As opposed to the Chinese Zen tradition, the seated meditation of the Soto sect usually focuses on 'shikan-taza' (single-mindedly sitting in meditation) based on Dogen's teaching of 'Shushoichinyo' (immeasurable ascetic training as a way toward becoming Buddha), while a few styles use Zen questions for meditation (meditation for enlightenment), as does the Rinzai sect.
曹洞宗の坐禅は中国禅の伝統と異なり、「修証一如」（無限の修行こそが成仏である）という道元の主張に基づいて「只管打坐（しかんたざ）」（ひたすら坐禅すること）をもっぱらとし、臨済宗のように公案を使う（悟りのための坐禅）流派もあることはあるが少数である。