This book offers an in-depth introduction to the philosophy and practice of Zen Buddhism. Bret Davis explores the philosophical implications of Zen teachings and koans, comparing and contrasting these with other Asian as well as Western religions and philosophies. He relates traditional Zen teachings and practices to our twenty-first century lives. In addition to being a scholarly and philosophical introduction to Zen, the book provides concrete instructions for beginning a practice of Zen meditation. Its twenty-four chapters treat such philosophical topics as the self, nature, art, morality, and language, as well as basic Buddhist teachings such as the middle way and karma. Davis introduces the Zen based philosophies of the Kyoto School and also engages in interreligious dialogue with Christianity and other religions, as well as with other schools of Buddhism. The concluding chapter reviews the path of Zen practice and enlightenment by way of commenting on the beloved Zen classic, The Ten Oxherding Pictures. The book can be read in its entirety as a coherently organized introduction to the philosophy and practice of Zen, or chapters can be read independently according to the reader's specific interests.

Constant self-blame for past mistakes, setbacks, or failures and being unable to forgive others for the pain and hardship they have caused us are inner pains which we may not easily be able to overcome. But with the power of enlightenment, which author Ryuho Okawa explains in a modern and easy-to-understand language, we can learn to forgive ourselves as well as others, solve any problems in life and courageously open up a brighter future. In this powerful book, Okawa explains how to govern our own minds and regain our true selves as spiritual beings. According to the author, our mind can be attuned to the great universe and we can become one with the Great Being through the practices of self reflection, meditation and prayer. In this way we can enjoy a free and peaceful state of mind in any given circumstance. This book also emphasizes the importance of balancing the cultivation of spirituality and worldly skills, so we can strengthen the power of our influence to bring happiness to many. By reading this book, you will be able to find positive and profound meaning in your life and play a proactive role in creating a better world.

While we are more and more familiar with popular ideas of enlightenment and spiritual awakening, life still comes at us full force, and hope can turn to frustration as the gulf between our spiritual belief and our everyday life seems to loom ever larger. Through spirited Q&A sessions with Zen master Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi, 'The Heart of Zen' takes a gradual, step-by-step approach to what has become a vexing problem in spiritual circles.

This Centenary Commemorative Edition also includes two lesser known works Buddha and the Intuition of the Universal and Techniques of Timeless Realization. The volume is complemented by a detailed Glossary, an Index, an Original Foreword by Aldous Huxley (1955), an Original Preface by Swami Siddheswarananda (1955), and a Contemporary Foreword by Professor Asanga Tilakaratne. Benoits writings on the human predicament and the path to inner freedom were influenced by his studies in Zen Buddhism and psychoanalysis. There is, as well, an evident dialogue in Benoits writings between the Gurdjieff teaching and Zen, with insightful ideas about universal laws, inner work, the human machine, and work in life. The Supreme Doctrine and The Realization of the Self foreshadow contemporary transpersonal and integral psychology: through the re-integration of psychology and metaphysics, Benoit invites us to make our own journey toward spiritual transformation and the intuitive understanding of universal truths. This Centenary Commemorative Edition also includes two lesser known works Buddha and the Intuition of the Universal and Techniques of Timeless Realization. The volume is complemented by a detailed Glossary, an Index, an Original Foreword by Aldous Huxley (1955), an Original Preface by Swami Siddheswarananda (1955), and a Contemporary Foreword by Professor Asanga Tilakaratne.

Charlotte Joko Beck offers a warm, engaging, uniquely American approach to using Zen to deal with the problems of daily living--love, relationships, work, fear, ambition, and suffering. "Everyday Zen" shows us how to live each moment to the fullest. This Plus edition includes an interview with the author.

