Swimming in an ocean of thoughts.....: Z - Zen ~ A-Z Blogger Challenge 2014

The first time I came across this word was in a car’s name. Yes, Maruti Zen if people remember, was one of the efficient cars of Maruti that was in vogue for a very long time, starting from 1993. And in those days, I wondered, why the name, Zen? Then, I read somewhere that Zen in the world of cars, meant Zero Engine Noise. After many years, I realized, all car names have a meaning. Like, the car Toyota Etios has an indigenous idea hidden in the word Etios that is derived from the Greek word ‘Ethos’. Another instance is Mazda where the name hints at Zoroastrian God of light and wisdom. Maruti, as most Hindus know is another name for the God of Winds and Strength Lord Hanuman, who is a symbol of courage. And Zen tagged along, not without a reason. But yes, this time, I wanted to know what Zen meant beyond the Zero Engine Noise. And so, this is what I got after some soulful reading...

Zen, for most people who do not know its meaning, is a concept in Mahayana Buddhism followed in Japan. It is the Japanese version of the Sanskrit word ‘Dhyana’, which means meditation. The idea of Zen preaches to rejoice and live the current moment absolutely. As per Zen, dwelling in the past or drifting in thoughts to the future are mind played fantasies. Only the current moment is reality and inevitable where one truly thinks and lives as body and soul together. Zen is all about rediscovering one's true self and facing it, sans all opinions, judgments and cultural and environmental conditioning. Precisely, it is the path that leads to self enlightenment.

So do you follow Zen? Do you feel complete? Do you live in the present without dwelling in the past or sinking in thoughts about the future? The below image just says it all!!