Outline of Chan History

(Skt.) dhyāna "meditation"   >  (Ch.) chan(-na)  禪那 >  (J.) zen 禅

Proto Chan

Sakyamuni Buddha > Maha-Kasyapa (Flower Sermon) >>

Bodhidharma / Damo 達摩 / Daruma (d. 530):  28th Indian / 1st Chinese Patriarch

  • Verse attributed to Bodhidharma:

A special transmission outside the scriptures,

教外別傳

Not based on the written word;

不立文字

Directly pointing to the human mind,

直指人心

Achieving Buddhahood by seeing one's nature.

見性成佛

Early Chan
7th-8th c. (Tang dynasty)

Hongren 弘忍 (601-674):  5th Patriarch (East Mountain School)
Huineng 慧能 (638-713):  6th Patriarch                         Shenxiu 神秀 (d. 706):  popular leader of
Shenhui 神會(670-762): criticized Shenxiu,                      the "Northern School"
promoted Huineng and the "Southern School"
   

Middle Chan
8th-9th c. (Tang dynasty)

Linji lineage 臨幾宗

Cao-Dong lineage 曹洞宗

Mazu Daoyi 馬祖道一 (709-788)

Shitou Xiqian 石頭希遷 (710-790)

Linji Yixuan 臨幾義玄 (d. 866)

Dongshan Liangjie 洞山良价 (807-869)
 

Caoshan Benji 曹山本寂 (840-901)

Mature Chan / Zen
10th-13th c. (Song dynasty) / 13th-18th c. (Japan)

New genres of Chan literature:

        • yulu 語錄 (discourse records)
        • denglu 燈錄 (lamp records)
        • gong'an / kōan 公案collections

Linji / Rinzai lineage臨幾宗

Cao-Dong / Sōtō lineage曹洞宗

Dahui Zonggao 大慧宗杲 (1089-1163)

Hongzhi Zhengjue 宏智正覺 (1091-1157)

Myōan Eisai  明菴栄西 (1141-1215)
–> to Japan

Tiantong Rujing  天童如浄(1163-1228)

…

Eihei Dōgen 永平道元 (1200-1254)
–> to Japan

Hakuin Ekaku 白隠慧鶴  (1686-1769)

  
   
  • gong'an / kōan 公案 method
  • mozhao 默照 (silent illumination /
    shikan-taza 祇管打坐 (just sitting)

Other terms:

  • zuo-chan / zazen 坐禪 : sitting meditation
  • kan-hua 看話:  "inspecting the kōan"
  • wu / satori  悟 : enlightenment
  • jian-xing / kenshō 見性 : "seeing the nature" (first stage of enlightenment)
  • laoshi / roshi 老師 : master, teacher
  • wen-da / mondo 問答 :  encounter dialogue