A zafu or zafubuton (jp. ???) is a round cushion, about twelve inches (30 cm) in diameter, and often about four inches (10 cm) high, unfluffed. Zafubutons are sewn from three pieces of heavy cloth, usually colored black: two round swatches of equal size for the top and the bottom of the cushion, and a long rectangle that is sewn into gathers in between. Zen buddhist practitioners traditionally sit on a zafu when engaged in sitting meditation. The cushion raises the hips, making the entire range of croslegged sitting positions more stable for the meditator. Bodhidharma, woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, 1887. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Kodo Sawaki practicing zazen Zazen is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice. ...

The zafu is both a utilitarian accessory and a symbol of zazen practice. Before and after sitting on the zafu, zen practitioners perform a gassho bow to the cushion, to fellow practitioners, and to the teacher. In many practice places, there is a prescribed form for respectufully handling zafubutons while walking in the meditation hall, or zendo. Contents: Top - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Several Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. ... Zendo (禅堂, Chinese: Chántáng) is a Japanese term translating roughly as meditation hall. In Zen Buddhism, the zendo is a spiritual dojo where zazen (sitting meditation) is practiced. ...

External link

• Americans Need Something to Sit On or Zen Meditation Materials and Buddhist Diversity in North America

• How to make a Zafu

• A constant-shape Zafu