Chinul: The Founder of the Korean Son Tradition

Chinul (1158-1210) is regarded as one of the greatest Son(Zen) monks in Korea. It was his innovation and reform of the meditation school of Korean Buddhism which determined the development of the monastic tradition of Korea. The present form of Buddhism in his homeland owes much to his endeavors more than seven centuries ago. Included in this volume is a thorough study of the life of Chinul, focusing on the reform movement which he launched in the latter half of the twelfth century. This history of Chinul is followed by an exposition of his philosophy and approach to Son. Finally, the volume deals with the fascinating story of the legacy which Chinul has left for the Buddhist tradition, a legacy that still continues among the large and active group of monastic institutions in Korea.