Chan Buddhism

E57285
Chinese Buddhist school Mahayana Buddhist tradition school of Buddhism

Chan Buddhism is a major school of Chinese Buddhism emphasizing meditation, direct insight into one’s true nature, and the transmission of enlightenment outside of scriptures.

Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (8)

Surface form Occurrences
Zen Buddhism 15
Japanese Zen Buddhism 1
Linji school 1

Statements (106)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Chinese Buddhist school ⓘ
Mahayana Buddhist tradition ⓘ
school of Buddhism ⓘ
alternativeName Chan ⓘ
Chan school ⓘ
Chan zong ⓘ
Zen Buddhism in China ⓘ
associatedConcept emptiness (śūnyatā) ⓘ
no-mind (wuxin) ⓘ
non-duality ⓘ
ordinary mind is the Way ⓘ
suchness (tathatā) ⓘ
associatedMonk Baizhang Huaihai ⓘ
Caoshan Benji ⓘ
Dahui Zonggao ⓘ
Daoxin ⓘ
Dongshan Liangjie ⓘ
Fayan Wenyi ⓘ
Hongren ⓘ
Hongzhi Zhengjue ⓘ
Huangbo Xiyun ⓘ
Huike ⓘ
Huineng ⓘ
Linji Yixuan ⓘ
Hongren ⓘ
surface form: Mazu Daoyi

Sengcan ⓘ
Shenxiu ⓘ
Shitou Xiqian ⓘ
Yunmen Wenyan ⓘ
Zhaozhou Congshen ⓘ
Zongmi ⓘ
branch Caodong school ⓘ
Fayan school ⓘ
Guiyang school ⓘ
Hongzhou school ⓘ
Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
surface form: Linji school

Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
surface form: Northern School of Chan

Hongzhou school ⓘ
surface form: Southern School of Chan
corePractice dhyāna ⓘ
kōan practice ⓘ
meditation ⓘ
mindfulness of mind ⓘ
silent illumination ⓘ
countryOfOrigin China ⓘ
doctrine Buddha-nature is inherent in all beings ⓘ
original mind is pure ⓘ
sudden enlightenment vs gradual cultivation debate ⓘ
emphasis direct insight into one’s true nature ⓘ
everyday mind as the Way ⓘ
non-reliance on scriptures ⓘ
sudden enlightenment ⓘ
teacher–student transmission ⓘ
transmission outside the scriptures ⓘ
etymology The term “Chan” derives from the Sanskrit “dhyāna” via the Chinese transcription 禪那 (chánnà). ⓘ
foundingFigure Bodhidharma ⓘ
geographicFocus China ⓘ
goal attainment of Buddhahood ⓘ
awakening to true nature ⓘ
realization of one’s Buddha-nature ⓘ
historicalPeriod developed during the Tang dynasty ⓘ
flourished during the Song dynasty ⓘ
influenced East Asian Buddhism ⓘ
Korean Buddhism ⓘ
surface form: Seon Buddhism

Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
surface form: Thiền Buddhism

Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
surface form: Zen Buddhism
influencedBy Chinese culture ⓘ
Taoism ⓘ
surface form: Daoism

Indian Buddhism ⓘ
Madhyamaka ⓘ
Tathāgatagarbha thought ⓘ
Yogācāra ⓘ
institution Chan meditation hall ⓘ
Chan monastery ⓘ
majorLineage Caodong school ⓘ
surface form: Caodong lineage

Linji lineage ⓘ
modernPresence Chan centers in the West ⓘ
contemporary Chan communities in Taiwan ⓘ
contemporary Chan communities in mainland China ⓘ
monasticRule Baizhang’s monastic regulations ⓘ
motto A day without work is a day without food ⓘ
nativeName Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
surface form: 禪
originDate around 6th century CE ⓘ
parentTradition Mahayana ⓘ
surface form: Mahayana Buddhism
practiceForm integration of practice into daily activities ⓘ
kōan introspection ⓘ
master–disciple interviews ⓘ
sitting meditation (zuochan) ⓘ
walking meditation ⓘ
region East Asia ⓘ
religion Buddhism ⓘ
slogan A special transmission outside the scriptures ⓘ
Directly pointing to the human mind ⓘ
Not relying on words and letters ⓘ
Seeing one’s nature and becoming Buddha ⓘ
spreadTo Japan ⓘ
Korean Peninsula ⓘ
surface form: Korea

Viet Nam ⓘ
surface form: Vietnam

other parts of East Asia ⓘ
textualCollection Blue Cliff Record ⓘ
Book of Serenity ⓘ
Gateless Gate ⓘ
Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch ⓘ
Records of the Transmission of the Lamp ⓘ
Sayings records (yulu) of Chan masters ⓘ
traditionalFounder Bodhidharma ⓘ
viewOnScripture does not reject scriptures but does not rely on them as primary means to enlightenment ⓘ

Referenced by (28)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Zen gardens → associatedWith → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Chan Buddhism → branch → Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
this entity surface form: Northern School of Chan
Chan Buddhism → branch → Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
this entity surface form: Linji school
Pure Land Buddhism → contrastsWith → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
Sand and Stone Garden → culturalContext → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Japanese Zen Buddhism
Guiyuan Temple → denomination → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
Jade Buddha Temple → denomination → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
Kinkaku-ji → denomination → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Longhua Temple → denomination → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
Eastern religions → includes → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Eastern religions → includes → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
Mahayana → includesSchool → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen (Chan) Buddhism
Chan Buddhism → influenced → Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Chan Buddhism → influenced → Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
this entity surface form: Thiền Buddhism
Taoism → influenced → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
Beat Generation → influencedBy → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Beatniks → influencedBy → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Gary Snyder → influencedBy → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Susan Blackmore → influencedBy → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Ten Zen Questions → mainSubject → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Buddhism → majorBranch → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Chan Buddhism → nativeName → Chan Buddhism self-linksurface differs ⓘ
this entity surface form: 禪
Phil Jackson → philosophicalInfluence → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Gary Snyder → religion → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
J. D. Salinger → religion → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism (influenced by)
Kamakura period → religion → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Muromachi period → religion → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism
Dharma Bums → theme → Chan Buddhism ⓘ
this entity surface form: Zen Buddhism