Ching-yuan Wei-hsin, a Chinese Ch'an master, once said this:
Thirty years ago, when having not studied Ch'an, this monk saw mountain was mountains and water was water.
Later, when following the good teacher's guide, this monk...
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Here are some useful resources on the web on the history of Zen and Buddhism:
1.Wikipedia's History of Buddhism
The History of Buddhism spans the 6th century BCE to the present, starting with the birth of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama.
5.Religion of the Samurai
A very thorough resource (an entire book) on Zen in relationship to the Samurai, including a very comprehensive history in the first 2 chapters.
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