Japanese Zen is derived from the Japanese pronunciation of the Middle Chinese word 禪 (Chan) which traces its roots to the Indian practice of dhyāna ("meditation"). Buddhism was introduced to China in the first century CE. According to tradition, Chan was introduced around 500 CE by Bodhidharma, an Indian monk teaching dhyāna. He was the 28th Indian patriarch of Zen and the first Chinese patriarch. Buddhism was introduced in Japan in the 8th century CE during the Nara period (710-794) and the Heian period (794–1185). Zen was not introduced as a separate school in Japan until the 12th century during the Kamakura
Zen organisation and institutions According to Bodiford, "Zen is the predominant form of Buddhism because of dharma transmission": Bodiford distinguishes seven dimension which are discernible in both family relationships and in dharma lineages: The family-model is easier recognized when East Asian languages are being used, because the same terminology is used to describe both earthly and spiritual family relations. In Soto, dharma transmission establishes a lifelong relation between teacher and student. To qualify as a Zen priest, further training is required. In Rinzai, the most common form of transmission is the acknowledgement that one has stayed in the monastery for a certain amount of