innate power to induce various kinds of insights or magical powers. dharma (Sanskrit): the way or law; the path; basically,Buddhist teaching, but in a wider sense any teaching or truth. dharma room: in Zen Master Seung Sahn's centers, themeditation/ceremony hall. dharma teacher: in the Kwan Um School of Zen, one whohas met certain training requirements, usually over at least four years, and has taken tenprecepts. DOL (Korean): shout to cut off discriminative thinking.Dok Sahn, Duk Sahn (780-865 CE) (Korean; Chinese: Te-shan):one of the greatest Zen Masters in history; trained for forty years studying the DiamondSutra, then was stumped by a simple question from a tea-vending woman and converted toZen. dukkha (Pali): suffering. enlightenment: awakening. five precepts: the first five lay vows of Buddhism: I vow to abstain from taking life. I vow to abstain from taking things not given. I vow to abstain from lying. I vow to abstain from misconduct done in lust. I vow to abstain from intoxicants, taken to induce heedlessness. great freedom: freedom from all conceptual understandingand bondage that comes in the wake of enlightenment. great path: the path of liberation towards which apractitioner strives, or the path tread by a bodhisattva. hapchang (Korean; Japanese: gassho): the gesture ofplacing the hands palm to palm before the chest to indicate respect, gratitude, andhumility. hara (Japanese): see center HIT: the sound of a palm or stick hitting a table or floor; usedto cut off discriminative thinking. inka (Korean): "public seal;" certification of astudent's completion of, or breakthrough in, kong-an practice. interview: a formal, private meeting between a Zen teacherand a student in which kong-ans are used to test and stimulate the student's practice; mayalso occasion informal questions and instruction. Ji Do Poep Sa Nim (JDPSN) (Korean): "dharmamaster"; a student who has been authorized to teach kong-an practice and leadretreats. The title is "Ji Do Poep Sa" for teachers who are monks or nuns. Joju (778-897 CE) (Korean; Chinese: Chao Chou; Japanese:Joshu): his Chinese name is from the town in northern China where he lived and taughtfor the last forty years of his life; one of the most famous Zen Masters in history;prominent during the golden age of Zen in T'ang Dynasty China (618-907 CE). kalpa (Sanskrit): an eon; the time period during whichthe physical universe is formed and destroyed. An unimaginably long period of time. karma (Sanskrit): "cause and effect," and thecontinuing process of action and reaction, accounting for the interpenetration of allphenomena. Thus our present thoughts, actions, and situations are the result of what wehave done in the past, and our future thoughts, actions, and situations will be theproduct of what we are doing now. Individual karma results from this process. kasa (Korean): brown piece of cloth worn around the neckor over the shoulders, symbolic of Buddhist vows and precepts. KATZ! (Korean): traditional Zen belly shout; used to cutoff discriminative thinking. kensho (Japanese): seeing one's own true nature; anexperience of awakening. Kido (Korean): "energy way"; a chanting retreat.kimchee (Korean): spicy pickled cabbage. kong-an (Korean; Japanese: koan): a paradoxical orirrational statement used by Zen teachers to cut through students' thinking and bring themto realization. Kwan Seum Bosal (Korean; Sanskrit: Avalokitesvara;Chinese: Kwan Yin; Korean: Kwan Um; Japanese: Kanzeon): "one who perceives thecries of the world" and responds with compassionate aid; the bodhisattva ofcompassion. Kyol Che (Korean): "tight dharma"; in KoreanZen tradition, an intensive retreat of 21 to 90 days. Lin Chi (d. 866 CE) (Chinese): Chinese Zen Master;founder of the Lin-chi (Rinzai) school of Zen, one of the two schools still active inJapan. Mahakashyapa (Sanskrit): outstanding student ofthe Buddha. Buddha's successor in leading the sangha. Mahayana (Sanskrit) Buddhism: the Buddhism practicedin northern