Difference between revisions of "Zen Buddhism"
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| − | + | Buddhism began with Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder, about 500 BC in Northern India. It emphasises meditation to realise the illusory nature of self and the eternal abiding reality of the Cosmic Buddha or 'Dharmakaya'. Buddhism moved from India to China due to the efforts of the monk Bodhidaruma (or 'Bodhidharma') who made the treacherous sea crossing to China. The Indian word for meditation 'Dhyana' was taken to describe the heart of the practise in China and the name 'Dhyana' was there pronounced 'Chan'. When Chan Buddhism was taken from China to Japan the word 'Chan' was pronounced 'Zen' in Japanese. There are several schools of Zen Buddhism in Japan: Soto, Rinzai, Obaku etc. Another name for the meditation which is the heart of the practise is 'Shikan Taza' which means 'Serene Relection' - a "seeing deeply into the nature of things". | |
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[[Category:Buddhism]] | [[Category:Buddhism]] | ||
Revision as of 20:54, April 27, 2007
Buddhism began with Shakyamuni Buddha, the founder, about 500 BC in Northern India. It emphasises meditation to realise the illusory nature of self and the eternal abiding reality of the Cosmic Buddha or 'Dharmakaya'. Buddhism moved from India to China due to the efforts of the monk Bodhidaruma (or 'Bodhidharma') who made the treacherous sea crossing to China. The Indian word for meditation 'Dhyana' was taken to describe the heart of the practise in China and the name 'Dhyana' was there pronounced 'Chan'. When Chan Buddhism was taken from China to Japan the word 'Chan' was pronounced 'Zen' in Japanese. There are several schools of Zen Buddhism in Japan: Soto, Rinzai, Obaku etc. Another name for the meditation which is the heart of the practise is 'Shikan Taza' which means 'Serene Relection' - a "seeing deeply into the nature of things".