Gautama, the Buddha, who lived in northern India from 560 to 480 B.C. The time of the

Buddha was one of social and religious change, marked by the further advance of Aryan

civilization into the Ganges Plain, the development of trade and cities, the breakdown of

old tribal structures, and the rise of a whole spectrum of new religious movements that

responded to the demands of the times (Conze 10). These movements were derived from

the Brahmanic tradition of Hinduism but were also reactions against it. Of the new sects,

Buddhism was the most successful and eventually spread throughout India and most of

Today it is common to divide Buddhism into two main branches. The Theravada, or

"Way of the Elders," is the more conservative of the two; it is dominant in Sri Lanka,

Burma, and Thailand (Berry 23). The Mahayana, or "Great Vehicle," is more diverse and

liberal; it is found mainly in Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, and among Tibetan peoples, where

it is distinguished by its emphasis on the Buddhist Tantras (Berry 24). In recent times both

branches, as well as Tibetan Buddhism, have gained followers in the West.

It was during this period that Chan was first established in Japan. Within 30 years

branch dominated in the long run, and by 796 an imperial decree settled the matter in his

cessation of rebirth, an escape from samsara.

Zen monks, the daily physical chores, the constant wrestling with koans, the long hours of

master. Soto lays more stress on seated meditation without conscious striving for a goal,

to subdivide into several different schools.

suffering in which their actions, or karma, keep them wandering (Coomaraswamy 53).

refuge in the Buddha or the sutras but demands from his disciple a direct answer to his

Some common words found in the essay are:
West Zen, Japan Rinzai, Chan China, Bodhidharma Chan, Eightfold Path, Noble Truth, Truths Buddha, Shenxiu Huineng, Ganges Plain, Buddhism Buddha, noble truth, chan established, huineng's branch, zen chan, practice meditation, enlightenment zen, master-disciple relationship,
Approximate Word count = 1414
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)