"A special transmission outside the sutras, no dependence upon words and letters, direct pointing to reality, seeing into one's own nature and realizing Buddhahood." -- Bodhidharma, founder of the Zen lineage.
"Your search among books, sifting and shuffling through other people's words, may lead you to the depths of knowledge, but it cannot help you to see the reflection of your true Self. When you have thrown away all your conceptions of mind and body, the original person will appear." -- Dogen, founder of the Soto Zen lineage in Japan.
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Here you will find sutras, words, letters, books, and other people's words about Zen.
Please submit sites that include helpful descriptions of Zen philosophy. This may include Mahayana texts, discussions with Zen Masters, and Zen koans. Do not submit sites on general practice or practice centers.
Zen training has traditionally incorporated art practice as a path for seeing the fundamental nature of reality. This category contains information about the practice of art in the context of Zen training.
Please submit sites only for Zen in the martial arts.
This category is for criticism of Zen by Zen practitioners. It is not anti-Zen. Such sites are listed in http://dmoz.org/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Opposing_Views/Buddhism/Zen/ .
Sites about Zen lineages that have grown to encompass several Zen centers and that have an organization to coordinate the activities of teachers in that lineage and the Zen centers affiliated to that school.
The metaphysics of Zen Buddhism is essentially Hinduism "stripped for transport" with a little bit of Taoist humor and Native-American Coyote energy thrown in for good measure. The Zen Master gives his students the opportunity to transcend the need for metaphysics.
Please submit sites that include helpful descriptions of Zen philosophy. This may include Mahayana texts, discussions with Zen Masters, and Zen koans. Do not submit sites on general practice or practice centers.
Zen is occasionally practiced with other religions. Zen practitioners also have specific dialogs with practitioners of other religions. Sites about these religious combinations and dialogs are categorized here.