Tokyo Boogie-woogie and D.T. Suzuki seeks to understand the tensions between competing cultures, generations, and beliefs in Japan during the years following World War II, through the lens of one of its best known figures and one of its most forgotten. Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki (D.T. Suzuki) was a prolific scholar and translator of Buddhism, Zen, and Chinese and Japanese philosophy and religious history. In the post-war years, he was a central figure in the introduction of Buddhism to the United States and other English-language countries, frequently traveling and speaking to this end. His works helped define much of these interpretations of 'Eastern Religion' in English, as well as shape views of modern Japanese Buddhism. However, against this famous figure is a largely unknown or forgotten shape: Suzuki Alan Masaru. Alan was D.T. Suzuki's adopted son and, though he remained within his father's shadow, is mostly known as the lyricist of the iconic 60's pop hit Tokyo Boogie Woogie. Perhaps due to his frequent scandals and the fraught nature of the relationship, he remains unmentioned and unstudied by scholars and historians. Yet by exploring the nature of the relationship between these two, Professor Yamada digs into the conflicting memories and experiences of these generations in Japan.

While many experts point to the enormous complexity in addressing issues ranging from the destruction of ecosystems to the loss of millions of species, Hanh identifies one key issue as having the potential to create a tipping point--rethinking the concept of Oenvironment.O

D.T. Suzuki (1870-1966) reached global fame for his writings on Zen Buddhism. In this introduction to his theories of self, knowledge, and the world, Suzuki is presented as a Buddhist philosopher in his own right. Beginning with a biography of his life providing the historical context to his thought and discussing Suzuki's influences, chapters cover the Zen notion of the non-self and Suzuki's Zen view of consciousness, language, and religious truths. His ideas about philosophy and radical views on rationality and faith come to life in two new complete translations of The Place of Peace in our Heart (1894) and Religion and Science (1949), which helps us to understand why Suzuki's description of Zen attracted the attention of many leading intellectuals and helped it become a household name in the English-speaking world. Offering the first complete overview of Suzuki's approach, reputation, and legacy as a philosopher, this is for anyone interested in the philosophical relevance and development of Mahayana Buddhism today.

In this follow-up to his much loved Stoep Zen, Antony Osler takes a trip down the lesser-known back roads of the Karoo, from Kimberley to Colesberg, finding divinity in the dust and a Buddha in every pothole. We are all of us on our way home and, as Osler’s journey teaches us, as long as our eyes and hearts are open we belong wherever we go. In this way, however far we travel, our true home is always where we are. With gentle wisdom and deep compassion, Osler connects with the people he meets along the way and shares their stories, past and present, as well as his own personal history and insights. The road is sprinkled with his special brand of poetry and interwoven with a fresh telling of the tale of Gotama, the man who would become Buddha. Whether on familiar terrain or new territory, Osler never loses his sense of wonder. And he doesn’t shy away from the conundrums of a country in flux. Instead, he delights in the ordinary and infuses it with grace. Each encounter is a gift and his generosity in sharing these stories will become a treasure on every bookshelf.

'The perfect guide for a course correction in life' Deepak Chopra For decades, people have turned to the inspiring words of pioneering Zen scholar Alan Watts for guidance, support and spiritual sustenance. In this thought-provoking collection of aphorisms and quotations, Watts reminds us all to slow down, to recognize we are not the universe but part of it and to enjoy each moment that composes our lives. This is a timeless work to reflect upon, to live by and to read for inspiration, knowledge and growth.

Philip Whalen was an American poet, Zen Buddhist, and key figure in the literary and artistic scene that unfolded in San Francisco in the 1950s and '60s. When the Beat writers came West, Whalen became a revered, much-loved member of the group. Erudite, shy, and profoundly spiritual, his presence not only moved his immediate circle of Beat cohorts, but his powerful, startling, innovative work would come to impact American poetry to the present day. Drawing on Whalen's journals and personal correspondence - particularly with Ginsberg, Kerouac, Snyder, Kyger, Welch, and McClure - David Schneider shows how deeply bonded these intimates were, supporting one another in their art and their spiritual paths. Schneider, himself an ordained priest, provides an insider's view of Whalen's struggles and breakthroughs in his thirty years as a Zen monk. When Whalen died in 2002 as the retired Abbot of the Hartford Street Zen Center, his own teacher referred to him as a patriarch of the Western lineage of Buddhism. Crowded by Beauty chronicles the course of Whalen's life, focusing on his unique, eccentric, humorous, and literary-religious practice.

