Knowra Seon Buddhism Seon Buddhism Seon Buddhism is the Korean tradition of Mahayana Buddhism centered on meditation and direct insight into awakening. It developed distinctive institutions and practices in Korea while sharing roots with Chan and Zen.
Dhyana : A family of meditative disciplines that cultivate concentration and contemplative insight in Indian religions. Seon takes its name from the Chinese rendering of this Sanskrit term for meditation.
Seon meditation : Meditative practice in Korean Seon, especially seated meditation directed toward awakening. It is the central discipline through which Seon practitioners cultivate direct insight.
Chan Buddhism : A Chinese Mahayana Buddhist tradition emphasizing meditation and direct realization. Chan supplied the central teachings and lineage models adopted by Korean Seon.
Zen : The Japanese Buddhist tradition descended from Chinese Chan, emphasizing meditation and direct realization. Zen is Seon's Japanese counterpart, not a separate name for the Korean tradition.
Jogye Order : The largest Korean Buddhist order, with institutional roots in Seon traditions. It is the principal contemporary institution representing Korean Seon.
Buddha-nature : The capacity or inherent nature through which beings can attain buddhahood, interpreted differently across Buddhist traditions. Seon teachings often connect direct awakening with realizing one's Buddha-nature.
Hwadu : A short phrase or question used in Korean Seon meditation to focus inquiry and unsettle habitual thought. Hwadu practice gives many Seon practitioners a concentrated method of investigation.
Bodhidharma : A Buddhist monk traditionally regarded as the founding patriarch of Chan in China. Seon inherits the Chan lineage tradition that places Bodhidharma at its origin.
Vietnamese Thiền : The Vietnamese tradition of meditation-centered Buddhism shaped by Chinese Chan and local history. Thiền shares Chan ancestry with Seon but developed within Vietnamese institutions and culture.
Korean Buddhist temple : A place of Buddhist worship, monastic residence, and practice in Korea. Temple communities sustain Seon's meditation, ritual, education, and communal life.
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