I studied Chan at a monastery for a year (but didn't become a monk) and I must say, you really nailed it here! There are just two points that should be made: First, something that many Westerners may not realize, is that strict adherence to one sect of Buddhism isn't very widespread. Many Buddhists, including monastics, practice both Chan/Zen and Pureland Buddhism, or mix Chan/Zen with esoteric/Vajrayana teachings. Also, many Buddhists will even combine religions, like having Confucian ancestor veneration and familial piety or Shinto reverence for Kami spirits mixed with Zen or other sects of Buddhism. Second, it should be noted that we do have the concept of Wu (Satori in Japanese) Essentially, while in Zuochan/Zazen meditation, it is possible to actually touch Buddhahood, if only for a moment. That is one of the biggest differences between Chan and just about every other religion: other religions talk about "heaven," but in Chan, we actually visit it and experience it in this life. It should also be noted that Bodhidharma founded Chan at the Shaolin monastery...yep, that Shaolin monastery. The birthplace of Chan in China is also the birthplace of Kung-Fu.

After so many episodes, after so many excellent documentaries, I still cant't believe how lucky I am to be able to watch videos like this in KZfaq! Philip what you are doing is literally making my life more beautiful! Thank you very much!

28:35 this story reminds me of Stoicism. Interesting how philosophers in different parts of the world with different cultures and influences can come to similar conclusions.

Finally a video about Buddhism! Thanks!

I prefer Thich Nhat Hanh’s use of the term interconnected ness. rather than emptiness. You actually explained it really well when referring to the tree.

In real life we learn all the time from such wisdom and it makes a huge difference.

I get why it took Filip awhile to get around to Buddha Dharma - he doesn’t settle for simplification

Ive been Thien Buddhist my whole life but always wondered why the Buddhism varies by country ! Thank you for tackling this and clarifying my own religion

In Middle Chinese (spoken by the time Zen Buddhism emerged), dhyana was pronunced as *dzien, then diverged into modern Mandarin "chan", Japanese "zen" and other variants across East Asian languages.

Finally a video about Zen Buddhism, been waiting for a while!

I have been going through a very difficult time recently, and what you said about letting go and accepting the suffering really hits home. Sometimes suffering hits like a tidal wave and there is no option but to let go

Namo Buddha....may everyone be blessed with peace and tranquility

Buddhistic teachings has been of great influence in modern day therapy like CBT and DBT. I myself have been trough DBT and learned valuable lessons. Most notably Radical Acceptance, i.e. accepting reality as it is so you can react to it the best possible way. 💟

I have benefitted greatly these past three years studying the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh , on the Plum Village channel here on YT. Thank you Filip for all your wonderful videos 🙏🏼

I would say,with acceptance the suffering loses his power over us.Thank you,you inspired me.❤

Congrats! you did about as good a job as can be hoped for and really got the “principle” through. Excellent in every way.

Very well done video on Chan/Zen Buddhism, from someone who has practiced and studied Buddhism most of my life, specifically Chan/Zen Buddhism. While we could debate minor differences in the details & history, I think that misses the point. For a 45 minute video you did an amazing job of covering the main ideas and history. Thank you for your hard work on this!

Thank you for this explanation. I've studied zen for years, but from time to time, you'll hear an explanation that makes the teaching more available.

One of my favorite channels. Straight to the point, , well researched, topped with own experienceand well explained Thank you!

I look forward to see a philosopher's biography about the sixth patriarch Huineng. His teachings were compiled into a book called Platform Sutra and is held in high regard by Chan Buddhists.

So excited! Chan isn’t my tradition (I’m Theravada), but I’m very happy to see you covering Buddhism!

Perfect amount of detail and context. Thank you!

Thank you so much Fillip, excellent presentation. One point you touched on was the parallels between Taoism and Chen / Zen. Going with the flow is living the Dharma. Both keystones of those belief systems. Thank you.

I was fortunate my philosophy, professor in college taught us, Taoism and Buddhism/Hinduism. Thank you for your videos. Can’t wait to see more ❤️

I understand exactly everything you say in this video because I grew up reading a lot of Chan and Mahayana Buddhist texts (sutras-vinayas-sastras) in Vietnamese language. Thank you so much for explaining this in depth for English speaking audiences. This video is truly a gem. I feel like you might have been able to read some non-English texts to come up with such detailed look in Chan Buddhism. I love that you introduce the zen koans riddles to the non-Buddhist audience. These koans are very fascinating, mind-blowing and thought-provoking.

