Based on a series of dharma talks, Warm Smiles from Cold Mountains explores the life of passionate commitment that lies at the heart of the formal practice of Zen meditation. Reb Anderson draws on over 30 years of experience as a Zen priest with stories covering a range of topics and concerns, from what it feels like to be a father, to the simple task of cleaning up a desk. At once inspirational and practical, Anderson bows to an ancient tradition as he helps to forge a modern-day Buddhism that urges us "to sit still in the middle of all living beings." This third edition adds two new chapters: "Suzuki Roshi's Teaching on Shikantaza" and "September 11: Letting Go of Hatred."

The Universe for Breakfast chronicles a journey of transformation in verse. Joy Magezis has been ordained as a member of the Core Community of the Order of Interbeing, established by Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. She was part of his official delegation to Vietnam, when Thich Nhat Hanh returned after 39 years of exile. A series of poems about the trip appear in this collection, as well as poems about her experiences practicing with the Sangha community in Britain and in Plum Village. Joy is an Usui Reiki Master and a UK Reiki Federation Master Teacher Member. She documents her experiences learning, using and teaching Reiki through a number of poems in this book. An international author and college lecturer, Joy's classic Women's Studies text has been translated into various languages including Russian and Chinese. Her novels have been published in both English and German

"An opportunity to peer even more deeply into Suzuki Roshi's Zen mind and ponder the true meaning and value of recognizing the non-dual in our ordinary lives. The repartee with his students is by itself a great and unexpected gift, reviving that charming voice and warm wisdom we grew to know and love so well through "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind"--Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of "Wherever You Go, There You Are and coauthor of "Everyday Blessings

"Suzuki Roshi's gentle wisdom shines through these intimate talks on the Sandokai. I am grateful to Mel Weitsman and Michael Wenger for their labor of love."--Robert Aitken, author of "Taking the Path of Zen and Original Dwelling Place

"Buddhists and lovers of Buddhism who have read and reread Suzuki Roshi's "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind over the years, as well as those who are just discovering the wisdom of this wonderful, profound teacher for the first time, will welcome this new book of lectures on Zen training as a gift we did not expect to receive. "Branching Streams should be read slowly and savored."--Rita M. Gross, author of "Buddhism After Patriarchy

"Through the poetry of knowing and doing, Shunryu Suzuki points out a path of practical wisdom for Americans today, in a voice so close at hand it can touch their inner experience of the interdependence of existence, open their ears to hear its harmony of difference and sameness, and awaken their willingness to be true to its mystery."--Stephen Tipton, co-author of "Habits of the Heart

"A wonderful manifestation of Suzuki Roshi's fresh insights and teachings--small, pithy, wild nuts delicious to anyone who chooses to taste them."--Peter Matthiessen "Muryo Roshi," author of "Sal Si Puedes(Escape If You Can)

Ruth Fuller Sasaki, who died in 1967, was a pivotal figure in the emergence and development of Zen Buddhism in the United States. She is the only Westerner--and the only woman--to be made a priest of a Daitoku-ji temple and was mentor to Burton Watson, Philip Yampolsky, and Gary Snyder, and mother-in-law of Alan Watts. This is the first biography of her remarkable life.
Few devoted their lives to Zen Buddhism as Ruth Fuller did. As a senior student of Sokei-an Sasaki in New York, Ruth helped him develop the infrastructure of what would eventually become The First Zen Institute in New York City. She married Sasaki in 1944, and it was her mission to maintain The First Zen Institute and later, to establish The First Zen Institute of America in Japan. Her legacy remains today in the Zen facilities she helped build in New York and abroad and in the many texts she saw through translation, published from the 1950s to the 1970s. For the first time in book form, three of her writings are included here--"Zen: A Religion", "Zen: A Method for Religious Awakening", and "Rinzai Zen Study for Foreigners in Japan".

This title provides a prominent Zen teacher's unique perspective on a Tibetan Buddhist practice made popular by Chogyam Trungpa and Pema Chodron."

This translation, supported by the Japan Foundation, makes a strong claim to be the definitive translation of the 95 chapter edition of Shobogenzo, the essential Japanese Buddhist text, written in the 13th century by Zen Master Dogen. The translation adheres closely to the original Japanese, with a clear style and extensive annotations. Book 1 presents translations of twenty-one chapters of Shobogenzo including Genjo-koan (The Realized Universe), Soku-shin-ze-butsu (Mind Here & Now is Buddha), Uji (Existence-Time), and Sansuigyo (The Sutra of Mountains & Water). Its several reference sections include a Chinese/English appendix of references to the Lotus Sutra, and an extensive Sanskrit glossary. 'At last I visited Zen Master Nyojo of Dai-byaku-ho mountain, and there I was able to complete the great task of a lifetime of practice. After that, at the beginning of the great Sung era of Shojo, I came home determined to spread the Dharma and to save living beings, it was as if a heavy burden had been placed on my shoulders....I will leave this record to people who learn in practice and are easy in the truth, so that they can know the right Dharma of the Buddha's lineage. This may be a true mission.'

