Susoku-kan

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Susoku-kan. Zen Buddhist practices of ‘contemplation by counting the breath’. It is a group of practices in the early stages of zazen, to help collectedness of mind and avoidance of distraction: (i) shutsu-nyosoku-kan, counting breaths in and out; (ii) shussoku-kan, counting out; (iii) nissoku-kan, counting in; (iv) zuisoku-kan, following the breath.