Great summary indeed 🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽 your description and understanding of Chan Buddhism are superb and admirable. Thanks for doing this.

Exceptional vid. Very smooth and balanced presentation.

Fantastic video. Really look forward to these videos being released 👍🏻

The influence of Zhuangzi on Chan Bhuddism must have been huge. So many times as I'm listening, I find myself thinking "Wow, sounds like Zhuangzi".

Thank you for your video! today was a special day for me, spiritually, and today you publish this video, it is such a nice coincidence! your videos are so good! this pleases me so much! thank you really!

Very informative video. I have always loved Zen and its simplicity, its minimalist elegance. I remember picking up a copy of "The Way of Zen" by Alan Watts back in the 80's. It really changed my perspective on life.

I consider Sir as my teacher as his knowledge is really authentic

Wow what a superb interesting explanation of this subject. Very well explained in understandable terms. Thank you

I appreciate you and everything you do for us. Thanks for providing us with your scholarship and these awesome videos.

Dear reader of this comment, Peace and joy be upon you. I love you very much. May the Peace and joy of your Buddha nature stay with you at all times and may you find TRUE peace and joy in your life as I have found in mine! ~Namaste - love, JC ❤

Appreciate the clarity and research. Started in on this channel to learn about Sufism and have yet to be disappointed by the dignity granted to the long process of thought and emotion that goes into these faiths, philosophies and practices.

Wooooo, I'm a zen buddhist and it's refreshing to see it explained from a more historical view. I'd love a video on the trikaya concept and how it relates to tathāgatagarbha and śunyata. It's one of the most interesting parts of mahayana I think.

I recently found your channel and was a little disappointed you didn't have a video like this up, looking forward to the next one!

Thank you Philip forthis enjoyable and thoughtful summary of the history of Zen Buddhism. As always the illustrations are beautiful and helpful.

Masterful treatise! What an eloquent description of Shunyata. Well done. Truly the Truth is becoming more and more accessible. Evolution in motion.

So good, so useful...thank you! Enlightening channels like yours are the modern equivalent of guru for those with the eyes to see.

Absolutely the best presentation of Zen ever!🙏

I love your videos on the dharmic faiths! Its so hard to find videos that aren't trying to convert you!! Thank you!! More please!!

The stories of enlightened beings and their path to awakening are some of the most mysterious and inspiring tales in Buddhism.

Thanks so much for precisely explaining underlying principles, and I hope that your excellent content encourages others to look into this experiential 'religion'.

While there is mention of Zen in China, Korean & Japan, there is also a tradition of Zen in Tibet. Dzogchen (Wylie: rdzogs chen) is a tradition of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism aimed at discovering and continuing in the ultimate ground of existence having the qualities of emptiness, spontaneity and compassion. Dzogchen arose in the era of the first dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet (7th to 9th centuries CE) during the Tibetan Empire. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzogchen

This is sooooo good. Exactly the sort of video that makes me think "wow, I can't believe I'm getting this for free." Not only does it run for a satisfying 45 minutes, but it perfectly complements my existing knowledge of Zen. I guess I didn't know as much as I thought I did! ;) And now just a week later we get another big one: Neoplatonism and Christianity. Been waiting for it! Can't say enough how glad I am that I found this channel. Keep em coming (and hefty)

Very nice work. I think all Americans in particular should see this, as the American understanding of these traditions comes, as you say, from Japan, due to mostly political reasons for the last 75 years. Showing their history in China and influence from Daoism is illuminating.

Great video, Filip! Very thorough and elaborate for an introduction to the subject. Thanks a lot! 🐱🙏

it is about actual Experiencing & as we are All experiencing anyway already, what is required is simply a change of attitude/perspective.

Love the subtle guquin. Excellent work

A careful and clear explanation as always. Thank you.

I’ve been waiting so long for this one. My patience has been rewarded.

Hello Filip, I love this channel for bringing an in-depth look at various religions and their philosophies. I have some favors to ask from you: could you make videos about Alevism (not Alawites), Yarsanism and Said Nursi's teachings? Thank you.

Thanks for a well made and informative video, look forward to the next one

Woo, the speaker is both cute and clever!! Very enjoyable. I want to view more of his videos. Now, I see how I tolerated so much abusive association - I didn't let them bother me. I saw them as morally sick and expected him to be ethically ill. They did affect me subconsciously in that I encouraged more bad associations, but not I chose my peace which is my choice to be godly. I wish I could be more present in my life experience - God. I need to work on this aspect of my growth now awakeness. If I'm totally awakened- I will be full of energy! Now, I'm tired. I will try Zazen mediation to energize me.

