ZAZEN

in Zen Buddhist meditation, sitting; this form of spiritual exercise is most characteristic of the Soto sect. The instructions for zazen direct the disciple to sit in a quiet room, breathing rhythmically and easily, with legs fully or half crossed, spine and head erect, hands folded one palm above the other, and eyes open. Logical, analytic thinking should be suspended, as should all desires, attachments, and judgments, leaving the mind in a state of relaxed attention. The most outstanding advocate of zazen was the 13th-century Zen master and founder of the Soto sect in Japan, Dogen (q.v.). He considered zazen not only to be a method of moving toward enlightenment but also, if properly experienced, to constitute enlightenment itself. See also koan.