Zen is a spiritual teaching and practice that dates back thousands of years, Zen first appeared in India, then spread throughout the world. Thousands of years ago, zen teachings were practiced by Hindu spiritualists, then Siddhartha Gautama practiced zen teachings and then passed them on to his students.
Zen is a meditation that is used to eliminate all human suffering naturally. In Zen teachings, suffering is a part of human life, every problem in this life will surely come. But zen practitioners can calmly face all suffering, even the suffering of life's problems is no longer a threat to be feared.
Are Zen teachings that have existed for thousands of years still suitable for today? The answer is Yes. Zen can be practiced by anyone and at any time because Zen will not disappear even though times have changed. Zen is not moral teaching to be obeyed blindly. We practice zen to make the mind clear and able to accept the changes that keep happening.
Zen is also a state of mind that accepts things as they are. Very different from the formulation of theory or excessive thinking. Everything that happens in this world will come and go, by practicing zen, we will be aware of all that until we can accept or live things that are not according to our will. By accepting all the circumstances that occur, then we will find clarity.
From this clarity, inner peace is born. With a peaceful mind, we will feel sufficient, neither lacking nor excessive. We will not be tempted by temporary worldly luxuries, because we know that things will change. Because we are not tempted by luxury and wealth, we will not be tempted to commit acts of corruption or take the rights of others for personal gain. This is true happiness, being content and comfortable.
With the clarity and inner peace that we have gained, we can take wise actions in dealing with the problems that are in front of us. Zen does not formulate rigid morals. There is nothing to be believed in blindly in Zen teachings, there is no particular dress or particular gender that should be prioritized in Zen teachings. Zen is very relevant to the circumstances of the times. Everyone will benefit from zen if they want to practice it. Be it from any profession, any social status, and even from any religion, everyone is allowed to learn and practice zen. Thank you.
