Zen, Zěn, Zèn: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Zen means something in Buddhism, Pali. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
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In Buddhism
Chinese Buddhism
怎 [zen]—How? What? Why ? Anything.
Chinese Buddhism (漢傳佛教, hanchuan fojiao) is the form of Buddhism that developed in China, blending Mahayana teachings with Daoist and Confucian thought. Its texts are mainly in Classical Chinese, based on translations from Sanskrit. Major schools include Chan (Zen), Pure Land, Tiantai, and Huayan. Chinese Buddhism has greatly influenced East Asian religion and culture.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Zen (also called Chan);—see Contemplation and Meditation.
Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Chan is itself derived from the Sanskrit Dhyana, which means "meditation".
Zen emphasizes experiential wisdom and mdash;particularly as realized in the form of meditation known as zazen and mdash;in the attainment of awakening, often simply called the path of enlightenment. As such, it de emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and the study of religious texts in favor of direct, experiential realization through meditation and dharma practice.
Within Zen, there are various legends and mythologies, largely a part of Chinese and Japanese folklore, which must be carefully distinguished from Zen history.
Zen Jap., an abbreviation of the word zenna (also zenno), the Japanese way of reading Chinese ch’an-na (short form, ch’an). This in turn is the Chinese version of the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which refers to collectedness of mind or meditative absorption in which all dualistic distinctions like I/you, subject/object, and true/ false are eliminated. Zen can be defined both exoterically and esoterically.
Exoterically regarded, Zen, or Ch’an as it is called when referring to its history in China, is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed in China in the 6th and 7th centuries from the meeting of Dhyāna Buddhism, which was brought to China by Bodhidharma, and Taoism. In this sense Zen is a religion, the teachings and practices of which are directed toward self-realization and lead finally to complete awakening as experienced by Shākyamuni Buddha after intensive meditative self-discipline under the Bodhi-tree. More than any other school, Zen stresses the prime importance of the enlightenment experience and the uselessness of ritual religious practices and intellectual analysis of doctrine for the attainment of liberation. Zen teaches the practice of zazen, sitting in meditative absorption as the shortest, but also the steepest, way to awakening.
The essential nature of Zen can be summarized in four short statements:
- “[a] special transmission outside the [orthodox] teaching”;
- nondependence on [sacred] writings”; and
- “direct pointing [to the] human heart”; leading to
- realization of [one’s own] nature [and] becoming a buddha.”
This pregnant characterization of Zen is attributed by tradition to Bodhidharma, its first patriarch; however, many modern scholars suspect that it originated rather with the later Ch’an master Nan-ch’uan P’u-yuan (Jap., Nansen Fugan).
Languages of India and abroad
Chinese-English dictionary
[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]
怎 [zěn] [zen]—
Another pronunciation for (一 [yi]).
怎：(一)之又音。
zěn:(yī) zhī yòu yīn.
zen:(yi) zhi you yin.
Chinese language.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+28): Ze, Ze nai, Ze sheng, Zen me, Zen me ban, Zen me hui, Zen me hui shi, Zen me yang, Zen me zhe, Zen mo, Zen neng, Zen sheng, Zen yan, Zen yang, Zen yi ge chou zi le de, Zenan, Zende, Zende balada hullu, Zendu, Zenduk.
Full-text (+2092): Zen yan, Zen sheng, Ze, Zende, Zai zen me, Zen me yang, Zen me, Ze sheng, Zen mo, Zen neng, Bu zen me, Zen me zhe, Zen me ban, Zen me le, Cu da zen me suan, Zen me hui shi, Bu zhi zen de, Zen yang, Chan zong, Yao zen me shou huo.
Relevant text
Search found 79 books and stories containing Zen, Zěn, Zèn, 怎, 譖, 谮; (plurals include: Zens, Zěns, Zèns). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Taisho: Chinese Buddhist Canon
Sutta 43: Shana and the King of Kashi < [Part 152 - Discourse of the Collection of the Six Perfections]
Chapter 2 - The Story of King Sarvada < [Part 153 - Jataka stories of the Bodhisattva]
Environmental Sustainability Approaches and Positive Energy Districts < [Volume 13, Issue 23 (2021)]
Approaches to Social Innovation in Positive Energy Districts (PEDs)—A... < [Volume 13, Issue 13 (2021)]
From Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB) to Zero Emission Neighbourhoods (ZEN) < [Volume 10, Issue 7 (2018)]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 478 < [English-Mizo (1 volume)]
Page 672 < [English-Mizo (1 volume)]
Page 738 < [English-Mizo (1 volume)]
Yinyuan Longqi’s “Huangbo” Writing and the Construction of... < [Volume 16, Issue 4 (2025)]
Granny Chan in Zen Buddhism < [Volume 16, Issue 3 (2025)]
Dōgen on Language and Experience < [Volume 12, Issue 3 (2021)]
Zen Buddhism – Japan (The Direct Method to < [July – September, 1994]
Thoreau and Zen Buddhism < [October – December, 2001]
The Oriental element in Henry Miller < [January – March, 1990]
Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies
Charles S. Prebish and On-cho Ng, eds. The Theory and Practice of Zen Buddhism < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 5.2 (2022)]
Arthur Waley, Xu Zhimo, and the Reception of Buddhist Art in Europe < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 1.1 (2018)]
Understanding Chan Kōan As a Literary Genre < [Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies 6.1 (2023)]
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