<p>The word jhāna is Pali, so it stands to reason you wouldn't hear about it directly in other traditions. What you should be looking for are the following:</p>

<p>Sanskrit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism">dhyāna</a></p>

<p>Chinese: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Ch%C3%A1n">Chán</a> (simplified Chinese: 禅; traditional Chinese: 禪)</p>

<p>Japanese: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Zen">Zen</a> (禅)</p>

<p>As far as differences go, I'm not sure which you are referring to, but I once skimmed through a collection of modern Buddhist writings on <em>samadhi</em> and found that none of the authors seemed able to agree on what meditation or jhāna meant. It differs from monastery to monastery, let alone tradition to tradition.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-07-02T00:19:09.173Z
2014-07-02T00:19:09.173Z
yuttadhammo
<p>From what I have read it seems the different branches seem to treat the subject quite different. While Mahayana texts seem to avoid directly touching the subject and only describe the effects, the Theravāda tradition seems almost obsessed with Jhāna.</p>

<p>Are there really such big differences?</p>

<jhana>
Jhāna in the different branches of Buddhism
# Jhāna in the different branches of Buddhism

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-01)

From what I have read it seems the different branches seem to treat the subject quite different. While Mahayana texts seem to avoid directly touching the subject and only describe the effects, the Theravāda tradition seems almost obsessed with Jhāna.

Are there really such big differences?

**Tags:** jhana


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-07-02. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

The word jhāna is Pali, so it stands to reason you wouldn't hear about it directly in other traditions. What you should be looking for are the following:

Sanskrit: [dhyāna](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhy%C4%81na_in_Buddhism)

Chinese: [Chán](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Ch%C3%A1n) (simplified Chinese: 禅; traditional Chinese: 禪)

Japanese: [Zen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Zen) (禅)

As far as differences go, I'm not sure which you are referring to, but I once skimmed through a collection of modern Buddhist writings on *samadhi* and found that none of the authors seemed able to agree on what meditation or jhāna meant. It differs from monastery to monastery, let alone tradition to tradition.


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