Overall, Zen and Chan have two entirely different vibes. The best way I can describe it is: Zen is like a paved road, Chan is like a dirt path. Zen is clean and smells like a crisp autumn morning, Chan is earthy and smells like rain. via Zen vs Chan: Similarities & Differences — Salty Dharma
Necessary Knowledge in Chan Sitting* Our everyday activities are executed within the Path itself Is there anywhere that is not a place for practicing the Path? A Chan Hall should not even be necessary. Furthermore, Chan practice is not just sitting meditation. The Chan Hall and Chan sitting meditation are for sentient beings with deep … More Necessary Knowledge in Chan Sitting by Master Hsu Yun
Huineng came upon two monks who were arguing. They were having a silly argument to try to prove how smart they were. They were watching a flag rippling in the wind. The first monk said, “The flag is moving.” The second monk said, “No, the wind is moving.” Huineng saw them having this ridiculous debate … More Introduction to Chan
Han Shan Deqing (1546-1623) is an important figure from the history of Ch’an Buddhism who isn’t well known. They called him Silly Mountain(not to be confused with the other monk named Han Shan, who they called Cold Mountain). He lived in China and is regarded as a great reformer. He spent a lot of time … More Chan Master Silly Mountain
What we call the Zen school is really a conglomeration. It includes the original teaching of the Buddha, which I call First Turning Buddhism, and the spirit of Chinese culture at the time. What we call “Zen meditation” is a method for training the mind that is practiced in First Turning Buddhism and in … More Zen and Zen Stories
