About Satori

And a request for feedback to help us help you better. Issue #21 (July 2026)

Author

Madoka Onizuka
July 01, 2026

Table of Contents

To Our Dear Sangha

This month’s teisho is about satori. It is not common to find Zen teachers who can clearly point out what satori actually is. Some teachers say you shouldn’t even think about it. But for people who want absolute clarity about what is true and real, not thinking about it often comes with the hope that refraining from thinking about it will bring clarity.

We prefer to address the topic head-on so that contemplation of truth and reality isn’t something you feel you have to refrain from doing. We want you to understand why contemplation is not necessary, so there is no more trying or refraining. Instead, it simply isn’t an issue.

Announcements

Upcoming Online Zazenkai Schedule (Japan time):

Zazenkai with Matsumoto-san:
July 5 (Sun) 18:00-22:00
July 27 (Mon) 8:00a.m.-12:00 noon
August 9 (Sun) 18:00-23:00
August 17 (Mon) 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
**Monday times are Sunday afternoon/evening in N/S America.

Online Zazenkai with Madoka (1 hour; free):
Every Thursday at 21:00-22:00 Japan time  
Monday’s (July 6, 13, 20) at 9:00am-10:00am Japan time

Zazenkai reservations can be made here:  
https://www.zen-online.info/reservations

In-Person Zazenkai with Madoka (in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan)
See this site for details: https://zazenkai.weebly.com/
July 25 (Sat) 10:00-16:10
August (TBA)
September 13 (Sun) 10:00-16:10 With Inoue Kando Roshi

Very Useful Time Converter to calculate zazenkai in your local time
https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

”Teishō” is when a Zen master shows/conveys Truth to gathered students or disciples.)

(Translated by Madoka)

About Satori

(“Satori” is often translated as “enlightenment,” or “awakening.”)

Satori is Truth revealing itself clearly. 

When Truth is clear, it is clear that meow is meow. It becomes clear that when there is meow, there is only the meow itself. “There is only the meow itself” means there is only meow, and there is no self that is aware of it.

In order for meow to be clearly revealed without the existence of a subject, “I,” it is necessary for cognition to momentarily cease. If cognition does not cease, then when there is meow, one will think that “the cry of a cat” is the truth of meow. But in fact, the truth of meow is meow.

An intellectual pursuit of Truth makes Truth into an object. It makes it feel like Truth is somewhere over there, separate from oneself. This makes it difficult to arrive at Truth. But in fact, when there is “What is Truth?” there is only “What is Truth?” That is Truth.

What happens with satori? (the “before and after”)

  • Truth is clear and the search for it ends

  • What you truly are is clear, so all self-searching ends

  • It is clear that there has only ever been the way it is now, and that there is no self as a subject (as in self and other).

  • It is clear that one doesn’t exist as part of the universe, but that the way one is now is itself the universe.

  • One knows that “emptiness” is not that there is something that is empty and containing nothing, but that the way it was previously does not exist now. There is only the way it is now.

  • Once Truth is clear, satori does not thereafter disappear, become less clear, or deepen. And there is no reverting back to before satori.

The following are different from the satori explained above. The reason for pointing out that these are different is not to deny the examples below. But when they are confused with Zen or satori, zazen cannot be done correctly.

  • Your self disappear or drop away

  • A feeling of oneness with the universe

  • The teaching that the consciousness that is aware of emotions, thoughts, and the body (and therefore not these objects of awareness) is the true self.

  • Psychic or spiritual powers

At our zazenkai, we instruct zazen that enables satori to happen, and it can be done by anyone while living an ordinary life. At zazenkai, it is also possible to do dokusan (one-on-one Q&A) to ask questions privately. If you would like to practice the zazen through which satori is possible, please come and join us.

We look forward to seeing you.

We Need Your Feedback

Matsumoto-san and I started Zen Online in hopes that we would reach English speakers with a sincere desire to know what is real, to resolve existential questions, to attain real peace of mind, or other hopes that Zen practice can help with.

We feel extremely fortunate to have connected with the people who have attended our zazenkai and the readers of this newsletter. Thank you all very much. We want to make some adjustments so that our activities are effective for you and sustainable for all of us.

We are also aware that there are many people who have looked at our website and chosen not to contact us. We aren’t sure if we are not communicating something well, or if our niche is simply very small (and very dear to my heart, I must say!).

Depending on how much thought you put into the response, the entire questionnaire could take from 7-15 minutes. Five minutes if you choose to answer just a few of the questions. We would appreciate any feedback you are able to give us.

We used Google Forms to make the questionnaire. Here is the link: https://forms.gle/6FMXWWGFHRieb2596 

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Love and Gassho _/\_

You would never read “meow” as “a cat’s cry.”
meow ≠ a cat’s cry.
meow is meow