According to Zen master Kosho Uchiyama, when thoughts and fixation on the little "I" are transcended, an Awakening to a universal, non-dual Self occurs: "When we let go of thoughts and wake up to the reality of life that is working beyond them, we discover the Self that is living universal non-dual life (before the separation into two) that pervades all living creatures and all existence.
Zen manj poudarja svete spise, kot nekatere druge oblike budizma, ter se raje osredotoča na neposredne duhovne preboje do resnice.