Weekend Stories
I enjoy going exploring on weekends (mostly). Here is a collection of stories and photos I gather along the way. All posts are CC BY-NC-SA licensed unless otherwise stated. Feel free to share, remix, and adapt the content as long as you give appropriate credit and distribute your contributions under the same license.
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Isshin: The undivided mind
Isshin (一心), translated as ‘one mind’ or ‘wholeheartedness’, expresses a quality of total engagement, sincerity, and undivided presence. In Zen practice, this state of mind is not merely about focus or intensity, but about bringing the full self — body, mind, and intention (shingitai) — into alignment with the activity at hand. While terms like mushin or fudōshin emphasize emptiness or equanimity, isshin emphasizes unity: a collectedness of purpose that dissolves inner division. It is often evoked in the context of practice, ritual, and everyday action where presence matters more than outcome.
Hotsu bodaishin: Arousing the mind of awakening
Hotsu bodaishin (発菩提心), translated as ‘arousing the mind of awakening’, refers to a foundational moment in Mahāyāna Buddhism where the practitioner generates the aspiration for enlightenment, not only for their own liberation but for the benefit of all sentient beings. In Zen, this vow is not merely the beginning of the path but is continually renewed and reinterpreted. Unlike other Zen terms that emphasize detachment, spontaneity, or equanimity, hotsu bodaishin centers on intentionality — a declaration of purpose grounded in compassion and insight.
Heijōshin: The everyday mind
Heijōshin (平常心), translated as ‘everyday mind’ or ‘ordinary mind’, is a pivotal yet often understated concept in Zen practice. It refers to a state of mental equanimity that is neither exalted nor diminished, neither special nor dull. Unlike terms such as samādhi or kenshō that imply depth or breakthrough, heijōshin points to a mode of being that is utterly natural, integrated, and non-dualistic. In Zen discourse, it is often said that ‘ordinary mind is the Way’ (heijōshin kore dō), a phrase that highlights the tradition’s radical reorientation of spiritual ideals.
Fudōshin: The immovable mind
Fudōshin (不動心), meaning ‘immovable mind’ or ‘unshakable heart-mind’, represents a key mental state in Zen, particularly as it intersects with martial arts and rigorous forms of meditative discipline. The term signifies inner stability, composure, and presence that remain unperturbed amid external change or internal disturbance. Although often associated with stoic calmness, fudōshin in the Zen context does not imply emotional suppression or rigidity. Rather, it reflects a deep equanimity born of insight into impermanence (anicca) and non-self (anattā), where the mind is no longer reactive to arising phenomena.
Zanshin: Lingering awareness in Zen
Zanshin (残心), often translated as ‘lingering mind’ or ‘remaining mind’, refers to a state of sustained attention and awareness that persists before, during, and after an action. Originally developed and emphasized in Japanese martial arts, zanshin has deep roots in Zen and embodies one of its most practical expressions: presence without fixation. While other states in Zen emphasize emptiness, spontaneity, or letting go, zanshin emphasizes continuity — a thread of unbroken attention that is both situationally aware and internally calm.
Shoshin: The beginner’s mind in Zen
Among the many attitudes cultivated in Zen, few are as well-known or widely applicable as shoshin (初心), often translated as ‘beginner’s mind’. The term refers to an attitude of openness, curiosity, and non-attachment to preconceived ideas. Although the phrase has found popular usage well beyond its Zen context, its origin and significance lie in the Zen tradition’s emphasis on direct experience and the continuous unfolding of practice. Far from being a naïve or passive stance, shoshin is a disciplined receptivity — a state of mind that remains unfixed even in the presence of knowledge or expertise.
Zanmai: Meditative absorption in Zen
Samādhi (三昧, zanmai in Japanese), meaning meditative absorption or collectedness of mind, is a central concept not only in Zen but across all Buddhist traditions. In its classical form, it refers to the unification of attention, where the mind becomes fully focused and steady, undisturbed by distractions or wavering thoughts. While early Buddhist texts describe samādhi primarily in relation to the jhānas, a sequence of deep meditative states, Zen reinterprets the notion within its own emphasis on immediacy and non-duality. In this context, samādhi is not only a condition of stillness achieved in formal meditation, but also a way of inhabiting ordinary activity with full presence and non-clinging awareness.
Mushin: The Zen state of no-mind
Mushin (無心), typically translated as ‘no-mind’ or ‘without mind’, refers to a pivotal mental state in Zen where the practitioner acts without hesitation, calculation, or attachment to thought. The term is widely known not only within Zen but also in disciplines influenced by it — such as the Japanese martial arts and calligraphy — where it denotes a fluid, spontaneous presence. However, in its deeper Buddhist sense, mushin points to a condition of mind unclouded by grasping, aversion, or conceptual elaboration. It is not a loss of awareness, but its refinement: pure attention unobstructed by egoic interference.
Datsuraku: Dropping off body and mind
Of the various phrases attributed to the Zen tradition, few are as central and enigmatic as shinjin datsuraku (脱落身心), often translated as ‘dropping off body and mind’. This expression is most famously associated with Dōgen, the founder of the Japanese Sōtō Zen school in Japan, and it reflects one of the most pivotal states of mind in Zen training. Unlike metaphorical or symbolic phrases, datsuraku describes a concrete experiential shift — one that resonates deeply with the core Buddhist insight into non-self (anattā), impermanence (anicca), and the cessation of attachment (taṇhā).
Hishiryō: The Zen concept of non-thinking
Among the various states of mind cultivated in Zen, hishiryō (非思量), often translated as ‘non-thinking’, holds a foundational position. It is closely associated with zazen, the seated meditation practice that forms the core of Zen training. Despite its seeming paradox, hishiryō does not advocate the cessation of all mental activity nor a forced blankness of mind. Instead, it designates a mode of awareness that transcends both conceptual thinking and the deliberate effort to suppress thought. In this respect, it echoes and deepens the early Buddhist emphasis on mindfulness (sati) and the cessation of discursive attachment.