<p>Shikantaza is a kind of Zazen. Any Zen meditation is called Zazen, including breath meditation, koan meditation, observing-the-thoughts meditation, <em>and</em> just-sitting-meditation (shikantaza).</p>

<p>To quote my buddhist friend J. from Japan:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>In shikantaza you don't focus on anything, just sit, until there is no observer, you really do nothing besides sitting there without reason, focus, observing, eventually you become thoughtless, and eventually unbecome you. No more than the wall, or better, everything and nothing.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Also see <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3885/43">my answer about relationship between different kinds of Zazen</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-17T12:28:38.647Z
2015-07-17T12:34:47.980Z
2017-04-13T12:51:06.400Z
Andriy Volkov
<p>What is the difference between Shikantaza and Zazen? I used to think that Zazen was synonymous with just sitting but I'm starting to doubt that. Is it Shikantaza that is synonymous with just sitting practice? It would help me if someone could define them and bring out the relationship between the two and the relationship between them both and just sitting practice. Thank you.</p>

<terminology><meditation-classification>
What is the difference between Shikantaza and Zazen?
# What is the difference between Shikantaza and Zazen?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-16)

What is the difference between Shikantaza and Zazen? I used to think that Zazen was synonymous with just sitting but I'm starting to doubt that. Is it Shikantaza that is synonymous with just sitting practice? It would help me if someone could define them and bring out the relationship between the two and the relationship between them both and just sitting practice. Thank you.

**Tags:** terminology, meditation-classification


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-07-17. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Shikantaza is a kind of Zazen. Any Zen meditation is called Zazen, including breath meditation, koan meditation, observing-the-thoughts meditation, *and* just-sitting-meditation (shikantaza).

To quote my buddhist friend J. from Japan:

> In shikantaza you don't focus on anything, just sit, until there is no observer, you really do nothing besides sitting there without reason, focus, observing, eventually you become thoughtless, and eventually unbecome you. No more than the wall, or better, everything and nothing.

Also see [my answer about relationship between different kinds of Zazen](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/3885/43).


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