Learn how to create a tranquil outdoor space at home with this practical and inspiring guide! With instructive drawings and step-by-step techniques, Inside Your Japanese Garden walks you through designing and creating your very own Japanese garden. From small projects like benches and gates, to larger undertakings like bridges and mud walls, this book provides a wide variety of ways to enhance the space around your home, no matter the size. Instructions on how to work with stone, mud and bamboo--as well as a catalogue of the 94 plant varieties used in the gardens shown in the book--round out this complete guide. This book also features 19 gardens that author Sadao Yasumoro has designed and built in Japan, and some--like those at Visvim shop in Tokyo and at Yushima Tenjin in Tokyo--are open to the public. From small tsuboniwa courtyard gardens to a large backyard stroll garden with water features, stairs and walls, these real-life inspirations will help spark your own garden plan. These inspirational garden projects include: Tea Garden for an Urban Farmhouse featuring a clay wall with a split-bamboo frame and a stone base The Landslide That Became a Garden with a terraced slope, trees, bushes, long grasses and moss A Buddha's Mountain Retreat of Moss and Stone with vertical-split bamboo and brushwood fencing Paradise in an Urban Jungle with a pond, Japanese-style bridge, and stone lanterns Each garden is beautifully photographed by Hironori Tomino and many have diagrams and drawings to show the essential elements used in the planning and construction.

These are unique stories of timeless wisdom and understanding from the Zen Masters. With rich and fascinating tales of swords, tigers, tea, flowers and dogs, the writings of the Masters challenge every perception - and seek to bring all readers closer to enlightenment. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

This is a collection of powerful and inspiring teachings in an appealing, convenient pocket-size book from one of today's most important and beloved spiritual teachers, the Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Next to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh is the best-known Buddhist teacher in the world, and his teachings have touched millions.

Thich Nhat Hanh is known for his warm, generous, and joyful teaching style that makes his wisdom remarkably accessible and resonant to readers from all backgrounds. These selected writings are drawn from Thich Nhat Hanh's many published works and provide a wonderful overview of his teachings. This reader covers the main themes that Thich Nhat Hanh has addressed as a Buddhist teacher: mindfulness in our daily lives, Buddhism and enlightenment, working with emotions and relationships, and transforming society (engaged Buddhism).

Only once in the history of human consciousness, says Osho, has a thing like Zen come into being. In "Zen: Its History and Teachings, " the noted mystic explains that Zen has no rituals, no chanting, no mantras, no scriptures -- only short, evocative parables and teachings that make it ideal for the modern seeker. Using his characteristic humorous, encouraging style, Osho guides readers through the origins and development of this seminal spiritual tradition that is neither religion nor dogma nor creed. He provides a context for those who have not been born into the Zen tradition, introducing them to its timeless approach to existence. The book argues that the only preparation for fully experiencing Zen's power is meditative awareness, and Osho presents simple techniques to achieve this awareness. Stunning color photographs throughout offer further inspiration and illumination.

'Thich Nhat Hanh shows us the connection between personal, inner peace and peace on earth' The Dalai Lama How do we say what we truly mean? How can we learn to listen with compassion and understanding? How do we find true connection with one another? Celebrated Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh shares the five steps to truly mindful communication. Drawing on his experience working with couples, families, colleagues and even on international conflict, the world's most famous monk has created a simple guide to communicating with yourself, others and the world. 'The monk who taught the world mindfulness' Time

Zen master Julian Daizan Skinner guides the reader through a sequence of meditation techniques that can safely lead even a complete novice through to advanced levels. Based on his own long experience of the Rinzai Zen tradition, as taught by the great seventeenth-century masters, Hakuin and Bankei, Daizan highlights the key points for success and addresses the pitfalls. Structured around a traditional teaching framework called "The two wings of a bird," Daizan clearly lays-out how these methods build and combine to create a transformative and sustaining practice. The book contains an extremely useful section describing the experiences of western practitioners who have successfully applied this framework within the pressures of modern life. The final section features key source texts in translation, making the book a complete introduction and guide to Zen meditation. The work of a master, the book speaks at a deep level, with utmost simplicity.

