is jnana yoga similar to shikantaza?

[DanielR]

Hello everybody!

I'm interested in the Advaita Vedanta practice. It's basically jnana yoga isn't it?? But is Jnana similar or comparable to Shikantaza of Zen, with which I'm a bit familiar, that's why I'm asking!

Thank you

 

[Onkara]

Hello Daniel
Not quite from what I have read. They are methods in their own right.

on wikipedia:

Shikantaza is a form of meditational awareness (lack of a better description):

According to Merv Fowler, shikantaza is described best as, "quiet sitting in open awareness, reflecting directly the reality of life."

Whereas Jñana yoga is a path of knowledge to realise or understand the truth using the intellect. It can be based on scripture or study.

I would say Shikantaza sounds more like Dhyana or meditational awareness.

 

[Ekanta]

I have given this some thought, as I used to be part of the Deshimaru sanga (soto-zen), now Im more hindu style.. anyway...

jñāna-yoga is three-fold:
1.śravaṇa (listen) [to vedanta]
2.manana (reflect) [to understand the meaning]
3.nididhyāsana (meditation) [ZEN]
--> ātma-sākṣātkāra (Self-realization) (SATORI)

This is the easy answer... Then elaborating a bit...

Shikantaza (just sitting) should be Hishiryo (beyond thinking) & mushotoku (no goal).
"beyond thinking" means to not form any concepts in the mind... instead let the mind be absorbed in the breath and posture.
"no goal" means not trying to get anything, stay as you are... you already are "buddha-nature", so trying to get it is just a mental concept or an objectification. One should have absolute faith in one's buddha-nature...

The one thing that might be special with Shikantaza is that you dont try to figure out "who am I", since that would be "non-Shikantaza", it happens automatically.

According to Ramana Maharshi, either surrender or inquiry is always the final practice. I think Shikantaza is more in line with surrender. Shikantaza-practitioners might not "surrender" to an external "God" but to the "God" in their heart (buddha-nature). So soto-zen might actually be called bhakti-yoga also... worshiping God in the heart... (dahara-upāsana), merging themselves in that...

Rinzai is a bit different, they reflect on koans and practice kensho (seeing one's nature). Thats more in line with inquiry.

Well just some thoughts... ^^

 

[atanu]

I have given this some thought, as I used to be part of the Deshimaru sanga (soto-zen), now Im more hindu style.. anyway...

jñāna-yoga is three-fold:
1.śravaṇa (listen) [to vedanta]
2.manana (reflect) [to understand the meaning]
3.nididhyāsana (meditation) [ZEN]
--> ātma-sākṣātkāra (Self-realization) (SATORI)

This is the easy answer... Then elaborating a bit...

Shikantaza (just sitting) should be Hishiryo (beyond thinking) & mushotoku (no goal).
"beyond thinking" means to not form any concepts in the mind... instead let the mind be absorbed in the breath and posture.
"no goal" means not trying to get anything, stay as you are... you already are "buddha-nature", so trying to get it is just a mental concept or an objectification. One should have absolute faith in one's buddha-nature...

The one thing that might be special with Shikantaza is that you dont try to figure out "who am I", since that would be "non-Shikantaza", it happens automatically.

According to Ramana Maharshi, either surrender or inquiry is always the final practice. I think Shikantaza is more in line with surrender. Shikantaza-practitioners might not "surrender" to an external "God" but to the "God" in their heart (buddha-nature). So soto-zen might actually be called bhakti-yoga also... worshiping God in the heart... (dahara-upāsana), merging themselves in that...

Rinzai is a bit different, they reflect on koans and practice kensho (seeing one's nature). Thats more in line with inquiry.

Well just some thoughts... ^^

Thank you for the great post. I do not know anything at all about Shikantaza but i know about Ramana's teachings.

Ramana also teaches "Just Be". But he says that 'Just Be' is impossible for immature practitioners. So, he asks us to silently bring every thought to its source by enquiring "Who has this thought?" The answer is "I have this thought?" Then "Whence I?"

This not an intellectual enquiry or a japa. It is a method to bring back all thoughts to their source, which is the "i" thought. It combines some aspects of intellectaul enquiry also, no doubt because it is ego enquiring about its source, but primarily it is preparation for "Just Be".

And as per Maharshi, this also ultimately is surrender that is same as jnana.

Thanks and Regards

 

[Onkara]

And as per Maharshi, this also ultimately is surrender that is same as jnana.

Thanks and Regards

Hello Atanu
I also thought Ekanta's post was very helpful.

Would you mind expanding on why both surrender and jñana are the same?

 

[atanu]

Hello Atanu
I also thought Ekanta's post was very helpful.

Would you mind expanding on why both surrender and jñana are the same?

Total surrender and the jnana that there is no seperate existence of ego-self go hand in hand. What is done in meditation is both surrender and jnana. One just lets the ego to become one with the whole or one just lets the ego disappear into the whole. It is also called waking sleep.

 

[DanielR]

Thanks Onkara , Ekanta and atanu. Then I'm gonna start practising.

 

[zenzero]

Friend Daniel,

The objective of all practices is to be free from THOUGHTS.
every culture has people who found a method in that setting to be able to reach to the objective and so methods may differ but the end result remains the same.

Love & rgds

 

[DreadFish]

For the sake of perspective, and in the words of the all powerful Wikipedia:

The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán (&#31146, which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state".

So actually, "Zen" is simply a translation of "Dhyana."