Zen Buddhism

Zen Buddhism has many names:

• Jhana (Pali), Dhyana (Sanskrit), Ch'an (China), Zen (Japan), Son (Korea) and Thien (Thailand)

The Flower Sermon

• The Buddha silently held up a flower and the only person to understand the gesture was Kashyapa
• The truth (dharma) cannot be conveyed using ordinary (samsaric) words and concepts, but must be experienced directly
• There can be direct transmission of knowledge between master and disciple - the role of the guru is pivotal in helping students gain experience of enlightenment

Bodhidharma (5th-6th century)
There were 28 Indian patriarchs from the Buddha to Bodhidharma

• He is a semi-mythical figure who travelled from India to China and started the…