What is Chan Buddhism?
Ch’an is a Buddhist tradition which originated in China. It was later transmitted to Japan where it became known as Zen, the name that Westerners are most familiar with. The goal of both Ch’an and Zen is the realization of one’s true nature and the manifestation of that realization in our daily thoughts, words and actions. And what is one’s true nature? It is nothing less than waking up and realizing we are Buddha by nature ¡Vthe embodiment of wisdom and great compassion. Our Order’s founding Master, Teacher and the 48th Patriarch in the Lin-chi (Japanese Rinzai school) line of Ch’an says of Ch’an, “Ch’an is the abbreviated form of the Chinese transliteration of the Sanskrit tern dhyana; it means quiet contemplation. But to describe Ch’an is not any easy task, for Ch’an is something that can not be talked about nor expressed in written words. The moment language used we are no longer dealing with true spirit of Ch’an which is beyond all words, yet, Ch’an cannot be left unexpressed. Ch’
