Dhyāna in Buddhism "silent illumination." This became the source of some differences in practice between the Línjì and Cáodòng schools. A kōan, literally "public case", is a story or dialogue, describing an interaction between a Zen master and a student. These anecdotes give a demonstration of the master's insight. Koans emphasize the non-conceptional insight that the Buddhist teachings are pointing to. Koans can be used to provoke the "great doubt", and test a student's progress in Zen practice. Kōan-inquiry may be practiced during zazen (sitting meditation), kinhin (walking meditation), and throughout all the activities of daily life. Kōan practice is particularly emphasized by
Abbot (Buddhism) Abbess also has spiritual responsibility for the monastics under their care, and is required to interact with the abbots or abbesses of other monasteries. Asian countries where Buddhism is still widely practiced have words in their own languages for the abbot of a Buddhist monastery or large temple: in Chinese Chan Buddhist monasteries, one word for abbot is "Fangzhang" meaning "ten feet square", a reference to the size of Vimalakirti's stone room. Another Chinese word for abbot is "Zhuchi"(住持), meaning dweller and upholder. In Zen Buddhism, the most commonly used Japanese words for the abbot of a large Zen temple