So what exactly is zen buddhism? Over the last couple weeks I've been studying a great amount about buddhism's beliefs and history, but I've yet to find any extensive information on zen.
That's a good question. Try this site: http://www.cs.sfu.ca/people/ResearchStaff/jamie/personal/10_Bulls/1.html Be sure to view all ten pictures.
Be prepared to be bombarded with people saying stuff like: "Stepping in dog poo" Zen Buddhism is the form of Buddhism practiced in Japan. It is in many ways Buddhism mixed with Taoism and but practiced by the Japanese. It is very good. I've got a book called "A thousand paths to Zen" and it's got a thousand phrases that are trying to sum up what on Earth it actually is, and the only possible conclusion that can be drawn from it is "Well I don't know, you'd better find out for yourself." Blessings Sebbi
There's great book called The Essence of Zen that explains exactly what it is, forget who it's by though.
Zen buddhism is the cross of indian buddhism with chinese taoism. It gained its strongest hold over in Japan.
sanskrit dhyana ---> chinese ch'an ---> japanese zen (also, korean zen) claim "a secret transmission (of the dharma) outside the scriptures... (at "the flower sermon" the lord buddha said no words, but merely held up a flower; all were puzzled at the content of this "lecture" with the exception of the discip[le mahakapsya, who smiled; the buddha saw his smile & smiled in return; this smile is the secret transmission... sitting in meditation will never allow you to "gain" enlightenment, and yet it has been said that sitting is enlightenment... www.tricycle.com www.buddhanet.net may be a couple good sites with basic info on buddhism & some info on zen...
I've thought that Zen Buddhism is the school of Buddhism that focuses mostly on the mind and in meditation.
