The Buddhist school traditionally associated with the meditation practice called zazen is Zen Buddhism.
Zazen means “seated meditation” in Japanese. It is a central practice in Zen, where practitioners sit with upright posture and cultivate awareness, concentration, and insight. The exact method varies among Zen schools. Some emphasize simply sitting, while others combine meditation with koan study or other disciplines.
Zen developed from the Chinese Chan tradition, which traces its conventional lineage to the Indian monk Bodhidharma. Chan later spread to Korea, Vietnam, and Japan, where it became known as Seon, Thiền, and Zen respectively.
Zazen is not identical to every form of Buddhist meditation. Theravada traditions commonly emphasize practices such as samatha and vipassana, while Pure Land traditions center devotional practices connected with Amitabha Buddha. Zen itself also includes chanting, ritual, ethical training, and teacher-student instruction.