![]() ![]() The practice of bowing is something which doesn’t come naturally to the ego-centric Western mentality, which sees bowing as a foreign and submissive act. While we’ve received many great gifts from the practice of Zen in the Western world, the practice of gassho and gassho rei (which is gassho with a small bow added in) wasn’t and likely won’t ever be one of them. How to use Gassho to bring balance and meaning to your daily life It serves then as an opportunity for more deeply connecting with the world around you, thereby nourishing you in the process. An affirmation of your commitment to respect and care for the world around you in the same way that you would care for yourself. The Zen practice of gassho is, in a way, an affirmation. Wherever you go, and whatever you do, you gassho. When you arrive in front of your zafu (a Zen meditation pillow) for meditation, you bow. When you enter the lecture hall, you bow. When you enter the Zendo (a Zen meditation hall within a Zen center or monastery), you bow. The practice is a constant declaration of reverence for the world as a whole. In Zen, practitioners bow to everything, everyone, and for almost every occasion. ![]() Respect and reverence for life is a core principle of Zen practice and something which is symbolized in the act of gassho. Isn’t that an easy gift to give someone?” Then we straighten up, look at the eyes of the other person, and smile. We say silently, “A lotus for you,” as we breathe in and, “A Buddha to be!” as we breathe out and bow from our waist. Then we look at the eyes of the person we will bow to and we smile. We bring our palms together carefully to form a beautiful lotus flower at the level of our heart. It’s a way of recognizing and honoring the Buddha or the awakened nature in each of us. A bow may mean hello, thank you, good-bye, or excuse me. “ Bowing is a deep form of communication. The great Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh said this of the significance of the practice: In this way, gassho in Zen is a powerful practice which allows the practitioner to deeply touch their own spirit and that of the world around them. Whereas gassho in its traditional sense was an act of greeting, apology, or reverence for another, gassho in Zen is about showing respect and reverence for life and serves as an act of humility where one can practice letting of the ego. However, the practice took on a different significance once Zen began spreading throughout Japan in the 8th century CE. Zen didn’t invent the gesture, as the hands-together bow is used throughout Asia in countries such as China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, and India. How Does Gassho Relate to Zen and Buddhism? Gassho, a ritual gesture where the practitioner presses one’s hands together in front of their chest as a sign of greeting or reverence (resembling praying and similar to the Indian practice of namaste), is a gesture with great significance in Zen practice. One of the more subtle gifts was the Zen practice of gassho, a part of a broadly Asian tradition of bowing, but distinct in its own right when practiced in the spirit of Zen. Suzuki’s An Introduction to Zen Buddhism). Zen quickly took foot in Japan, and over the next thousand years it would have such a significant impact on Japanese culture that aspects of its culture would become indecipherable from Zen in much the same way as Hinduism is rooted in Indian culture (or, rather, is in many ways Indian culture) today.įrom art to philosophy, style, and the origins of the Japanese tea ceremony, Zen made an indelible mark on Japan that can still be witnessed today, albeit less significantly (for more information on Zen’s impact on Japanese culture, read D.T. The practice, which was said to be founded by Bodhidharma, a red-haired Buddhist monk traveling from India in the lineage of the original Buddha–more than 2,000 years ago in China, brought many valuable gifts then as well. However, there was a time when Zen first arrived on the shores of Japan in much the same way. Since then, we’ve received several amazing gifts from the practice and tradition of Zen and many have taken quickly to this beautiful practice including, most notably, the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Suzuki and Shunryu Suzuki (no relation), author of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. In the decades following that fateful trip, we would have the pleasure of welcoming several great Zen masters from Japan, including D.T. It was then that Rinzai Zen master Soyen Shaku, who is recognized as the first Zen Buddhist priest to come to the United States, was invited to and participated in the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. ![]() In 1893, the Western world received the incredible teaching of Zen.
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