Southern School of Chan

The Southern School of Chan Buddhism, also known as Southern Chan, is a tradition that developed in southern China emphasizing practical meditation techniques to attain enlightenment. It focuses on sudden insight, direct experience, and the importance of meditation practice to cultivate wisdom and compassion. This school blends meditative practices with Chan philosophy, which encourages students to directly see their true nature beyond intellectual understanding. It played a significant role in spreading Chan Buddhism throughout East Asia, influencing Zen Buddhism in Japan. Overall, Southern Chan champions immediate realization through disciplined meditation and mindfulness in everyday life.