The Zen School Moment

Abstract

The article makes a general approach on the historical development of the Zen school in China and in a number of other Asian countries including Vietnam. Besides, he also presents a few basic concepts and contents of the Zen school. At present, the Zen school has penetrated from the East to the West. To Vietnamese, the Zen school has existed since a very long time and has become an indivisible part of the national culture. An ignorance of the Zen school would lead to an ignorance of the national culture identity and would create difficulties in contributing to a harmonious state of development in the present day material and spiritual development. The Zen school in itself was a step of development in the renovation of Buddhism, therefore instead of a passive contemplation, we should live with it in our enthusiasm to renovate the future. Full text in Vietnamese Religious Studies 2005/1 pp.14-24