Kontin and Sanran: The Two Sicknesses of Zazen

Text

In zazen, two sicknesses arise. Kontin: drowsiness, dullness, the mind sinking into a soft cloud. Sanran: agitation, the mind running after thoughts like a dog after a bone. Most beginners alternate between the two. The remedy is the same for both: come back to the posture. Push the earth with the knees. Push the sky with the head. Stretch the spine. The breath becomes long and quiet, the eyes open, the gaze drops to the floor in front of you. Then the mind clarifies on its own. You do not fight kontin or sanran—you let the posture cure them.

license: fair_use

Attribution

• Attributed To
  Taisen Deshimaru

Lineage: Sōtō

By Taisen Deshimaru

• Just Sitproverb
• The Cosmos in the Postureproverb
• Automatic Thinkingproverb
• Observe Your Own Mindproverb
• Mushotoku: Without Seeking Gainsaying

From Teachings of Taisen Deshimaru

• Just Sit
• The Cosmos in the Posture
• Automatic Thinking
• Observe Your Own Mind
• Mushotoku: Without Seeking Gain
• Hishiryo: Beyond Thinking
• The Posture Is the Teaching
• True Zen Is Useless
• Here, Now, Nothing Else
• Shikantaza: Only Sit

Sources

• contentZen Deshimaru - The history of Zen, from the Buddha to the modern world

  Zen Deshimaru Buddhist Association

  Kusen on the two obstacles of zazen, AZI dōjō transcripts

  Teachings of Taisen Deshimaru: Kontin and Sanran: The Two Sicknesses of Zazen