What's the major difference between Buddhism and zen?

Answer 1

This is a classic definition of Zen:
"A special transmission outside the scriptures;
Depending not on words and letters;
Pointing directly to the human mind;
Seeing into one's nature, one becomes a Buddha."

Nonetheless, Bodhidharma, the Zen founder, did passed Lakavatara Sutra to the 2nd patriarch as the seal of Buddha's mind. The 4th patriarch added in Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, and the 6th patriarch emphasized on the Diamond Sutra. It was much later than the Zen Masters discarded the study of any sutra.

In addition, Zen masters use unconventional teaching methods. Famous koan like 'listen to the clasping of one palm', 'who is chanting?', 'the gateless gate' etc were meant for Zen practitioners to 'break through' their mind. In addition, counter-questioning, yelling, hitting with sticks, experiencing Zen through daily activities etc are also unique teaching methods.

Although the word Zen means meditation in Chinese, Zen masters had always emphasized 'seeing into one's nature' instead of plain meditation ('do not sit like a stone', 'you can't become a Buddha by sitting' etc). This is especially true for contemporary Zen. The wikipedia information did not master the essence of Zen.

Answer 2

Zen is one of many traditions within Buddhism. Buddhism originated in India about 2,500 years ago when Shakyamuni Buddha began teaching people how to transform their lives.

Indian Buddhist monks began arriving in China in the 1st Century C.E. These monks brought a number of teaching and meditation traditions and one of these, known sometimes as the "Emptiness" tradition, merged with some aspects of the native Chinese Taoist tradition.

By around 650 C.E., this merged tradition became known as Chan (Zen) -- the meditation tradition. The Zen tradition puts emphasis on meditation practice as the primary means for attaining enlightenment.

Other Buddhist traditions focus on chanting/mantra practice, or on study of the Buddhist sutras (teachings) as the primary method for attaining enlightenment.

Zen shares with other Buddhist traditions the basic teachings of the Buddha -- that all beings find life to be unsatisfactory, that it doesn't need to be that way, and that there are things we can do to change this.

Everything I've written is quite simplified, of course, but it covers the main points. You can learn more at Wikipedia.

Answer 3

Zen is a type of Buddhism, just like Baptist is a type of Christianity. There are no "major differences."

Answer 4

Zen (or Chan Buddhism) is a 'radical' type of Mahayana Buddhism.