Zen Buddhism
a Japanese school of Buddhism, dating from the 6th century ce, in which enlightenment is sought through direct, intuitive experience rather than through an intellectual approach to the scriptures. One method of preparing the way for such insight is to devote oneself to the solution of an insoluble paradox, such as “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” Another is prolonged, motionless meditation. In both cases, the aim is to transcend rational, instrumental thought and the limitations of human language. Zen Buddhism has become increasingly popular in the West since the 1960s.