Exploring Chán

Zen has influenced Western culture today in ways unimaginable when it was first introduced by Soen Shaku in 1893 at the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Insights from Zen's extensive literary archives have benefited health care, psychology, psychiatry, and philosophy, while its trendiness has inspired countless discussions on social media forums and living room couches.But how does our everyday understanding of Zen align with the religious and ascetic practices which began...
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Zen has influenced Western culture today in ways unimaginable when it was first introduced by Soen Shaku in 1893 at the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Insights from Zen's extensive literary archives have benefited health care, psychology, psychiatry, and philosophy, while its trendiness has inspired countless discussions on social media forums and living room couches.But how does our everyday understanding of Zen align with the religious and ascetic practices which began some fifteen hundred years ago in China as Chán? How might we understand its genesis and purpose in sociological and spiritual contexts? Is it appropriate to differentiate Japanese Zen from Chinese Chán even though they share the same origins? And what does Chán training in contemporary life look like?Seeking answers to these questions, Chuan Zhi invites us to explore Chán's origins and development through canonical texts, monastic traditions, and spiritual practices that span over five millennia. With the help of insights culled from contemporary scholars and historians, Chuan Zhi further examines how Chán's development was influenced by social and political forces during the Tang and Song dynasties, and how it was modified further by Koreans and Japanese to accommodate their own indigenous folk religions, social customs, and political agendas. Finally, he describes contemporary approaches to Chán training and challenges sometimes encountered with its practice.Drawing on over three decades of study and practice, Chuan Zhi takes us on a fascinating journey to uncover the complex character of Chán. Throughout the narrative, he argues that Chán's mystical practices are as valuable for life today as they have been for centuries.