Zen Exam. Zen Buddhism: Short Essay. Religion & Theology Assignment

Name_____________________________ Zen Buddhism: Short Essays
1 Suzuki said, "Zen in its essence is the art of seeing into the nature of one’s own being." According to Zen why is this not so simple to do? Explain why you agree or disagree with Zen’s perspective on the problem.
“Seeing into the nature of one’s being” as said by Suzuki, is something that is challenging for people because we are not aware that we already have all the necessary things to be happy and to show love to one another. Personally, I believe that this is true because people are very much prone to reaching and working towards a goal in hopes of being happy after getting that achievement. But, in the end, it does not give the happiness that the person is searching for, and it becomes a cycle, not knowing that what he is seeking is already within him.
2 Explain why a textbook explanation is inadequate for imparting a full understanding of Zen. How does one learn the truth in Zen, and what part does Zen consider words to play in gaining insight into the truth?
It is not enough to know the principles and teachings to fully understand Zen, because it is not meant to be learned intellectually, but is something that should be acquired by practicing it as a way of lif...