This translation, supported by the Japan Foundation, makes a strong claim to be the definitive translation of the 95 chapter edition of Shobogenzo, the essential Japanese Buddhist text, written in the 13th century by Zen Master Dogen. Following Shobogenzo Books 1 and 2, the third book in this four-volume set contains chapters 42 to 72 from the 95-chapter edition, including: Tsuki (The Moon); Kuge (Flowers in Space); Mujo Seppo (All Things and Phenomena Preach Dharma); Kajo (Daily Life); and Zanmai-O-Zanmai (Samadhi, King of Samadhis). Book 3 maintains the highest standards of translation, with a clear style that rigorously follows the original words of Master Dogen. 'The first Patriarch, the Venerable Bodhidharma, after arriving from the west, passed nine years facing the wall at Shorin-ji temple on Shoshitsu-ho peak in the Sugaku mountains, sitting in Zazen in the lotus posture. From that time through to today, brains and eyes have pervaded China. The lifeblood of the first Patriarch is only the practice of sitting in the full lotus posture.'

The six essays in this volume all deal with the relationship of mystical experience to ordinary life. The title essay on "cosmic consciousness" includes the author's account of his own ventures into this inward realm. "Instinct, Intelligence, and Anxiety" is a study of the paradoxes of self-consciousness; "Spiritually and Sensuality," a lively discussion of the false opposition of spirit and matter; and "The New Alchemy," a balanced account of states of consciousness akin to spiritual experience induced by the aid of lysergic acid. The collection also includes the text of Watts' celebrated pamphlet, "Beat Zen, Square Zen, and Zen."

Intriguing encounters between Zen practitioners and samurai warriors are recaptured in this breviloquent collection of short stories drawn from the literature of feudal Japan. These encounters deal with the nature of immediacy and its role in understanding the essence of human existence. For the martial artist faced with a conflict, the Zen state of mind, without distractions and illusions, can determine the difference between life and death. The warrior experience, as revealed in these traditional stories, is retold in a style that is relevant and graspable to the contemporary American martial artist. No particular religious background is required to appreciate these stories, but rather a curiosity about what allows people to achieve extraordinary performance when faced with life and death circumstances. Zen ink paintings by John Hrabushi offer a meditative and intellectual "cross training" throughout the collection. Foreword by noted Aikido Shihan Lorraine DiAnne.

This translation, supported by the Japan Foundation, makes a strong claim to be the definitive translation of the 95 chapter edition of Shobogenzo, the essential Japanese Buddhist text, written in the 13th century by Zen Master Dogen. Following on from Shobogenzo Book 1, the second book in this four volume set contains chapters 22 to 41 from the 95-chapter edition, including these well-known chapters: Bussho (Buddha Nature); Daigo (Great Realization); Gyoji (Conduct and Observance); Inmo (This); and Shinjin-gakudo (Learning the Truth with Body and Mind). Book 2 maintains the highest standards of translation, with a clear style that rigorously follows the original words of Master Dogen. Ample footnotes, including Japanese and Chinese characters, explanatory text, and cross-references to other works, provide the reader with a wealth of supplementary information. Also included are a Sanskrit glossary of terms, and a list of Pinyin equivalents to the Japanese readings of Masters' names. 'The water is clean, right down to the ground, Fishes are swimming like fishes. The sky is wide, clear through to the heavens, And birds are flying like birds. ...children and grandchildren of the Buddhist patriarchs should unfailingly learn in practice that sitting in Zazen is the one great matter. This is the authentic seal which is received and transmitted one-to-one.'

We are, each man and woman, as a unique, glistening leaf. We spring from, we are the Tree which is this World. The Tree is wild, ever changing, the source of all that is. In life's twists and turns. rarely does it go, grow just as we might wish.

