Description of Zen Buddhism
Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world, and millions of people practice it. This religion is based on finding life’s Zen, balance, and reaching nirvana. Nirvana, the supreme aim of Buddhist meditation, is freedom from suffering in the cycle of samsara (Brodd et al., 2019, p.155).
Video Reviews
“The Zen Mind”
The three videos released on YouTube, some of which are a decade apart, illuminate Buddhism’s principles and daily practices in diverse and fascinating ways. The first video, the one by Empty Mind Films, focuses on the essence of Zen. According to the narrator, the point of Zen is realizing how dependent and independent people are simultaneously (Empty Mind Films, 2006). What I liked about this video is how it emphasized that most people are unaware of what is happening around them (Empty Mind Films, 2006). Instead, people are consumed by their jealousy, arrogance, and greed.
“Zen Buddhism”
In another video by the Asian Art Museum, it was possible to learn about the customs and approaches of Buddhist monks. The video said that each task, regardless of how mundane it is, is approached with mindfulness (Asian Art Museum, 2009). I found it interesting that monks usually sleep for four hours and spend most of their days meditating, which is facilitated by painful strikes by other monks (Asian Art Museum, 2009). These rituals reflect profound discipline and spiritual dedication central to Buddhist monastic life.
“Zen Kōans”
Finally, the last video, released by TED-Ed, focuses on how Buddhist monks started their questioning practices. As was revealed, ancient monks pondered the reasons for the need to explore and seek explanations (TED-Ed, 2018). As a result, for centuries, Buddhist monks have been looking for answers to the most complicated questions (TED-Ed, 2018). Overall, I enjoyed watching the videos and learned about Buddhists’ aim to reach enlightenment and monks’ meditation practices.
References
Asian Art Museum. (2009). Zen Buddhism [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Brodd, J., Stiles, E. E., Shek, R. H., Little, L., Nystrom, B., Platzner, R. (2019). Invitation to world religions (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Empty Mind Films. (2006). The Zen mind – An introduction by Empty Mind Films [Video]. YouTube. Web.
TED-Ed. (2018). Zen kōans: Unsolvable enigmas designed to break your brain – Puqun Li [Video]. YouTube. Web.