COURSE

Exploring The Fundamentals Of Zen Buddhism

Whether you are an absolute beginner, a seasoned practitioner, or a monk, this course covers the foundation of understanding what Zen and Zen practice is. This course covers the history of Zen, some important and unique character traits found in Zen, and the particularly peculiar way Zen sometimes expresses the ineffable. All of this is wrapped in learning how you can apply these teachings and methods in your own life, to raise all valleys, level all mountains, and ultimately, find the greatest joys and deepest wonder, in the simplest of life's activities.

Awakening Spiritual Mindfulness Zen - Zazen Traditional Buddhism Religion Buddhism Spirituality Spirituality

Meet your Teacher

Silas Day

Bentonville, AR, USA

Silas Day is an author, meditation teacher, and Dharma practitioner, whose main goal in life, is to make the world a better place, one person at a time. His practice centers around walking the Middle Way and teaching people Dharma so that they may cultivate compassion and understand the nature of emptiness. Silas has been studying and meditating for close to a decade, devoting himself entirely to understanding the canon, philosophy and the practice of Buddhism. He lives with his wonderful wife and cat (Miko) in the Pacific Northwest.

10 Days

9.6k students

4.7 stars

13 min / day

Awakening

English

Lesson 1

Introduction And Saying What Can’t Be Said

Today's session will focus on an introduction to what Zen is, and how the word has been used across time and culture. This first session will also describe the benefit and reasoning behind doing Zen practice and aim to, shed light on how the essential nature of Zen practice can be implemented, habitually into your own life.

Lesson 2

Zazen

On Day 2, we will be exploring an introduction to the radically simple ways that Zen is practiced. Zen practice is incredibly bare bones and can be done by people of all faiths, at all times, and, will not conflict with existing beliefs or value systems. Day 2 also goes over a number of specific ways to practice Zazen.

Lesson 3

Forms, Rituals, And Mannerisms

Day 3 covers basic ceremonies and rituals performed in Zen, such as bowing, prostrations, and the meaning of a Zen "service." A key lesson in today's session is understanding how, through these various rituals and practices, Zen maintains a flexible balance between obsessive strictness and spontaneous form.

Lesson 4

Awakening, Satori, And Enlightenment

What are the states Awakening, Satori and Enlightenment, to the Zen tradition? If you practice, will you have a breakthrough experience? In today's lesson, we will discuss the answers to these questions and others, including: Are some people more enlightened than others? Is there a hierarchy in enlightenment and if so, how does it look? Once we have poked at all of these questions, we will seek to delve a little deeper into their origins and true meanings.

Lesson 5

History

In today's session, from Siddhartha Gautama, to the present day, we will cover a quick history of Zen. This includes, how it started, where it comes from, some of its culture, societal influences, and how it got to where it is today.

Lesson 6

Teachers

In this lesson, we will take a look at the role that teachers and masters play within the Zen tradition and how, having a good teacher, can affect your practice. Zen masters come in all shapes and sizes, with some incredibly traditional, and some highly unconventional. The role of a teacher in Zen, should not be contrained to our formal ideas of what a teacher should look like, instead, our relationship with a Zen master is entirely dependent on the individual goal of our practice.

Lesson 7

Emptiness And Compassion

Today we will look at the two most important teachings in all of Zen and all of Mahayana Buddhism: Emptiness and Compassion. We will take a look at what they are, how they are misunderstood, and how understanding and working with them in our practice can really help us along the path towards our destiny.

Lesson 8

The Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts

In this lesson, we will take a look at the main precepts, considerations, and contemplations, that are found in Zen Buddhism, and how they can aid us in our practice. We will do this through taking a closer look at the core, Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts.

Lesson 9

Koans And Fascicles

In this lesson, we will take a look at Zen Koans and Zen's use of Stories (called Fascicles), and how these are used in the various schools of Zen. We will look at how a few words and acts of simplicity, can express incredibly complex and deep ideas. These tales can be used and applied time and time again, both in your practice and in your everyday life, to help understand the nature of the world.

Lesson 10

Reflections In A Dew Drop

What does it all mean though? How do we bring all of these teachings together into the actuality of our existence? In this session, this last day of this course, we will unify all the teachings into one day, affirming the real life applicability, merit, and beauty, of Zen practice and it's underpinning ideology.

Ask your teacher

This course includes 158 community questions and 90 audio replies from Silas Day. The community classroom and teacher audio replies are only available via the app.

158

4.7 (791)

Recent Reviews

Nathan

August 18, 2025

I am humbled by your teaching, thank you.

Liam

February 19, 2025

Mr. Day has done a commendable job at providing a succinct overview of Zen, which as we all know is

January 12, 2025

Silas This course , your voice and gentle way about you have awakened me to my life. The summary , especially, increased my understsnding of being aware of the moment. The “moment” IS my life right NOW. How awesome to become AWAKE! My thought is to share this course with those I love who are SEEKING “the way”. Thank you!

Nick

November 19, 2024

Very informative and helpful to my practice and a great introduction to Zen Buddhism. I appreciate all of the courses you offer I have found great insight in them. Thank you for all that you do.

Eric

October 8, 2024

Great course. Absolutely loved it! Peace in breath, breath in peace. In every moment, a great release.🙏

Siri

July 23, 2024

Thoughtfully and Wilcraft it. Helpful for really understanding.

Kristin

July 10, 2024

Thank you so much!

Leslie

February 3, 2024

Thank you, Silas 🙏I will take these teachings with me as I go forward on the path. “The trails the birds leave in the sky…” beautiful 💛

Gary

January 25, 2024

True or not, Silas comes across as one who has spent more time admiring and reading about Zen, than living it. The information is solid, the presentation sounds self indulgent.

Rachel

October 16, 2023

Thorough and clear. 🙏🏼 Thank you!

jasper

September 7, 2023

I enjoyed this.

Claire

July 23, 2023

I really enjoyed this informative and interesting course on Zen. Each session was put together and narrated with charm.

Anne

June 15, 2023

That was such an enlightening course and wets my appetite for more!

Tom

March 12, 2023

Loved this course

Dan

February 19, 2023

Still, not sure what is Zen?

Bryan

January 21, 2023

Thank you Silas for helping me understand Zen more. In my search for the practice that reasonates best to me, Zen has been a reoccurring option that had some appeal. I was not sure about many aspects and unsure where to start. This has helped tremendously. 🙏🙏

Shelley

January 13, 2023

This class was very enjoyable, in all of its simplicity. I think that’s the point. I loved your teaching voice and your daily lessons. You gave me some wonderful insight to Zen Buddhism I look forward to taking another class from you, and diving deeper into learning the truth of life. Peace and blessings, love, Shelley Marenka 👑❤️

John

December 4, 2022

Very useful, nicely paced intro to Zen. Thanks so much Silas

Heather

October 9, 2022

Thank you for teaching Zen.

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