| Mnemonic code |
School |
Status of the meditational technique |
Representative |
| C |
Chinese Linji (Rinzai) School of Koan study Zen |
Koan meditation used in all traditional monasteries and centers |
Xu Yun [1269] and successors |
| S |
Japanese Sotō School of Shikantaza meditation Zen |
traditional |
Dogen [1271] and successors |
| R |
Japanese Rinzai School of Koan study Zen |
Koan meditation used in all traditional monasteries and centers |
Hakuin [1270] and successors |
| V |
Vietnamese Lam Te (Rinzai) School of Koan study Zen |
Koan meditation used in all traditional monasteries and centers |
Nguyen Thieu [1268] and successors |
| @ |
Sotō School of Koan study plus Shikantaza meditation Zen |
Shikantaza meditaion used in select traditional Sotō monasteries and temples |
Harada Sogaku and successors |
| & |
Sanbo Kyodan/Sanbo (aka Harada-Yasutani) of Zen School |
Koan study fused with Shikantaza meditation used in all new Zen centers and groups of this new independent denomination |
Yasutani Hakuun and successors |
| # |
The Sotō School of Kuroda-Osaka-Maezumi (aka White Plum Asanga) Zen |
Koan study fused with Shikantaza meditation used in all new Zen centers and groups of this new branch of Sotō Zen |
Kuroda-Osaka-Maezumi and Maezumi's successors |
| Mnemonic code |
The Root School |
Originated within |
Lineage |
Founder and continuators |
Initial status |
Final status |
| BOD |
@ |
SNB |
Bodhi Sangha |
Samy A. and successors |
btw. 1986-2002: a branch of SNB [535] |
indep. lineage: 2002-present [355] |
| CDS |
& |
HDS |
California Diamond Sangha |
Tarrant J. and successors |
btw. 1987-1999 a branch of HDS & a sub-branch of SKY |
indep. lineage renamed PZS: 1999-present [773] |
| DMD |
& |
Diamond Sangha |
SKY |
Aitken R. and successors |
a branch of SKY until 1989? [src] |
indep. lineage: 1989?-present [src] |
| GLZ |
# |
DMD |
Glassman-Lassalle Zen Line (GLZL, Brantschen-Gyger Line) |
Brantschen N. and successors |
sub-branch od WPA: 2003 or 2004?-present [473]. |
n/a |
| HDS |
& |
SKY |
Honolulu Diamond Sangha |
Aitken R. and local successors |
a branch of SKY and DMD: btw. 1959-1989? [src] |
indep. lineage: 1989?-present [src] |
| HSO |
@ |
SOT |
Harada's Sotō Zen with Koans-plus-Shikantaza |
Harada D. S. and successors |
a variation of Sotō Zen practiced in some Sotō monasteries: 18??-present [src]. |
n/a |
| KAN |
# |
WPA |
Kanzeon Sangha |
Merzel D. and successors |
till 20011, a branch of WPA |
indep. lineage 2011-present [264] |
| OMZ |
# |
WAP |
Open Mind Zen |
Beck C. and successors |
indep. lineage: 1995-present [834] (Zen combining shikantaza, koans and Vipassana) [691] |
In 2008 some of the disaffected succesors renewed and reaffirmed their White Plum lineage and "transmission connection" [691] |
| OWZ |
@ |
HSO |
Open Way Zen |
Yamahata and successors |
a branch of HSO employing Koans-plus-Shikantaza |
n/a |
| PAZ |
& |
HDS |
Princeton Area Zen Group |
Steger M. and successors |
indep. lineage: 1991-present [801] |
n/a |
| PRA |
# |
WPA |
Prajna Mountain Buddhist Order |
Halifax J. and successors |
a branch of WPA: 2002-present [1278] |
n/a |
| PZS |
& |
CDS |
Pacific Zen School (fmr Pacific Zen Institute) |
Tarrant J. and successors |
indep. lineage: 1999-present [773] |
n/a |
| RCZ |
& |
SKY |
Rochester Zen Center |
Kapleau P. and successors. No-one in the RZC lineage [to tmc's knowledge as on 20 Aug 2025] received 'Inka' from a transmitted Roshi |
a branch SKY: 1966-1986 [src] |
indep. lineage: 1986-present [src]. |
| SKY |
& |
SOT with HSO flavour |
Sanbo Kyodan aka Harada-Yasutani |
Yasutani H. and successors |
the first lineage of the first independent Sotō-Rinzai Zen: under leadership of Yasutani H. 1954-1973 [273] and Yamada K., 1973-1985 [273a-d] |
(less centralised than the SNB under leadership of Kubota A. and successors: 1985-present [273a-d]) |
| SNB |
& |
SKY |
80 |
80 |
80 |
(more centralised than the SKY under leadership of Yasutani H. 1954-1973 [273] and Yamada K. 1973-1985 [273a-d]) |
| WPA |
# |
SOT & SKY |
White Plum Asanga aka Kuroda-Osaka-Maezumi School |
Maezumi T. and successors |
the first Koans and Shikantaza flavoured lineage of the Sotō Zen: 1979-present [658] |
n/a |
| ZPO |
# |
WPA |
Zen Peacemaker Order aka Zen Peacemakers, Zen Peacemakers Family |
Glassman, and successors |
a branch of the WPA: 1996-2006 [1273]. |
a lineage drifing away from the WPA: 2006-present [1273] |