Zen

Zen  (zn)

n.

A school of Mahayana Buddhism that asserts that enlightenment can be attained through meditation, self-contemplation, and intuition rather than through faith and devotion and that is practiced mainly in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Also called Zen Buddhism.

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[Japanese zen, from Chinese (Mandarin) chán, meditation, from Pali jhna, from Sanskrit dhynam, from dhyti, he meditates.]

Word History: It is hard to believe that a word as Asian as Zen is ultimately an Indo-European word. Zen, which has been in English since 1727, is the Japanese pronunciation of Chinese chán, "quietude." Chán comes from Pali jhna, from Sanskrit dhynam, "meditation," from the Sanskrit root dhy-, dh-, "to see, observe." The Indo-European root behind the Sanskrit is *dhei-, *dhy-, "to see, look at." This root also shows up in Greek, where *dhy- developed into s-, as in Common Greek *sma, "sign, distinguishing mark." This became sma in Attic Greek, the source of English semantic.

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Zen [zɛn] Buddhism

n

1. (Non-Christian Religions / Buddhism) a Japanese school, of 12th-century Chinese origin, teaching that contemplation of one's essential nature to the exclusion of all else is the only way of achieving pure enlightenment

2. (Non-Christian Religions / Buddhism) (modifier) of or relating to this school Zen Buddhism

[from Japanese, from Chinese ch'an religious meditation, from Pali jhāna, from Sanskrit dhyāna]

Zenic  adj

Zenist  n

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	Zen - school of Mahayana Buddhism asserting that enlightenment can come through meditation and intuition rather than faith; China and Japan Zen Buddhism Buddhism - a religion represented by the many groups (especially in Asia) that profess various forms of the Buddhist doctrine and that venerate Buddha Zen Buddhist - an adherent of the doctrines of Zen Buddhism
	2.	Zen - a Buddhist doctrine that enlightenment can be attained through direct intuitive insight Zen Buddhism satori - (Zen Buddhism) a state of sudden spiritual enlightenment Buddhism - the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth
	3.	Zen - street name for lysergic acid diethylamide back breaker, battery-acid, Elvis, loony toons, Lucy in the sky with diamonds, window pane, acid, superman, pane, dose, dot LSD, lysergic acid diethylamide - a powerful hallucinogenic drug manufactured from lysergic acid

Translations

Zen [zen]

A. N → Zen m

B. CPD Zen Buddhism N → budismo m Zen
Zen Buddhist N → budista mf Zen

Zen [ˈzɛn] n → zen m

Zen

n → Zen nt; Zen Buddhism → Zen-Buddhismus m

Zen [zɛn] n → Zen m inv

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Zen [zɛn] n → Zen m inv