What are the main differences between Zen and Tibetan Buddhism?
Tibetan Buddhism are in reality several different extremely diverse traditions of Buddhism. Zen is just one (even if there are a few different schools even inside Zen) of many different extremely diverse Japanese traditions of Buddhism. Probably it would be more fair to compare “Tibetan Buddhism” with “Japanese Buddhism” or Zen with a particular tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, for example Dzogchen. Since Zen is just a part of Japanese (or Chinese-based) Buddhism and Tibetan is the umbrella term of many different Tibetan traditions, Tibetan Buddhism contains a vast array of styles, from almost Zen-like styles to monastic universities offering 25-year-long educations for in Buddhist philosophy based on logic, perception analysis and reasoning; yogic traditions with long-haired recluses meditating in a cave in the mountain for many years; hidden yogis who practice full-time in their everyday as a common householder; extremely complex and colourful rituals; extremely simple rituals; and so
