Chan and Modern Life

The Effects of Chan Meditation - Introduction

From the book: The Effect of Chan Meditation

Chan is a school of Buddhist meditation that is found throughout East Asia. It is known as Zen in Japan, Thien in Vietnam, and Son in Korea. Its distinctive form first took shape in China some fifteen hundred years ago. The aim of Chan is to live life with wisdom and compassion through the realization of our interconnectedness with all things. Chan involves active awareness, participation, and engagement in daily life. The foundation of this goal is seated meditation. In this booklet, Master Sheng Yen discusses the benefits of seated meditation in the context of Chan practice and scientific findings about meditation. He does not elaborate on the methods of practice in great detail because meditation cannot be learned by reading a book. Interested readers are encouraged to find a Chan meditation center and receive instruction on the actual practice from a qualified teacher.