For many of us, the return of Zen conjures up images of rock gardens and gently flowing waterfalls. We think of mindfulness and meditation, immersion in a state of being where meaning is found through simplicity. Zen lore has been absorbed by Western practitioners and pop culture alike, yet there is a specific area of this ancient tradition that hasn't been fully explored in the West. Now, in "The" "Zen of Creativity, " American Zen master John Daido Loori presents a book that taps the principles of the Zen arts and aesthetic as a means to unlock creativity and find freedom in the various dimensions of our existence. Loori dissolves the barriers between art and spirituality, opening up the possibility of meeting life with spontaneity, grace, and peace.
Zen Buddhism is steeped in the arts. In spiritual ways, calligraphy, poetry, painting, the tea ceremony, and flower arranging can point us toward our essential, boundless nature. Brilliantly interpreting the teachings of the artless arts, Loori illuminates various elements that awaken our creativity, among them "still point," the center of each moment that focuses on the tranquility within; "simplicity," in which the creative process is uncluttered and unlimited, like a cloudless sky; "spontaneity," a way to navigate through life without preconceptions, with a freshness in which everything becomes new;" mystery, "a sense of trust in the unknown;" creative feedback, " the systematic use of an audience to receive noncritical input about our art;" art koans, " exercises based on paradoxical questions that can be resolved only through artistic expression. Loori shows how these elements interpenetrate and function not only in art, but in all our endeavors.
Beautifully illustrated and punctuated with poems and reflections from Loori's own spiritual journey, "The" "Zen of Creativity" presents a multilayered, bottomless source of insight into our creativity. Appealing equally to spiritual seekers, artists, and veteran Buddhist practitioners, this book is perfect for those wishing to discover new means of self-awareness and expression--and to restore equanimity and freedom amid the vicissitudes of our lives.

"From the Hardcover edition."

Enlightenment is within reach -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you're searching for revelation and contentment, look no further than a handshake, a cup of coffee -- even your laundry pile. The most mundane details of life contain zen's profound truths, if you're of the mind to look for them.

By awakening to and embracing the zen in your life, you'll listen, watch, eat, work, laugh, sleep, and breathe your way to truth -- every moment of every day.

In this text from a lecture originally given in 1981, Norbu Rinpoche discusses the relationship between Zen Buddhism and the various forms of Buddhism that developed in Tibet. Both are direct, non-gradual approaches to Buddhist teaching that continue to be practiced in the West. "The principle of the Dzog-chen teaching is the self-perfectedness, the already-being-perfect of every individual. Self-perfectedness means that the so-called objective is nothing else than the manifestation of the energy of the primordial state of the individual himself. An individual who practices Dzog-chen must possess clear knowledge of the principle of energy and what it means." Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche is a Tibetan lama, who from 1964 to 1994, taught at the University of Naples, Italy. He has done extensive research into the historical origins of Tibetan culture and has conducted teaching retreats throughout Europe, the United States, and South America, giving instruction in Dzog-chen practices in a non-sectarian format.

Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki's "The Training of the Zen Buddhist Monk" invites you to step inside the mysterious world of the Zendo, where monks live their lives in simplicity. Suzuki, best known as the man who brought Zen classics to the West, sheds light on all phases of a monk's experience, from being refused admittance at the door to finally understanding the meaning of one's "koan." Suzuki explains the initiation ceremony, the act of begging, and the life of prayers, meditation, and service.

This little work is a collection of some of the lectures delivered by the Right Reverend Soyen Shaku during his sojourn in Japan. He lectured on the Sutra of Forty-two Chapters, and naturally chose the texts for his sermons from this most popular among the canonical books. Partial Contents: Sutra of forty-two chapters; God conception; assertions and denials; immortality; Buddhist faith and ethics; What is Buddhism? middle way; wheel of the good law; reply to a Christian critic; ignorance and enlightenment; practice of Dhyana; Buddhism and oriental culture; sacrifice for a stanza; Buddhist view of war.

The author began the practice of Zen meditation a decade ago under the tutelage of a Jesuit priest. This book is the fruit of his spiritual journey. Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh were and are two of the foremost spiritual writers of their times. They met only once. "Individually," says Robert King, "they are important, but considered together they may be even more significant. For although their lives developed independently of one another and took quite different forms, they shed light on each other in wonderful and unexpected ways. What binds the two is the theme of contemplation and action - a form of religious practice that could serve as a unifying paradigm for the world's religions in an age of globalization".

"The Way of the Living Sword" is the final installment in D.E. Tarver's popular "Warrior Series," It stands beside "The Book of Five Rings" by Miyamoto Musashi as one of the greatest writings of the warrior mind.

In "The Way of the Living Sword," Munenori gives an in-depth explanation of the connection between physical martial arts and the mental process of Zen. While Munenori and Musashi were both avid students of Zen, Munenori was more fascinated by the academic aspects of the philosophy.

Munenori stretches the consciousness of even the most enlightened martial artist. Martial arts devotees will experience many flashes of revelation as Tarver explores the various aspects of Munenori's approach.

