Zen Buddhism is an interesting mix of the Indian version of Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism. It originated in China from where it spread to Korea and Japan besides becoming very popular in the West from the mid 20th century.

The main objective of Zen is to try and understand the meaning of life directly, without being misled or diverted by logical thought / language. The techniques followed by the Zen school of Buddhism are compatible with other faiths. For instance, the Christians use these techniques while seeking to gain a mystical understanding of their faith.

Zen demands great discipline and when practiced in the correct way leads to ultimate freedom and spontaneity though the latter should not be mistaken for impulsiveness.

Zen - the word
"Zen" is the very way the Chinese word "Ch'an" is pronounced in Japan. "Ch'an" is the Chinese word for "Dhyana", which means meditation.

Zen - the essence

Historians and exponents of Buddhism have always maintained that Zen can be easily misunderstood. People fail to understand that Zen is what a person does and is not a concept that can be put in words in a fluid manner. It is always necessary to experience Zen in order to grasp its true meaning.

Enlightenment is inside

The Zen school of Buddhism believes that every human being is a Buddha but needs to discover the truth by himself / herself.

All beings by nature are Buddhas,
as ice by nature is water.
Apart from water there is no ice;
apart from beings, no Buddhas.
Hakuin Ekaku

Zen inspires people to look for enlightenment inside their very own selves. It says that human beings cannot learn the ultimate truth by exercising their rational faculties, studying scriptures or by taking part in worship rites and rituals. Firstly, they need to control their minds through meditation and giving up their allegiance to every logical process of thought.

History of Zen Buddhism

An Indian monk named Bodhidharma brought Zen Buddhism to China in the 6th century CE. Thereafter, it came to be known as Ch'an in China. Zen began to flourish in China during the rule of the Sixth Patriarch, Hui-neng (638 - 713). Its golden period however ended with the persecution of Buddhism in China in the middle of the 9th century CE. Most of the great masters of Zen belonged to this very period and did their best to salvage it. Zen survived those turbulent times but never regained its earlier prominence in China. It spread to Korea in the 7th century CE and reached Japan in the 12th century CE. Japanese scholar Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki (1870 - 1966) is the person who popularized Zen Buddhism in the West.

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