Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Zen. It's often thought of as a form of Buddhism that emphasises the practice of meditation over any particular set of beliefs. In fact Zen belongs to a particular intellectual tradition within Buddhism that took root in China in the 6th century AD. It spread to Japan in the early Middle Ages, where Zen practitioners set up religious institutions like temples, monasteries and universities that remain important today.
GUESTS
Tim Barrett, Emeritus Professor in the Department of the Study of Religions at SOAS, University of London
Lucia Dolce, Numata Reader in Japanese Buddhism at SOAS, University of London
Eric Greene, Lecturer in East Asian Religions at the University of Bristol
Producer: Luke Mulhall.