Asia; encompasses schools in China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet. Ma Jo (709-788 CE) (Korean; Chinese: Ma-tsu): the greatpatriarch of Chinese Zen during the early T'ang period. mala: see beads mantra (Sanskrit): sounds or words used in meditation tocut through discriminating thoughts so the mind can become clear. moktak (Korean): fish-shaped wooden instrument used as adrum to set the rhythm for chanting. mu (Japanese): nothing, not, nothingness. Mu Mun Kwan (Korean): "The GatelessGate"; a collection of forty-eight traditional kong-an cases composed in 1228 by themonk Mu Mun Ekai (1184-1260); usually studied before the Blue Cliff Record. nirvana (Sanskrit): a state of perfect inner stillnessand peace; complete extinction of individual existence; cessation of rebirth; entry intobliss. paramita (Sanskrit): virtues or"perfections" of a Buddha. In Mahayana Buddhism, these are the six paramitas:dana (generosity), sila (restraint or morality), shanti (patience), vigor (energy oreffort), dhyana (meditation), prajna (wisdom). patriarch: the founder of a school and his successors in thetransmission of its teaching. prajna (Sanskrit): wisdom. roshi (Japanese): "venerable (spiritual)teacher"; a Zen Master. samadhi (Sanskrit): a state of intense concentration.samsara (Sanskrit): the cycle of birth, death, andrebirth. sangha (Sanskrit): in the Mahayana and Zen traditions,the community of all practitioners; may refer to a family of students under a particularmaster. sarira (Sanskrit): "body"; in Korean Buddhism,small crystals sometimes found among cremated remains of monks, and regarded as sacredrelics. satori (Japanese): the experience of awakening,enlightenment. senior dharma teacher: in the Kwan Um School ofZen, one who has met certain training requirements, usually over at least nine years, andhas taken sixteen precepts. sesshin (Japanese): see Yong Maeng Jong Jin. Shakyamuni Buddha (Sanskrit): "sage ofthe Shakya clan," the historical Buddha. shikantaza (Japanese): "just sitting"; astate of attention that is free from thoughts, directed to no object, and attached to noparticular content. skandhas (Sanskrit): the five aggregates which make uphuman existence: form, feelings, perceptions, impulses, consciousness. Soen Sa Nim (Korean): "honored Zen teacher," aZen Master. sutra (Sanskrit): Buddhist scriptures, consisting ofdiscourses by the Buddha and his disciples. Sunim (Korean): Honorific used in addressing or referringto a monk or nun. ten directions: Buddhist cosmological concept; north,south, east, west, up, down, northwest, northeast, southeast, southwest. Theravada (Sanskrit): the southern school ofBuddhism, including Sri Lanka, Thailand and Burma. TOK: the sound of the moktak. transmission: formal handing over of the lineagesuccession from teacher to student. What one receives when one becomes a Zen MasterUn Mun (Korean; Chinese: Yun Men; Japanese: Ummon): ZenMaster during the golden age of Zen in T'ang Dynasty China (618-907 CE). Yong Maeng Jong Jin (Korean): literally, "valorous orintrepid concentration," paraphrased "to leap like a tiger while sitting."In the west it is a short silent retreat of two to seven days involving thirteen hours offormal meditation practice a day. Participants follow a schedule of bowing, sitting,chanting, eating, and working, with an emphasis on sitting meditation. During the retreateach participant has interviews with a Zen Master or Ji Do Poep Sa Nim. zafu (Japanese): a round meditation cushion. Zen (Japanese; Korean: Son; Chinese: Ch'an; Sanskrit: Dhyana):meditation practice. Zen Center: meditation communities which may include aresidence. All the Zen Centers in the Kwan Um School of Zen are under the spiritualdirection of Zen Master Seung Sahn, and each offers regular practice and periodicretreats. zendo (Japanese): "Zen hall;" dharma room,meditation hall. This page Copyright © Kwan Um School of Zen. All rightsreserved. |
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