Zen

Japanese Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism focused on attaining enlightenment through direct, intuitive experience rather than scripture, heavily emphasizing meditation (zazen) to cultivate awareness and calmness.

It prioritizes mindfulness to cope with stress, fostering a mental state of emptiness, simplicity, and non-dualism. Zen teaches that enlightenment (awakening) is already present in everyone — but must be realized directly.

Core Features of Japanese Zen

Zazen (seated seditation)

• Sitting upright, usually facing a wall
• Observing breath or simply being aware
• Letting thoughts arise and pass without attachment

Direct Experience Over Theory

Zen often downplays: complex philosophy, scholarly study, theological debate. Instead it emphasizes: immediate awareness and direct realization of one’s true nature

Koans (in some schools)

Short paradoxical stories or questions used to break logical thinking. Example: “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
Koans are not riddles to solve intellectually — they’re tools to trigger insight.

Main Japanese Zen Schools

Rinzai Zen

• Emphasizes koan practice
• More intense, sometimes dramatic training style
• Often associated with samurai culture
• Sudden enlightenment (kenshō) is strongly emphasized

Sōtō Zen

• Focuses mainly on 'shikantaza' (just sitting)
• No goal-oriented striving for enlightenment
• Calm, steady, everyday awareness
• Founded in Japan by Dōgen (1200–1253). Dōgen taught: Practice and enlightenment are one.

Ōbaku Zen

•Smaller school
•Strong Chinese influence
•Includes chanting and devotional elements

Key Zen Ideas

• Simplicity
• Mindfulness in daily life
• Non-duality (no separation between self and world)
• Emptiness (śūnyatā)
• Ordinary mind is the Way

Zen teaches that washing dishes can be practice, walking can be meditation, nothing special is required — just full awareness.

Compared to other Buddhist traditions, Zen minimizes ritual and doctrine, emphasizes meditation above all, uses paradox and silence and stresses direct transmission “outside the scriptures”