A Bird’s-Eye View of Zen History
Origins and Development in China
Zen (Chán, 禪) traces its roots to India, where it emerged from the concept of Dhyāna in early Buddhism. The Indian monk Bodhidharma (5th–6th century CE) is traditionally credited with bringing Chán to China, emphasizing direct realization of the mind’s nature over reliance on scriptures.
A pivotal figure in Chán’s development was Huineng (638–713 CE), the Sixth Patriarch, who championed the doctrine of sudden enlightenment (dùnwù, 頓悟). His teachings, recorded in the Platform Sutra, emphasized that awakening is immediate and direct. This laid the foundation for later "encounter dialogue" (禪機, Chánjī) and "direct pointing" (直指, Zhízhǐ) teaching methods.
During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), Huángbò Xīyùn (黃檗希運, d. 850 CE) became a key transmitter of this radical, non-conceptual approach. His student, Línjì Yìxuán (臨濟義玄, d. 866 CE), founded the Linji school, which became one of the most influential Chán traditions. Linji was known for shouting (hé, 喝), striking, and paradoxical methods to shatter conceptual thinking, rejecting reliance on gradual training.
During the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), Dàhuì Zōnggǎo (大慧宗杲, 1089–1163 CE), a successor in the Linji school, developed kōan (gōng’àn, 公案) practice into a structured training system called kanhua Chán (看話禪, “observing the phrase” meditation), which became the hallmark of Linji-style Zen.
Korea’s Seon Tradition and Linji’s Influence
During the Unified Silla period (668–935 CE), Chán Buddhism entered Korea, where it developed into Seon (선, 禪). Doui (道義, d. 825 CE) was the first recorded Korean monk to study Chán in China and bring it back to Korea. Later, during the Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392 CE), the Seon master Jinul (知訥, 1158–1210 CE) refined Korean Zen by integrating Linji’s kōan methods (hwadu, 話頭) with meditative introspection.
By the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897 CE), Seon had become the dominant form of Korean Buddhism, with Linji-style hwadu (話頭, koan introspection) practice being a central method. In modern Korea, the Jogye Order (조계종), founded in the 14th century and revitalized in the 20th century, became the main institution preserving Linji-based Seon Buddhism.
Seon Buddhism spread globally in the 20th century, largely due to Seung Sahn (1927–2004), a Korean Seon master in the Jogye Order. He founded the Kwan Um School of Zen, bringing Linji-style hwadu training and direct teaching methods to the West. His influence helped establish Korean Zen centers in the United States, Europe, and beyond.
Later Developments and Influence
By the Yuan (1271–1368) and Ming (1368–1644) Dynasties, the Linji school had become institutionalized, forming the backbone of monastic Chán practice in China. During this period, Japanese monks traveled to China, bringing Linji teachings back to Japan, where they established Rinzai Zen (臨済宗).
In modern times, the Linji lineage remains one of the most influential Zen schools, shaping Zen practice in China, Korea (as Seon), Japan (as Rinzai), and the West.
For the purpose of these history blogs, I will by trying to stay very close to the teachers in my lineage and those just outside of my own lineage who had a major impact on the Zen practices within each culture. My lineage goes through India, China, and Korea before reaching me in the U.S. You can find my complete lineage in my Bio.
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