Teacher, what meditate? What is beyond thinking how do get to meditate on that which is beyond thought? Not meditating what is Zen? Multiple definitions can try, but all of them would be useless. We can more easily tell what is not. It is not a religion or a theory. It is not based on any dogma or philosophy. The essence of Zen is not in any school, teacher or writing although it is sacred. It allows the direct knowledge of oneself above values, Nations and races. Zen is a form of Buddhism that in China was developed under the name of Chan and in Japan became one of the most important spiritual but also social and artistic.
Its principles were applied to all facets of the man. The zen Word is a contraction of zenno, which corresponds to what in China was called Chan and the Dhyana India. In all three cases it can be translated as meditation. Traditionally its origin goes back to the same Buddha who in the so-called sermon on the peak of the Raven, rather than go to his listeners with words remained silent, only making the gesture of showing a flower. One of his disciples, Kashyapa demonstrating that he had understood this teaching of silence, smiled and reached understanding in that moment. Although there is no document proving it, believed that the Buddha had transmitted zen teaching to Kashyapa, followed by many Indian Patriarchs, until arriving to Bodhidharma. The principles of zen Buddhism came to China from the hand of the monk Bodhidharma, a direct spiritual descendant of the disciple of Buddha Mahakashyapa, around the year 520.
According to tradition, Bodhidharma was the founder of the Chan in China in the 6th century A.d. Zen Buddhism in Japan begins to develop from the s. XII taking root with much depth and creative spirit in the Japan culture.Zen, despite being a type of Buddhism, has a direct influence of Taoism regard your introducer in China, Bodhidarma, there are several legends surrounding this figure.