What is "Mushin"? 無心とは？

Have you ever heard of the term 'mushin'? It's a Zen word, written as '無心' in Japanese kanji characters. So, you may have heard of it if you're interested in Zen and/or Buddhism. Mushin can literally translate into 'no mind' because 無 means non-existence and 心 mind. According to Kojien dictionary, mushin means as follows:

1. A state of no mind, thought, or consideration
2. Having no good taste
3. Not hesitating to ask for things, such as money
4. A mind free from distracting thoughts

As you can see, mushin can have both negative connotations (definitions 1 through 3) and a positive one (definition 4). In Zen Buddhism, mushin carries the fourth, positive meaning. The Engakuji temple's website clarifies its Buddhist context as follows:

In Buddhism, kokoro (mind/heart) refers to the active function of the mind. Therefore, mushin does not mean 'no mind,' but rather 'no functioning of the mind.' It represents magokoro—a true heart, sincerity, and pure feeling born when all distracting thoughts are eliminated.

The ordinary kokoro fixates on the concrete world. By freeing ourselves from this fixation and overcoming the feeling of being lost, we reach mushin, which allows us to appreciate ultimate truth. 

Unfortunately, neither the Kojien dictionary nor the Engakuji temple website explains how to achieve mushin. However, I believe it can be achieved, in a way, by entering a state of flow—a state of deep concentration or complete absorption in the activity and situation at hand (a concept recognized by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi). For example, when practicing aikido, I often enter a state of flow, and after practice, the distracting thoughts that previously filled my mind are completely gone. Similarly, after a yoga class, I feel as though my mind has been cleared of all thoughts. Seated meditation, or zazen, must naturally be another way to achieve mushin.

Interestingly, mushin can translate literally into 'mindlessness'—the exact opposite of mindfulness—even though the two concepts mean almost the same thing. Because of this, it is incredibly difficult to understand what mushin truly represents unless you have grown up hearing the phrase, 'Enter a state of mushin, clear your mind of distractions, and focus on what is in front of you.' It is similar to how non-native speakers struggle to master English articles.

For me, mushin, flow, and mindfulness—and in a way, neutrality—are mostly the same. However, this raises a question about the relationship between mushin and Hannah Arendt's concept of 'thinking,' an inquiry I cannot yet answer.

Posted on 12/31/2025

Revised on 10/7/2026

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