One of the three principal branches of Japanese Zen Buddhism.
Founded in Japan 1655, this branch of Zen has particularly influenced artists, writers, and scholars..
Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Chinese Repository. From Japanese Ōbaku (more fully Ōbaku-shu Obaku sect) from the name of Mount Obaku (Japanese Ōbaku-san), given by the Chinese monk known in Japanese as Ingen to the mountain near Kyoto where he founded the sect.