Zen and Mindfulness

We will be meeting in the Pablo Creek Library - Conference Room

Discussion Questions:
What does it mean to be to live in the “now” or “present moment”?

What do you think "enlightenment" looks like in our modern-day world?

Zen philosophy promotes unconditional “loving-compassion”, yet this concept may be in conflict with strict moral rules. Can these be reconciled?

Zen alludes to a “universal truth”, yet our individual experiences can be vastly different. Do you agree that this “truth” exists? Why or why not?

Helpful Definitions:
Zen - a form of Buddhism, originally developed in Japan, that emphasizes that religious knowledge is achieved through emptying the mind of thoughts and giving attention to only one thing, rather than by reading religious writing

Mindfulness - the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis

Compassion (in Zen philosophy) - the natural, active response to suffering that arises from the deep realization of non-separation and interconnectedness

Enlightenment (in Buddhism) - a final blessed state marked by the absence of desire or suffering