As Buddhism spread different forms emerged through different teachers and the cultures through which the teaching passed. The form of Mahayana Buddhism that is known as Zen emerged as a in China in about the 8th century. Soto Zen was introduced to Japan in the 13th century by Dogen. Within the Soto Zen school there are many teaching lines and each has its own particular flavour.

Zen literally means meditation. Zazen or seated meditation is the heart of our practice.

As introductions there is a film made at Throssel Hole Abbey, on youtube, introduction to Soto Zen and the pdf file from this page is “The Eightfold Path of Buddhism” by Rev. Master Daizui MacPhillamy