chan (zen)

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This is a community dedicated to the teaching of Chan / Zen in the form it emerged in China. This community does not recognize branches which call themselves Zen but have no connection to these lineages.

We do not recognize Zen as a form of Buddhism or as being synonymous with Buddhism.

Chan Buddhism: Chan Buddhism, known as Zen in Japan, originated in China during the 6th century CE. It emphasizes direct insight into one's true nature and the nature of reality, often through the use of meditation (called "zazen" in Japan). Chan practitioners seek to transcend conceptual thinking and intellectual understanding, aiming for direct experiential realization of enlightenment. Chan masters are known for using unconventional methods, such as using paradoxical questions called "koans," to disrupt ordinary thinking and awaken their disciples to the profound truth. Chan Buddhism places a strong emphasis on the transmission of enlightenment from master to disciple and has been influential in shaping the broader Zen tradition.

Dogen's Zen: Dogen Zen, also known as Soto Zen, is a Japanese school of Zen that was founded by the monk Dogen Zenji in the 13th century. Dogen studied Chan Buddhism in China and then returned to Japan to establish his school. While Dogen's Zen shares many core principles with Chinese Chan, it introduced some unique aspects. Dogen emphasized the practice of zazen (seated meditation) as the primary means of attaining enlightenment, without necessarily relying on koans. He stressed that enlightenment is not something separate from everyday life but can be realized through fully engaging in mundane activities. This notion is encapsulated in the famous phrase "practice-enlightenment" or "shikantaza," which means "just sitting" or "just being." Dogen's teachings also emphasized the concept of "non-duality," the idea that enlightenment and delusion are not separate realms but are interconnected aspects of reality.

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Journal of Chan Buddhism Volume 1 Issue 1-2 (2019) (brill.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/2593059

I found some interesting articles from the Journal of Chan Buddhism. This is volume 1, there is a volume 2, but it's behind a paywall, or you can possibly get them if you have an institutional login...

I've only read the Repositioning Xinxing 信行 (540–594) in the Chinese Meditation Tradition. It was interesting, but I've yet to find any more information on Xinxing, but it seems he was pretty early in the Chinese Chan record.

Also I've been wanting to find more peer-reviewed journal articles on Chan, if anyone has any suggestions on where to look!

The peer-reviewed Journal of Chan Buddhism: East Asian and Global Perspectives is the first of its kind in English to specifically present academic research about Chinese Chan, Korean Sŏn, Vietnamese Thìên, and Japanese Zen Buddhism. The Journal of Chan Buddhism is an interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary journal and will accept submissions from all academic disciplines related to the study of Chan/Sŏn/Zen Buddhism, including, but not limited to: the history of religions, literary studies, Dunhuang Chan studies, Tibetan and Tangut language Chan studies, doctrinal studies, art historical perspectives, institutional history, anthropological research, and comparative, philosophical studies. The journal also offers book reviews and translations into English of innovative research articles by eminent scholars in East Asia. The Journal of Chan Buddhism has separate area editors (e.g., Chan, Sŏn, Zen) to facilitate broad but still multifaceted coverage of Chinese Chan Studies, Korean Sŏn Studies, Vietnamese Thìên Studies, and Japanese Zen Studies.

The journal is hosted by the Buddhist Studies Forum at the University of British Columbia (UBC), funded by the Tianzhu Charitable Foundation of Guangdong Province, China, and facilitated by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) project on Buddhism and East Asian Religions (frogbear.org) at the University of British Columbia (UBC).

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