You shared a priceless treasure with me. I know understand critical concepts a lot more than before. Thanks for the video, teacher! ❤🌻

That was a great video. I have been practicing and learning about zen buddhism for some time and this was quite accurate to the original teachings and history, plus some helpful insight about its development in China in particular. I have been following your channel and I was wondering when you were going to post something about it haha, so many thanks! 🙏🏽

One of the best videos on zen I've seen!

You do a great job at showing the differences and harmonies between the various schools. I had had some encounters with Buddhism that might be typical in a Western, but my mind was blown when a friend took me to his Vietnamese Mahayana Temple and I saw certain Bodhisattvas were far more prominent than Siddhartha Gautama. The experience actually inspired my video on the Many Faces of Compassion. The internal diversity is amazing!

Thank you very much for this valuable content!

Very good description of Zen Buddhism, at least from my humble understanding. Even after years of following that path, I cannot claim to know everything about it. But I think you reached a Zen point during your trip in the cold. It isn't to stop the suffering, but to not let it overcome you.

As a Zen teacher, I would say that there were one or two errors, but overall one of the better presentations I've seen on Chan/Zen. Thank you.

Thank you for this video, i would love to see more from you about buddhism, keep it up !!

I enjoy your videos, thank you for your work. I would like to share the "experience" of no experience, no mind, absorption, samadhi, enlightenment I have had this experience twice, I am now 58, the first time I was 11, my perception shifted from the body to beyond everything where the knowing came to me "I am all there is" , I remember it so clearly as if it was yesterday. And the second time I was 49 and walking to work, this one was much bigger and lasted almost 3 hours. I will explain one very simple thing that you may be able to use to understand this state. Consider you are asleep, you start to dream, you are a character in the dream, and there are other characters which you interact with, something happens and you suddenly become lucid, your perception of being the dream character has now shifted to being the dreamer, you are now fully aware that you are beyond everything in the dream and in fact everything including the space and time within the dream is a construct within you, this also is very clear that the character you thought you were, and the characters you thought you were interacting with were all you.... the dreamer. I have never used drugs, never even smoked a cigarette

An issue with some of the ideas in this form of Buddhism, like the “acceptance of suffering,” that some people have is that they can be appropriated by imperialism, fascism and capitalism, which is seen through how Zen Buddhism became an important tool for the Japanese Empire during its spread and conquests. Furthermore, many companies are promoting “mindfulness” and even sponsoring Buddhist temple retreats for their employees as a way to get them to accept their working conditions rather than fight for better ones, and make workers feel like their suffering is a product of just their mental states rather than their actual material conditions

Thank you very much for this video.

This is, as always, an amazing video.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I admire your teaching of all religious traditions with deep respect and high simplicity. I had the honor of studying with Dr. Chang Chung Yuan at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I have had the exact same expeience with cold tolerance as it relatess to acceptance / mindfulness. Very glad you went on that tangent.

What a great video. Great introduction to Zen Buddhism.

Such an amazing video, its in depth and I am kinda geeking out! The mention of Nagarjuna's emptiness was great. There are so many details that most lay people who practice Chinese Mahayana Buddhism don't know about, which i feel its important to understand why and how we are practicing certain ideas in today's Chinese Buddhism. Thankyou so much, I learned alot! 🙏

I love all the artwork depicting Lao Tsu. He looks so gentle and kind.

Another great video. Keep it up!

Thank you for this video.

Took a long walk while listening, and since I’m only halfway done, I’m just gonna listen again. Fantastic vid. And let’s all walk more :)

Listening to your videos is also a great form of meditation.

This is very helpful to me. Thank you. 🏵

I love that you and Religion for Breakfast, two of my favorite religious studies channels along with Esoterica, are essentially allied.

My favorite Chan saying is…”when you multitask, multitask.”

Zen's four slogans A special communication outside the teachings, 教外別傳 does not depend on written words 不立文字 directly points to the human mind, 直指人心 Revealing one‘s essence becoming awakened. 見性成佛

I was very impressed with your choice of a video doc on Nagarjuna, so I was excited to watch your new video on Zen Buddhism! Boy was I disappointed. You, essentially, skipped over the Chinese Masters (where you would have found more of a connection with your 'emptiness' video), in favor of pointing to Dogen and his 'just sitting' doctrine. Your audience didn't have a chance to compare the Chinese take on the Dharma with the Japanese. Of course, you could still create a video on the Chinese history (starting with a closer look at Huineng and early Chan). Then a video on Sung Chan (and instead of focusing on Linji you could take up Huang Po?). "A monk asked Linji, “Whose song do you sing? Whose way of teaching did you inherit?” Linji responded, “At Huangbo’s place I asked a question three 10:05 times and was hit three times.” Grand Master Linji

Incredible work as always. I would love to see do a video on the Japanese Buddhist Monk Nichiren, he's a very fascinating figure.

