Chan

Chan

Chan

Top-level school branch

Chan (禪) is the Chinese Buddhist meditation tradition that emerged from the encounter between Indian Buddhism and Chinese culture, becoming the most influential school of East Asian Buddhism. The word 'Chan' derives from the Sanskrit dhyana (meditation). Chan emphasizes direct experience of awakened mind over scriptural study, formalized by the motto attributed to Bodhidharma: 'A special transmission outside the scriptures; no dependence on words and letters; directly pointing to the human mind; seeing one's nature and becoming Buddha.' During the Tang and Song dynasties, Chan developed its characteristic methods—encounter dialogues, koan practice, intensive sitting, and the teacher-student relationship as the vehicle of transmission. The tradition crystallized into the Five Houses (Caodong, Linji, Yunmen, Guiyang, and Fayan), each with distinctive teaching styles. Chan was transmitted to Korea (as Seon), Japan (as Zen), and Vietnam (as Thien), profoundly shaping the religious, artistic, and philosophical culture of East Asia.