ZEN BUDDHISM: A form of BUDDHISM developed in the SHAOLIN TEMPLE of CHINA (where it is called Ch'an). Zen Buddhism stresses both meditation and the use of koans, unanswerable riddles upon which students concentrate in order to still the rational mind and thereby attain enlightenment. Zen was the religion most popular among the SAMURAI class of JAPAN and its ideas and precepts have had a strong impact on the martial arts (see also Zen article).
