ABSTRACT
Chan Buddhism is a school of Buddhism that developed in China but derived its name from the Indian meditation tradition known in Sanskrit as dhyana. Both Chan and Zen, derived from the Sanskrit dhyana, refer to the practice of meditation. Meditation is a matter of fundamental importance in this study. Considering its central place in the development of Eastern traditions, and especially in the development of Chan and Zen Buddhism, this chapter looks at the nature of this important subject that is still too often perceived as mysterious and strange. The practice of meditation was well established in Hindu culture by the time of Buddha, and though he rejected much from the Hindu tradition, Buddha loved and cherished meditation. The practice of meditation is the practice of various techniques designed (hopefully) to help one achieve the state of mind-in-meditation.
