| | Rinzai-Obaku zen | What is Zen? - Basic Stance |
 | | “Zen” is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word “chan” 禪, an abbreviated form of “chan’na” 禪那, which is the Chinese transliteration of the Sanskrit dhyana, meaning “meditation.” “Zen School” thus literally means “Meditation School,” the school of Mahayana Buddhism that places particular emphasis on meditation as the central practice leading to enlightenment. |
 | | In Japan the Rinzai teachings underwent further refinement, especially in the lineage of Hakuin Ekaku 白隱慧鶴 (1686–1769), the great reviver of the Japanese Rinzai school. |
 | | The Zen School is also known as the “Bodhidharma School” because it traces its origins as a distinct Chinese tradition back to Bodhidharma (d. |
| zen.rinnou.net /whats_zen (1040 words) |