The way of Zen

The Way of Zen is to attain enlightenment after eliminating ignorance and self-attachment by one's own effort. Of course if you eliminate ingorance self attachment does not exist. Enlightenment is attained through self-discipline and dispelling our ignorance. It generally comes a little at a time. By first taking the step to realize ones nature. You will realize the great battle is inside. You will understand the great battle was only a battle of self. As they say the heavens will open for you to proceed. It was brought by Bodhidharma from India. He claimed to teach the Buddhism that the Buddha originally taught, emphasizing the mind to mind transmission, as Buddha passed it on to Kashyapa when he held up a flower. This iw one of the reasons buddhism on the practiced in Zen is different from types practiced in China like Chan. Bodhidharma's Buddhism, naturally fused with the indiginous mysticism of China, Taoism, became known as Ch'an. But Zen and Chan are related but not the same. First it's important to note that the practice of Zen, and coming to true understanding, entails Zen practice, and not merely the reading and philosophising of idea in Zen books. One can only know Zen through experience, which cannot be gotten by intellectualizing over it. The intellect cannot know Zen. When discussing Zen Buddhism, one often encounters the character for emptiness, mu, in expressions such as "no self," "no ego," "no holiness," and "no permanence." It is through the actual experience of mu — which means transcending affirmation and negation, being and nonbeing — But the word Transcending and Affirmation simply do not describe the experinece of Mu" But thru the expierence of Mu that satori or spiritual awakening occurs and one can finally come to realize the essential spirit of Zen. Gaining some intellectual understanding is merely a first step in knowing about Zen; to enter into and deepen that understanding, one must experience mu for oneself. States of Meditation Zanshin ( literally remaining spirit) Mushin ( literally no mind) Fudoshin ( literally Immovable mind).