Law Of The Zen Buddhist - The DISAPPEARING BUDDHA - Documentary Film

Zen is an institution of Mahayana Buddhism that established in China during the 6th century as Chan. From China, Zen spread out southern to Vietnam, northeast to Korea and eastern to Japan.
Zen highlights strenuous meditation-practice, understanding right into Buddha-nature, and the personal expression of this idea in day-to-day life, specifically for the perk of others. Thus, it plays down simple knowledge of sutras and teaching and prefers direct understanding through zazen and communication with an established teacher.
The teachings of Zen include various sources of Mahayana thought, specifically Yogacara, the Tathagatagarbha Sutras and Huayan, with their emphasis on Buddha-nature, completeness, and the Bodhisattva-ideal. The Prajnaparamita literature and, to a lesser degree, Madhyamaka have also been influential.
In modern Buddhist practice in Japan, Taiwan, and the West, lay pupils often attend these intensive method sessions, which are usually 1, 3, 5, or 7 days in length. These are held at several Zen centers, particularly in commemoration of the Buddha's attainment. One distinctive element of Zen meditation in teams is the usage of a kyosaku - a standard wooden slat used to maintain meditators concentrated and awake.
At the start of the Song Dynasty, method with the koan method became popular, whereas others exercised "soundless lighting."  This became the source of some distinctions in technique between the Linji and Caodong traditions.
A koan, literally "public situation", is a story or dialogue, explaining a communication between a Zen master and a pupil. Koans could be used to produce the "great question", and check a pupil's development in Zen practice.
Koan-inquiry could be exercised during resting reflection (zazen), strolling reflection (kinhin), and throughout all the activities of life. Koa technique is particularly highlighted by the Japanese Rinzai college, however it also takes place in various other colleges or branches of Zen depending on the training line.