<< back to All Teachings  Four Jhanic States  By Zoketsu Norman
Fischer | Sep 30, 2006 Location: St. Dorothy's Rest In topic:
General Topics in Buddhism Zoketsu describes the four jnanic
states of meditation.   Talk on Concentration in Zazen and the
Four Jhanic StatesTalk given October 2006 Sesshin at Dorothy’s
Rest  (Edited and abridged by Barbara Byrum)  This morning I
would like to talk more technically about meditation practice.
In our tradition there is resistance to seeing meditation as a
technique. Our sense is that meditation is a religious act, not
so different from prayer or ritual. Dogen sees zazen as prayer
or ritual, and since we are influenced by Dogen, we also see our
zazen in that way. This is good because we don’t have to worry
so much whether we are doing zazen in the right way. All we have
to do is be sincere and try our best and trust that however our
zazen is now, it is just right. It is the same with prayer. The
important thing in prayer is that you try to pray with your
whole heart and