See also Zen for an overview of Zen, Chinese Chán for the Chinese origins of Chán, and Soto, Rinzai and Obaku for the three main schools of Zen in Japan

Zen is the Japanese variant of Chán, a school of Mahayana Buddhism which strongly emphasizes dhyana c.q. concentration-meditation. This gives insight into ones true nature, or the emptiness of inherent existence, which opens the way to a liberated way of living.