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Zen is a form of Buddhism.
Buddhism is a religion founded around 2600 years ago by Gautama
Shakyamuni, aka the Buddha.
Zen has a special emphasis on enlightening person-to-person
interactions. Here is the traditional story of the first Zen
transmission of understanding from the Buddha to his disciple
Kashyapa.
Once on Vulture Peak, an audience attended the Buddha, waiting
for a talk. The Buddha held up a flower. All were silent, but
Mahakashyapa smiled. This was the passing of the Buddha's
realisation to Mahakashyapa. (Adapted from Mumonkan case 6.)
Upto the present day, Zen is passed person-to-person from teacher
to student. The box on the right mentions some of the teachers
who were themselves the agents of carrying Zen from India to China to Japan,
then to Europe and Glasgow in particular.
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| Our Zen Timeline |
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| c. 530BCE |
Gautama Shakyamuni experiences his enlightenment, becomes the Buddha.
Embarks on 44 years of teaching.
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| c 200CE |
Nagarjuna establishes the Middle Way tradition.
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| c 520CE |
Bodhidharma brings Zen to China, and settles at Shaolin.
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| c 740AD |
Shenhui, student of Hui-neng brings southern school of Zen
to fore.
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| 828CE |
Donghan Liangjie, source of the Soto (Caodong) school, ordained at Mt Song.
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| 1227CE |
Dogen returns from China and establishes Soto Zen in Japan.
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| 1967CE |
Deshimaru arrives in Paris, founds AZI.
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| 1990CE |
John Fraser founds the Glasgow Zen Group, as part of the AZI.
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| 2001CE |
The Glasgow Zen Group becomes an independent fellowship of Zen practitioners.
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2006CE
24 March |
John Fraser receives shiho (transmission) from Mike Eido Luetchford,
a student of Nishijima, himself a student of Kodo Sowaki.
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