Widely known as Zen in the West,
Chan is a state of mind,
A mind of calmness, stability and clarity;
A mind free of delusions and confusion;
A mind in accord with true reality.
There are many schools of Buddhism. They differ not in the final objective of reaching enlightenment, but in their emphasis on methods of practice. A particularly important school is Chan (also called Zen in Japanese).
The origin of Chan goes back to the Buddha. When Shakyamuni Buddha attained perfect enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree three thousand years ago, he realized that all sentient beings possess an inherently pure and complete nature. When awakened to one’s own pure nature, everyone can become a Buddha (“the enlightened one”) and achieve infinite compassion, true wisdom, and supreme peace. To achieve this goal, Chan is one of the practices that emphasizes directly realizing one’s intrinsic pure nature to attain absolute stillness and clarity, which is the Buddha’s state of mind.
The Chan lineage continued in India until the time when the 28th Patriarch, Bodhidharma, sailed to China and passed on the teaching. Bodhidharma became known as the first Patriarch of Chinese Chan. Chan especially flourished in China around 700 A.D. Since then, it has become one of the most influential schools of Buddhism, spreading to Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and now to many western countries.
To achieve the Chan state of mind, proper meditation practice is very important. By clearing our minds and reflecting inward, we can perceive our buddha nature and uncover our innate wisdom and joy.
The mission of Buddha Mind Monastery is to introduce Chan Buddhism to the public, promoting social harmony by helping people discover their own wellspring of serenity in this turbulent world.