Seon or Sŏn Buddhism (; ) is the Korean name for Chan Buddhism, a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism commonly known in English as Zen Buddhism. Seon is the Sino-Korean pronunciation of Chan () an abbreviation of 禪那 (chánnà), which is a Chinese transliteration of the Sanskrit word of dhyāna ("meditation"). Seon Buddhism, represented chiefly by the Jogye and Taego orders, is the most common type of Buddhism found in Korea.
A main characteristic of Seon Buddhism is the use of the method of meditation, Ganhwa Seon. A Korean monk, Jinul accepted partially a meditative method of Chan Buddhism in 1205. In Chan Buddhism, hwadu () is a delivery of realising a natural state of the Awakening. Jinul addressed a doctrine of Sagyo Yiepseon () that monks should live an inborn life after learning and forgetting all creeds and theories. Within the doctrine of Jinul, hwadu is the witnessing of truthful meaning in everyday life.
History
During the Goryeo dynasty Jinul strongly influenced Korean Buddhism. He was the first monk to be appointed a national teacher and advisor by the king, having written a book presenting the Seon tradition from the Song dynasty. And this Seon tradition preserved well to this day, after Taego Bou brought his Dharma transmission to Goryeo.
The Joseon dynasty suppressed Buddhism in favour of Confucianism. In spite of the suppression, Hyujeong wrote about the three religions (Seon Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism) in the Joseon dynasty from Seon point of view. He also succeeded to the Dharma transmission. During the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98), Hyujeong and Yujeong commanded guerrilla units of monks and took part in diplomacy.
Under annexation by Japan most monks were forced to marry - this lasted about 40 years until the act of purification. During those times, masters like Gyoengheo and Mangong kept Dharma transmission alive.
21st century, the few left this Dharma transmission. "남진제 북송담'(南眞際 北松潭) (Jinje to the south, Songdam to the north)." is well-known phrase in Korean seon tradition these days. Others are Seungsahn, Daewon.
Unified Silla Period (668–935)
Transmission of Chan to Korea
Chan was transmitted into Unified Silla (668–935). Beomnang (法朗, Pŏmnang, Peomnang) , who studied with the Fourth Patriarch Dayi Daoxin, was the first to bring the teachings to Korea. Beomnang transmitted his teachings to Sinhaeng (神行), who also traveled to China. Sinhaeng studied with Puji (651–739), a successor of Yuquan Shenxiu, the head of the East Mountain Teaching of Chan. Seon was further popularized by Doui (道義) at the beginning of the ninth century.
Nine Schools
Seon was gradually further transmitted into Korea, as Korean monks of predominantly Hwaeom and Yogacara background began to travel to China to study the Hongzhou school of Mazu Daoyi and his successors and the Rinzai school of Linji Yixuan. Mazu's successors had numerous Korean students, some of whom returned to Korea and established their own schools at various mountain monasteries with their leading disciples.
Initially, the number of these schools was fixed at nine. Seon was termed the nine mountain schools" at the time. Eight of these were of the lineage of Mazu Daoyi (馬祖道一), as they were established through connection with either him or one of his eminent disciples. The one exception was the Sumi-san school founded by Yieom (利嚴), which had developed from the Caodong school.
Toǔi (道義 Doui), who studied with Zhizang and Baizhang Huaihai is regarded as the first patriarch of Korean Seon. He founded the Kaji Mountain school (迦智山 Gaji san school). The Nine mountain Schools adopted the name Jogye Order in 826. The first record of the Nine Mountains school dates from 1084.
Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392)
Tension
By the eleventh century Seon Buddhism became established in Korea. It distinguished itself from the existing Five Schools and their scriptural emphasis. Tension developed between the new meditational schools and the previously existing scholastic schools, which were described by the term gyo, meaning "learning" or "study". Efforts were needed to attain mutual understanding and rapprochement between Seon and these scholastic schools.