Read and grow!

Under its unique abbot Kosho Uchiyama, the small Zen temple of Antaji in Kyoto becamne a magnet for serious non-Japanese practitioners, and played a crucial role in the transmission of Zen to America in particular. This book combines the life stories and teaching of five teachers - Sawaki Kodo, Yokoyama Sodo, Kato Kosho, Ikebe Motoko and Uchiyama - associated with Antaiji and the story of the author and other western students coming to grips with Zen, Japanese culture and themselves. The deification of Zen teachers by their followers has been a serious problem in American Zen; this book provides a healthy antidote, presenting four men and one woman who have lived and died in Zazen within the rich context of their personal lives and their culture, so that we can fully understand what makes a Zen master in Japan.

"Shoes Outside the Door is a not only a fine history of the San Francisco Zen Center and Zen in the United States, it is a cautionary tale, valuable to anyone embarked on a spiritual practice." --San Jose Mercury News. Eastern tradition collides with Western individualism in this provocative and compulsively readable investigation of Buddhism, American-style. A genuine spiritual movement becomes strangely entangled with elitist aesthetics, the culture of celebrity, multi-million-dollar investment portfolios, sex scandals, and an unsolved crime.Told Rashomon-fashion by a singular mix of hippies, millionaires, intellectuals, and lost souls whose lives are almost unbelievably intertwined, Shoes Outside the Door is the first book to examine the inner workings of the profoundly influential San Francisco Zen Center. In exploring the history of the most important institution in American Buddhism, author Michael Downing provocatively captures the profound ambivalence of people who earnestly seek both inner peace and worldly satisfaction.

A translation of the classic "Denkoroku" by one of the premier translators of Buddhist and Taoist texts illustrates how to arrive at the epiphanic Zen awakening known as "satori." The essential initiatory experience of Zen, satori is believed to open up the direct perception of things as they are. "Even if you sit until your seat breaks through, even if you persevere mindless of fatigue, even if you are a person of lofty deeds and pure behavior, if you haven't reached this realm of satori, you still can't get out of the prison of the world." Deliberately cultivated and employed to awaken the dormant potency of the mind, satori is said to be accessible to all people, transcending time, history, culture, race, gender, and personality. Attributed to the thirteenth-century Zen Master Keizan (1268-1325), "Transmission of Light" (along with "The Blue Cliff Record" and "The Gateless Barrier ")" "is one of three essential koan texts used by Zen students. Techniques for reaching the enlightening experience of satori are revealed through fifty-three short tales about the awakenings of successive generations of masters, beginning with the twelfth-century Zen master Ejo, dharma heir to Dogen. The translator's introduction establishes the context for "Transmission of Light" within the Zen canon and elucidates central themes of the work, including the essential idea that genuine satori "is not the end of Zen; it is more properly the true beginning."

"Zen Letters " presents the teachings of the great Chinese master Yuanwu (1063-1135) in direct person-to-person lessons, intimately revealing the inner workings of the psychology of enlightenment. These teachings are drawn from letters written by Yuanwu to various fellow teachers, disciples, and lay students--to women as well as men, to people with families and worldly careers as well as monks and nuns, to advanced adepts as well as beginning students. A key figure of Zen history, Yuanwu is best known as the author of "The Blue Cliff Record. " His letters, here in English for the first time, are among the treasures of Zen literature.

Koans are at the very heart of Zen practice; this collection of informal koan talks will bring the Zen student into the presence of Roshi Philip Kapleau, the famous author of "The Three Pillars of Zen ." The talks in this collection came directly from the "zendo" (training hall) and from the intense form of practice known as "sesshin," a Japanese word meaning "to train the mind." These are direct presentations of the practice and understanding of one of the century's greatest American masters.
These Zen talks focus on koans that illuminate fundamental issues of the spiritual life. While koans may be said to be uniquely Zen, in Roshi Kapleau's talks they become as familiar, everyday, and relevant as the questions we ponder--in one form or another--all our lives. Why was I born? Why must I die? How can I find an end to suffering?
The book has three main sections. As Zen begins with the Buddha's life and enlightenment, the three "teishos "(talks) in Part One are each drawn from an incident in the life of the Buddha. Since Zen in the West is a lay movement, not a monastic one as it is in Japan, Part Two presents koans and commentary drawn from the lives of three great lay figures in Zen. Part Three contains five teishos on traditional koans that reflect fundamental concerns common to all of us, man or woman, monastic or lay, Buddhist or otherwise: What is the road to enlightenment? What will happen to me when I die?