seon

Seon is the Korean form of Chan Buddhism, a tradition of meditation aimed at direct realization of awakening. The Korean term Seon (선) corresponds to Chan in Chinese and Zen in Japanese. Seon emphasizes experiential insight through meditation rather than reliance on ritual or scholarship alone.

Practices center on seated meditation and contemplative techniques to provoke insight. Common methods include hwadu, a focus on a short question or phrase such as “What is my original mind?” and kanhwa (Ganhwa), in which a practitioner reflects on a single line or image from a koan or text. Guidance is typically provided by an experienced teacher in a temple or meditation center. Monastic training includes study, chanting, and regular retreats, but Seon also maintains strong lay participation.

Historically, Chan was transmitted to Korea from China and developed into a distinct Korean form during the Goryeo and later periods. A key figure was Jinul (Chinul) in the 12th–13th centuries, who promoted a synthesis of meditation and doctrinal study and helped establish the model later organized as the Jogye Order. The Seon tradition endured through political changes and was revitalized in modern times as the central strand of Korean Buddhism.

Today Seon is one of the two major streams of Korean Buddhism, alongside doctrinal and ritual schools. The Jogye Order is the largest umbrella for most Seon monasteries and temples, while Taego Seon and other lineages maintain separate communities. Seon practice remains active in temples, meditation centers, and retreats for both monks and lay practitioners, and continues to adapt to contemporary Korean society.