Although the Zen branch of the Buddhist tradition traces its origins back to India 2500 years ago at the time of the historical Buddha, the characteristics of the Zen School as it exists today began around 1500 years ago when the Indian monk, Bodhidharma journeyed to China and, finding a successor, initiated a line of transmission that has carried through to present-day America. The principle of the Zen School has often been described as:
A special transmission outside the scriptures;
No dependence upon words and letters;
Direct pointing at the mind of man;
Seeing into one’s nature and attaining Buddhahood.