I have a personal experience with Zen Buddhism in Japan. I'm a Youth Buddhist missionary in Asia, dedicating most of my time to share Buddhism young people. I've trained myself in various Buddhist practice and I was once in Japan, visiting Eiheiji, a Soto Zen HQ and had a private meet session with an old compassionate patriach of the school We converse by using Kanji, Han Chinese characters and also a translator who was at best elementary in English. I asked him all sorts of questions as we usually have an anchor in Buddhist meditation. Do I focus on loving kindness like in Metta meditation? Do I focus on my breath like in Vipassana. After many questions, the elder responded to me kindly and said: ''Why can't you just sit?'' That was my sudden awakening moment Man, Buddhism is cool AF

Excellent job as usual. "The pain completely left me to some degree." That's my koan for today. Extremely appropriate.

Video idea: Please make a video or a video series about ancient Egyptian religion. Love your content.

Great video for those interested in knowing a little bit more about Zen Buddhism

Not sure if I’ve heard of eyes being closed in zen, but this has only been my personal experience. We keep eyes open as master Dogen says to “let the light in”. We use a Mokugyo, a fish with eyes open in chants as a reminder of even fish out of water keeps eyes open to experience reality. I have always wanted to learn more about the roots in Chan, thank you for this beautiful video 😊

Minor nitpick: the pinyin transcription for 净土 (Pure Land) at 6:47 should be Jingtu, not Qingtu. I'll also echo many other commenters and say that it would be nice to see a video from you discussing Pure Land Buddhism. Thank you for your wonderful work!

I feel so Zen right now...Om Mani padme hum. 🎑

Well researched -thanks - Nisarga Dhatta Maharaj comes to mind!

Fantastic video keep it up you're doing amazing things 😁👍

A modern quote from India - about the Buddha and therein - a secret revealed. ( From Ram Chandra - Heartfulness) 'To one who has given up everything to the Master, he has also left nothing lacking. People have asserted that Buddha never imparted training for the Divine. I have to say that I never moved away from it. I had taken up That which is the Real' - The Buddha. (Whispers from the Brighter World, v. 3. P 365) So beautiful and right and apt. Fare thee well.

Great video ❤ i became Buddhiste zen and it help me tremendously to fund life beautiful and control my anger . Thanks

Very nice! Thanks.

Beautiful narration...

I would like a video on pure land Buddhism and it's many variations frankly. Most people in the West don't even know what it is despite being arguably the most popular version of Buddhism

Thank you

more videos on buddhism please!

"[in regards to the pain of your hands freezing in the cold] I completely stopped suffering... to some degree." This is, perhaps, the most crucial idea to understand about stoic philosophies of any kind. It's always complete and total, until it's not. The ideal is always crucial, and striving towards it is our eternal struggle, until we change our minds or do something else. We accept suffering and reject attachment, until we don't. There is always right and wrong, good and evil, but our perspectives and values are impermanent and can change, and they do so according to our choices. The human mind is hardwired to filter out unnecessary data, consolidating our perception into a single continuous experience; this is true both at the unconscious and conscious levels. How can we avoid pain and pursue pleasure to the highest level? How can we avoid ignorance and pursue wisdom? How can suffering be overcome? There is no simple answer to any of these, and this is the clue which reveals the inherent flaw of each question; it is pointless to try to conform to a standard that is apart from our nature as living organisms; we are not angels, but all-too-human. Therefore, how can we claim to extricate our perception from the body? How can we, boastful and proud, declare pain over and conquered, or suffering released and overcome? Who can say of themselves, "I am fully aware of, but separate from, this experience"? Only the hubris of mankind, unique amongst the whole animal kingdom, is sufficient to abstract experience from the central nervous system from which it arises! It is pious to assert the primacy of virtue, but it is wise to understand it's ephemerality. The Chan masters are recorded to have been living examples of this understanding, because the story of the first Chan master smiling at the Buddha, who was holding a flower, seems to indicate as much. Sometimes there is no secret technique or spiritual power, the experience is just an experience. The older you become, the more often this realization occurs to you; the master is one in whom nothing remains untouched by this process.