Final answer:
The type of meditation associated with Buddha is Theravada Buddhism's practice, which focuses on meditation and concentration as a means to achieve enlightenment. Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, established Buddhism with meditation as its core after his own enlightenment, a tradition that continued particularly in Zen Buddhism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of meditation traced back to Buddha is most closely associated with Theravada Buddhism, which is considered the oldest branch of Buddhism. Theravada Buddhism, also known as the Teaching of the Elders, aims to follow the original teachings of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. Meditation and concentration are central in this tradition as they are seen as key practices in achieving enlightenment. The Buddha taught that meditation was a crucial part of the path to enlightenment, a conclusion he reached after his own profound meditative experience under a sacred fig tree.
Buddhism as a religion was established when Siddhartha, after achieving enlightenment and becoming the Buddha, started sharing his insights about overcoming suffering and breaking free of the cycle of rebirth, primarily through meditation. Particularly in the Zen tradition, which grew from Mahayana Buddhism, meditation is emphasized as the principal means to realize the illusory nature of the self and the world, bringing about enlightenment.