What’s the difference between the religion Buddhism and Zen Buddhism?

LoveTheWayYouSmile:): What’s the difference between the religion Buddhism and Zen Buddhism?
I think both are sort of similar in a way that Buddhism believes in finding the truth in life while Zen Buddhism focuses on changing the way how a person thinks and it requires much concentration and imagination. am I right? this is what is written on our history book.

Will you please tell me what’s the difference?

Answers and Views:

Answer by k ṛ ṣ ṇ a
Turn inwards… Turn to Krishna…

“I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from me. The Wise who fully realize this engage in my devotional service and worship me with all their hearts.” (10.8)
“My pure devotees are absorbed in thoughts of me, and they experience fulfillment and bliss by enlightening one another and conversing about me.” (10.9)
“To those who are continually devoted and worship me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to me.” (10.10)
“Out of compassion for them, I, residing in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” (10.11)

Answer by Corey
The same thing as the difference between Christianity and Catholicism. Zen Buddhism is a kind of Buddhism (I’d hope the name would make that clear).

How is “changing the way a person thinks” exclusive of “finding the truth in life”?

Answer by JohnH
Zen (Ch’an) stresses the immediacy of the experience of enlightenment.
Buddhism also teaches that the path to the religious goal requires one to deny the self and
all egoistic grasping.

regards
JohnH

Answer by ☸Sotapanna☸
Buddhism can be divided into two distinct strands, Theravada- the elder’s way, and Mahayana- the higher way. Mahayana has many branches Zen is one of them.

I here assume you want the differences between Zen and Theravada.

Zen, I have read, believes in impermanence of many things, including Nirvana. Nibbhana, the concept in Threvada, is not bound by impermanence.

Zen also believes in sudden enlightenment, Threvada is in the belief that enlightenment is gradual process.

Koan is exclusive to Zen.