The Buddha recognized the universality of Dukkha (often translated as suffering) and taught a means to overcome it. Pursuing the eight-fold-path to achieve a virtuous life, he taught, is facilitated through the practice of individual meditative introspection, self instruction, and a mindful approach to daily living.

In Zen practice one seeks to transcend Dukkha by practicing a mindful alertness to one’s responses to life’s events, whether impinging from outside oneself or emerging from within. Often the causes of suffering are systemic in the world within which one lives. Aiming only to protect oneself from such worldly suffering seems to fall short of the Buddha’s advice to pursuing right action in life. Some are troubled by the appearance of escapism from real world sources of suffering. “When there is great doubt there can be great awakening”

A form of Zen Buddhism called Engaged Buddhism has arisen in the modern era. It shows how with the Buddha’s teaching one can address sources of social and institutional violence that lead to suffering and take action to address them. We will practice meditation and approach Engaged Buddhism through Thich Nhat Hahn’s Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism.