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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian religions > Religions of Indic & Oriental origin > Buddhism > Zen Buddhism
Here is a book you will appreciate even if you have read many
Buddhist books. This book expounds the Dharma in a very lucid way
and illuminates the Heart Sutra from Buddhism's apex of psychology
and philosophy. This book is a sharp weapon useful for cutting the
root of ignorance. It is one thing to talk about or read about the
meaning of life and quite another to move through the levels of
wisdom to actually live that meaning. Here you'll find a detailed
map of the journey to meaning.
Dogs, Trees, Beards and Other Wonders-- An irreverent and sometimes
humorous look at a major classic of Zen literature. Ken Tetsuzan, a
third generation American Dharma teacher, brings the Zen koan into
the Twenty-first Century. Zen has always refused to be bound by the
letter of Buddhist teachings but still remains true to the spirit.
This book is no exception. It will not only help the Zen student of
today see more clearly into the nature of the questions and their
relevance in a post-modern world, it will appeal to the general
reader who is looking for a first-hand introduction to the Zen koan
and all the questions embedded there.
The Buddha's Teaching directly addresses the problems of birth,
aging, sickness, and death, allowing its practitioners to transcend
affliction. It is therefore the highest form of compassion. The
heart of this teaching is Dhyana, sometimes called Zen or Chan. In
this heart of Buddhism, it is understood that the ultimate
compassion of the Buddha's Teaching is a self-evident truth that
that can be realized in this life. The heart of this teaching is
not foreign to Western mind because the fundamental human problems
of birth, aging, sickness, and death are not foreign. However, when
teachers' conduct and words do not match, there is a serious
problem. Should Zen teachers be immune to the results of their
actions, their transgressions buried to preserve teaching lines?
Master Laughing Cloud is a Western lay practitioner who writes from
the direct experience of more than forty years of arduous
bare-knuckled practice that took the form of Western Zen, Chinese
Chan, and, ultimately, Dhyana Buddhism. Taking The Buddha's
Teaching is an odyssey of unlikely beginnings, courageous
encounters, and overcoming betrayal through unrelenting practice.
This approachable and sincere autobiography illuminates the way to
realizing the nature of Self and Universe and how even when facing
adversity, one can be a light unto oneself. In this present-day
continuum of war, civil inequality, and financial instability, it
is the greatest of blessings to come to the open gate of The
Buddha's Teaching. If you aspire to fully enter The Great Way, this
book is indispensable reading.
The title says it all. Accessibly written, Zen Explained describes
the mystery that lies at the heart of Zen Buddhism. It clearly and
concisely says what nirvana (enlightenment) actually is, then goes
on to outline in plain English how the individual can attain
nirvana. This is a radical departure. Most Zen books are faithful
to the spirit of Zen as it was understood and written about in
Japan centuries ago. As a consequence they often have to be
deciphered more than read. Zen Explained is different. It speaks
using concepts and ideas familiar to Westerners. Poetic language
and culturally foreign allegory are avoided in favour of the more
direct and down-to-Earth descriptive style of writing that is more
usual in the West. Something is lost in terms of literary style
because of this, but something is also gained by it: clarity.
This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the
classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer
them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so
that everyone can enjoy them.
2012 Reprint of 1956 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original
edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. The
"Book of Tea" by Okakura Kakuz is a long essay linking the role of
tea (Teaism) to the aesthetic and cultural aspects of Japanese
life. Addressed to a western audience, it was originally written in
English and is one of the great English Tea classics. Okakura had
been taught at a young age to speak English and was proficient at
communicating his thoughts to the Western mind. In his book, he
discusses such topics as Zen and Taoism, but also the secular
aspects of tea and Japanese life. The book emphasizes how Teaism
taught the Japanese many things; most importantly, simplicity.
Kakuz argues that this tea-induced simplicity affected art and
architecture, and he was a long-time student of the visual arts. He
ends the book with a chapter on Tea Masters. This edition contains
a new forward and a biographical sketch augmenting the original
1906 edition.
Shunryu Suzuki Roshi founded the San Francisco Zen Center in 1962,
and after fifty years we have seen a fine group of Zen masters
trained in the west take up the mantle and extend the practice of
Zen in ways that might have been hard to imagine in those first
early years. Susan Murphy, one of Robert Aitken's students and
dharma heirs, is one of the finest in this group of young Zen
teachers. She is also a fine writer, and following on the teaching
of her Roshi she has engaged her spiritual work in the ordinary
world, dealing with the practice of daily life and with the
struggles of all beings.
We know that our earth is in crisis, but is the situation beyond
repair? Are we on a path of planetary disaster where the only
proper response is to prepare for our melancholic dystopian future?
Is there a way out of our suspicious cynicism?
In the tradition of Thomas Berry, using this spiritual opportunity
to change the very nature of our crisis, