Zen means no separation.

Knowledge and practice are parts of the path; but Wisdom and Presence are the primary modalities of Zen.  The teachings all tell us this: you have already arrived.  Just stop getting in your own way.

In addition to the regular practices of meditation, conscious breathing, reverence (gratitude), communing with Nature and engaging Creativity, scripture study is immensely valuable for deep illumination of the ways of wisdom and presence.

The words of the masters always point beyond themselves and guide us to an inner knowing, a direct experience of our true, original Self.  The activity is more of a reveal than an add-on, which is why words like insight, illumination and revelation are more accurate than learning, knowing or becoming.

The Vimalakirti Sutra says, “Suddenly all at once, we return to our original mind.”  And the Bodhisattva Precept Sutra says, “Our original nature is pure.”  Good friends, see the fundamental purity of your own nature.  Cultivate and put to work for yourselves the dharma body of your own nature.  Practice for yourselves the practices of a buddha.  Begin and complete for yourselves the path to buddhahood.

—The Platform Sutra, the Teaching of Hui-neng the Sixth Patriarch of Zen (Chan)