The Limits of Language: Zen Buddhism and Christianity

In a previous post, I highlighted a striking similarity between Christianity and Taoism. In this article I will do the same for Zen Buddhism and Christianity.

Siddhartha Gautama

Buddhism originated with Siddhartha Gautama who was born in India in 560 BC. While meditating under a tree for many days, Gautama attained enlightenment, thus becoming Buddha or the Awakened One. When Buddha died, it is believed that he entered nirvana, escaping the wheel of reincarnation and enjoying eternal freedom from suffering.

A Zen Twist

Gautama’s example made meditation a central activity in the lives of his followers and that applies to Zen Buddhists. In fact, the word zen means meditation. But Zen Buddhism gives two unique twists to the idea of enlightenment: (1) it’s not a permanent state, (2) it’s not related to the afterlife. Nirvana is not the goal; the primary objective in Zen is the temporary experience of enlightenment.

A Flower 

According to the Zen legend, when Buddha wanted to express a truth too subtle for words, he simply held up a flower. All of his followers were puzzled except for Mahakasyapa, who smiled.

That little story illustrates the key idea of Zen. Enlightenment cannot be explained. It must be realized without words. No matter how carefully he verbally expressed his teaching, there was no way for Buddha to convey his thought.

The Moon

So what does Zen teach? Actually, it teaches nothing. The popular Zen image is a painting of Buddha pointing to the moon. The moon represents enlightenment and the pointed finger is his teaching. Thus Buddha doesn’t give enlightenment, he merely points to it. And this means we shouldn’t be fixated on the finger; we should be mesmerized by the moon.

A Tree

While Zen doesn’t teach enlightenment, it draws our attention to what is holding us back from enlightenment—language and logic. Have you ever not been able to find the right words to express yourself? It’s like the thought or feeling can’t be put into language. People who speak more than one language have a deep knowledge of just how limiting one language can be.

Additionally, our experience of the world is filtered through our vocabulary. When we describe a tree, we use words such as tall, maple, green, healthy, beautiful. But Zen wants us to “to see a tree simply as a tree, as if for the first time.” And the only way to do that is to break free from language.

Two Hands Clapping

Since language is deeply entrenched in our logical thought patterns, Zen says that logic also must be overcome. The Rinzai school of Japanese Zen uses koans or logical puzzles to liberate students from logic. For example, the famous koan: “Two hands clap and there is a sound. What is the sound of one hand clapping?” That question is intended to be pondered for days, and even weeks and months. One’s first response—whatever it is—is almost guaranteed to be wrong.

The Point

What’s the point? What is Zen emphasizing?

There are truths that surpass our ability to comprehend and communicate. Does that sound like anything in the Bible? Let’s start with some obvious verses.

Agreement

First, in his vision of heaven, Paul claims to have heard things that were impossible to express in words.

But I do know that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell. (2 Cor. 12:4 NLT)

Second, Christ’s love surpasses knowledge. And if it exceeds knowledge, how can it be communicated?

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph. 3:17–19 NIV)

Third, God’s peace transcends all understanding so there’s no way for it to be fully expressed by humans.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6–7 NIV)

So God’s love and peace surpass our ability to comprehend, which corresponds with the ungraspable nature of God’s greatness.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
    his greatness no one can fathom. (Ps. 145:3 NIV)

In agreement with Zen Buddhism, the Bible affirms that truths exist beyond human language and logic. Enlightenment is beyond us.

Disagreement

But Christianity diverges with Zen Buddhism over the content of these truths. Zen doesn’t affirm the incomprehensible nature of God’s love, peace, or greatness because it doesn’t affirm the existence of a Creator God.

And whereas Zen teaches that meditation is the solution to the barrier of human language and logic, Christianity offers another solution to a different problem. We don’t need to meditate more to reach enlightenment. According to the New Testament, we are in sin and darkness and we need God to show us the truth and this truth is centered on Jesus of Nazareth. When Peter confessed that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus replied,

Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven (Matt. 16:17 NIV).

Peter didn’t meditate until he realized the truth. God showed Peter Jesus’s identity. Peter didn’t figure it out on his own. Likewise, we don’t need to meditate more; we need to bask in the light shining down on us—the light radiating from the face of Christ.