Prison Chaplaincy Guidelines for Zen Buddhism: A Sourcebook for Prison Chaplains, Administrators, and Security Personnel
Zen Buddhism is an ancient tradition that is a lineage of direct teaching transmission extending from Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni Buddha; 463 - 383 BCE) to the present day.  The tradition embodies the deliberate training of both mind and body in the practice of zazen, often referred to as meditation.  Practitioners engage in daily, formal, sitting zazen practice as a community when possible and on an individual basis when alone. Zazen practice is the essence of Zen, which uses ritual, often accompanied by chanting, as part of the practice.  Simply following the recorded teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha does not constitute the full practice of the tradition. To really practice Zen is to experience the actual awakening experience of the Buddha.