Patheos Watermark   Religion Library: Zen  Quick Facts
Formed650 CE OriginChina / Japan DeityNone (N/A) Sacred
TextsPlatform Sutra, Lankavatara Sutra, Shobogenzo  Zen is the
Japanese form of the Sanskrit word dhyana, "meditation," and is
a school of Buddhism which has had significant impact in Japan
and Europe and America. Founded in China in the 6th century C.E.
as the Ch'an school of Mahayana Buddhism, it was exported to
Japan in the 12th century C.E. and gradually developed its own
unique, indigenous character. The Indian scholar/monk
Bodhidharma is traditionally attributed with transferring the
tradition from India to China. The essence of Bodhidharma's
teachings is that one does not need to study sacred texts,
worship deities, or do elaborate religious rituals to achieve
enlightenment. Rather, one needs to break through the boundaries
of conventional thought using meditation and experience the
world as it truly is in the moment. Zen maintains that this was
the way the Buddha himself attained enlightenme