The state of mu (nothingness).
It refers to a calm and tranquil state of mind in which attachment and selfish desires are released, and distracting thoughts fall silent.
Yet for those of us living in the modern world, constantly pressed by busyness, such a state of mind is far from easy to attain.
Modern society is covered by endless tasks and waves of information.
We are constantly thinking, judging, and reacting to something.
Even while living in an age of convenience and abundance, many people feel as though they have somehow lost sight of themselves amid the rapid changes around them.
In such a world, practices such as meditation and mindfulness have quietly gained attention across the globe.
By focusing on the breath and placing the mind in the present moment, this simple practice has been shown scientifically to reduce stress, improve concentration, and promote emotional stability.
In Japan, however, there has long existed another practice that also seeks to bring the mind into balance.
That practice is zazen.
One sits quietly, regulates the breath, and lets thoughts pass without chasing them, simply placing oneself in the present moment.
In some ways, this resembles modern mindfulness practices.
Yet zazen carries deeper religious and philosophical meaning.
The aim of zazen is not merely relaxation.
Rather, it is a path that leads us back to the quiet nature of the mind that originally resides within us.
In a relentless sea of information, we often lose sight of the ‘now’.
What Is the State of Mu (nothingness)?
So what does Zen mean when it speaks of mu (nothingness)?
It does not mean becoming incapable of thinking, nor does it mean emptying the mind completely.
Nor does it deny the arising of emotions such as anger, anxiety, joy, or sorrow.
In Zen, mu refers to a state of mind that is not dominated by attachment or emotion, but is able to receive what happens before us just as it is.
Every person originally possesses a quiet and clear mind.
Yet in the busyness of daily life and the pull of countless desires, we gradually lose sight of it.
Zazen is a practice through which these layers are slowly removed, one by one.
It does not add anything new.
Rather, it involves letting go of what is unnecessary.
As this process unfolds, something gradually becomes visible.
What disturbs the mind is not the events occurring outside us, but the attachments within our own hearts.
This realization can influence many aspects of life.
Anger, anxiety, and desire—these feelings all arise, yet eventually pass away.
When things do not go as planned, or when conflicts arise with others, the way we perceive the situation can change depending on the state of our mind.
The state of mu sought through zazen is a way of being in which we are not bound by external events or emotions, but can receive what unfolds before us just as it is.
Zazen — Simply Sitting
Zazen is the most fundamental practice within Zen Buddhism, a discipline in which one sits quietly and turns attention toward the mind itself.
In recent years, meditation and mindfulness have become widely known around the world.
In many Western countries they are practiced in business settings and educational institutions as methods for reducing stress and improving concentration.
Mindfulness aims to observe one’s present state just as it is.
Zazen, however, seeks a somewhat different orientation of the mind.
While mindfulness emphasizes consciously observing the present moment, zazen goes further—letting go even of the “self” that is doing the observing.
Attention may rest on the breath, yet the breath is not controlled.
One simply allows the inhalation and exhalation to occur naturally.
Letting go of even the breath itself. Simply allowing it to flow in, and flow out.
Gradually the boundary between “the self that is thinking” and “the self that is feeling” begins to fade, until eventually only the simple experience of sitting remains.
In that moment there is no intention to gain something and no judgment to evaluate it.
Within the quiet stillness, the simple feeling of being alive slowly spreads.
If mindfulness can be described as a method for arranging or stabilizing the mind, zazen is a path that leads us back to our original nature.
The Quiet Insight Brought by Zazen
How often are we swept away by our thoughts and emotions in everyday life?
We regret the past, worry about the future, and live while leaving the present moment behind.
Before we realize it, the mind is constantly running somewhere else, forgetting stillness.
Zazen is a time when this flow is gently brought to a halt.
We simply sit and listen to the sound of our breathing.
Within that stillness, what begins to appear is not some extraordinary enlightenment.
Rather, it is the very self that had always been there all along.
A quiet mind, free from attachment.
Zazen is the practice that allows us to return to that state.
Beyond the silence, you find what has always been there: your true, undivided self.
Wabi-Sabi Beyond Stillness
To add nothing, but instead to remove what is unnecessary.
This attitude found in zazen resonates deeply with the Japanese aesthetic known as wabi-sabi.
It is not about seeking brilliance or extravagance, but about discovering value within quietness.
It is about placing importance not on filling ourselves with more things, but on letting go.
Within this attitude lies a sensitivity cultivated by the Japanese over long periods of time—a sensibility that finds beauty within stillness.
In the midst of busy days, we pause for a moment and steady our breath.
We sit quietly and turn our attention inward.
Perhaps it is within that brief moment of stillness that the spirit of mu spoken of in Zen quietly appears.
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