Bodhi Zendo

Various members of ‘Quo Vadis Interfaith Dialogue Center’ are currently participating in a 2 night, 3 day programme (25th to 27th September, 2007) at Bodhi Zendo, a Zen Training Centre in South India’s Perumal Hills, which also serves as as the Centre for Bodhi Sangha, an International Community of Zen Master, P. AMA Samy. Bodhi Zendo is open to all who practise Zen, or who wish to experience it.

What is Zen?

'Zen' can mean many things: Zen Buddhism, Zen meditation, Zen method, Zen philosophy or Zen approach to life, Zen experience or realization, Zen enlightenment or awakening and so on. However Zen meditation and realization are different from Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism characterizes a religious group; Zen meditation is independent from any specific religion. In fact Zen is the religion of non-religion, yet in its light religions can truly be themselves. Zen, in terms of practice and realization is apart from any philosophy, ideology or any "- ism" (Monism, pantheism, nihilism, secularism, humanism etc.). It transcends both, negation and affirmation. It finds and fulfills any reality in its suchness and singleness. It is the death of the "Old person" and the birth of the "New person", the new sky and the new earth. However, Zen is more practice and action (Jap. gyo, Sanscr. sadhana) than theory. It is the exercise of life together with the Master, the Sangha and daily living. It is the practice with body, mind and spirit that becomes realized within the space between oneself and the others - the action of the Universe.