'The perfect guide for a course correction in life' Deepak Chopra To be forever looking beyond is to remain blind to what is here In this engaging and enduring work, pioneering Zen scholar Alan Watts examines humanity's place in the natural world and the spirit's connection to the body. Drawing on the precepts of Taoism, Watts offers an alternative vision of our place in the universe that will revolutionise the way you think, feel and live.

If, as Buddhism claims, the potential for awakening exists in all human beings, we should be able to map the phenomenon with the same science we apply to other forms of consciousness. A student of cognitive social science and a Zen practitioner for more than forty years, Richard P. Boyle brings his sophisticated perspective to bear on the development of a theoretical model for both ordinary and awakened consciousness. Boyle conducts probing interviews with eleven prominent Western Buddhist teachers (Shinzen Young, John Tarrant, Ken McLeod, Ajahn Amaro, Martine Batchelor, Shaila Catherine, Gil Fronsdal, Stephen Batchelor, Pat Enkyo O'Hara, Bernie Glassman, and Joseph Goldstein) and one scientist (James Austin) who have experienced awakening. From the paths they traveled to enlightenment and their descriptions of the experience, he derives three fundamental properties of awakened consciousness. He then constructs an overarching model that explains how Buddhist practices help free the mind from attachments to reality and the self and make possible the three properties of awakening. Specifically, these teachers describe how they worked to control attention and quiet the mind, detach from ideas and habits, and open themselves to compassion. Boyle's account incorporates current theories of consciousness, sociological insights, and research in neuroscience to advance the study of awakened consciousness and help an even greater number of people to realize it.

The Book of Tea describes all aspects of the Japanese tea ceremony and explains how its rituals blend seamlessly with traditional Japanese life.

Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition has an afterword by Anna Sherman and delightful illustrations by Sayuri Romei.

This short book, written in English by a Japanese scholar and artist, was first published in 1906 at a time when Japan was opening up to Western culture. In response to that, Okakura Kakuzo set out to explain the beauty and simplicity of Japanese daily life which was greatly inspired by teaism. He describes in detail the different aspects of the tea ceremony, how it was founded, the role of the tea masters, the architecture of the tea-room and the stages of making and serving the tea. He then goes on to explain the connection between Taoism and Zennism with tea and he also writes chapters on art appreciation and the art of flower arranging.

Practical Buddhist Teachings of Wisdom and Compassion. The Challenge of the Mind is a modern guide to the essential teachings of Buddha. Ryuho Okawa shows how we can apply Buddha's essential teachings to cultivate deep wisdom and compassion to promote a happy and peaceful life. Presenting the essential tenets of the law of cause and effect, meditation, transcendental wisdom, egolessness, the middle way, the relationship between enlightenment and spiritual powers, and the nature of karma, The Challenge of the Mind is a contemporary guide to succinctly frame Buddhist teachings.

Zen Buddhism is often said to be a practice of "mind-to-mind transmission" without reliance on texts -- in fact, some great teachers forbid their students to read or write. But Buddhism has also inspired some of the greatest philosophical writings of any religion, and two such works lie at the center of Zen: The Heart Sutra, which monks recite all over the world, and The Diamond Sutra, said to contain answers to all questions of delusion and dualism. This is the Buddhist teaching on the "perfection of wisdom" and cuts through all obstacles on the path of practice.

As Red Pine explains: "The Diamond Sutra may look like a book, but it's really the body of the Buddha. It's also your body, my body, all possible bodies. But it's a body with nothing inside and nothing outside. It doesn't exist in space or time. Nor is it a construct of the mind. It's no mind. And yet because it's no mind, it has room for compassion. This book is the offering of no mind, born of compassion for all suffering beings. Of all the sutras that teach this teaching, this is the diamond."

Who are you? When are you? What were you conscious of a moment ago? This groundbreaking book sees acclaimed psychologist Susan Blackmore combining the latest scientific theories about mind, self, and consciousness with a lifetime s practice of Zen. Framed by ten critical questions derived from Zen teachings and designed to expand your understanding and experience of consciousness, Zen and the Art of Consciousness doesn t offer final - or easy - answers, but instead provides an inspiring exploration of how intellectual enquiry and meditation can tackle some of today s greatest scientific mysteries.