Cross College

Tag: zen buddhism

  • Who Was Unmon? A Zen Master of Profound Simplicity

    Unmon (雲門), also known as Yunmen Wenyan (864–949), was a Chinese Zen (Chan) master and one of the most influential figures in the history of Zen Buddhism. As the founder of the Yunmen school of Chan, his teachings emphasized direct insight, sharp wit, and the power of a single phrase or word to trigger enlightenment.…

  • Exploring the Different Forms of Buddhism: A Global Tradition with Diverse Paths

    Buddhism, a spiritual tradition founded over 2,500 years ago by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), has evolved into one of the world’s most influential religions. Today, it is practiced in a variety of forms, each with unique teachings, rituals, and philosophies. While rooted in the core teachings of the Buddha, Buddhism has adapted to different cultural…

  • The Union of Zen Buddhism and Bushido: Myth and Reality

    Zen Buddhism and Bushido are often seen as two deeply intertwined traditions that shaped the philosophy and ethics of Japan’s samurai class. This romanticized image, however, does not fully reflect historical reality. While Zen did influence some samurai, only a small percentage of them actively practiced Zen Buddhism. Nonetheless, the principles of Zen resonated strongly…

  • Understanding The Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp: Key Stories and Themes

    The Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp (Jingde Chuandeng Lu) is one of the foundational texts in Zen (Chan) Buddhism, composed during the Song Dynasty in China by the monk Daoyuan. This 30-volume work records the lineage of Zen masters, starting from the Buddha and extending to the 10th century, capturing stories, teachings,…

  • Who Was Dōgen Zenji? The Founder of Japanese Sōtō Zen Buddhism

    Dōgen Zenji (1200–1253) is one of the most influential figures in the history of Zen Buddhism, known as the founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan. His teachings emphasize the practice of Zazen (seated meditation) as the direct path to enlightenment, focusing on the idea that enlightenment is not a distant goal but…