Zazen
/zɑːˈzɛn/noun
A form of seated meditation practiced especially in Zen Buddhism.
Did you know?The Japanese term combines za, “sitting,” with zen, the Japanese form of Chinese Chan, which ultimately derives from Sanskrit dhyāna, “meditation.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient India
Sanskrit
dhyāna
“Meditation or contemplative absorption”
Ancient China
Chinese
禪 (chán)
“Meditative practice; a transcription and adaptation of Sanskrit dhyāna”
Medieval China
Chinese
坐禪 (zuòchán)
“Seated meditation; literally “sitting meditation””
Medieval Japan
Japanese
坐禅 (zazen)
“Seated meditation, especially in the Buddhist tradition”
12th–13th Century
Japanese
zazen
“Formal seated meditation emphasized in emerging Japanese Zen schools”
Modern English
English
zazen
“A Zen Buddhist practice of seated meditation”