Zen

Concept

A kind of traditional budhism

One of the most famous types of budhism in the West

Meditation and other practices

Origin

This practice was first documented in China in the 7th century

From China, it spread south to Vietnam, and east to Korea and Japan

As a matter of tradition, the establishment of Zen is credited to the indian monk Bodhidharma, who went to China to teach

Translation

Japanese: Zen

Chinese: Chán 

Korean: Seon

English: meditation or meditative state.

Zen in Japan

Japanese monks went to China in order to receive the new instruction from chinese masters.

The two main schools of budhism in Japan are: Rinzai y Sōtō.

Zazen (sitting meditation)

It is from the Soto School

It is the most famous types of budhism meditation in the West

Practitioners assume a position such as the lotus position.

Zazen

Koan

koans are paradoxical or linguistically meaningless questions or dialogues

This practice is particularly emphasized by Rinzai

Answering a koan requires a student to let go of conceptual thinking and of the logical way we order the world

Koan

Which is the sound of just one hand that clap?

How was your original face like before you were born?

Budō

Haiku poem

calligraphy with ink

Sumi-e painting

cha-no- ya tea ceremony

Ikebana art with flowers

Zen karesansui Garden

Noh

Origami

Zen from Japan in Western countries

In North America, the Zen lineages derived from the Japanes soto school are the most numerous

Among these are the lineages of the San Francisco Zen Center, and the White Plum Asanga

San Francisco Zen Center established the first Zen Monastery in America in 1967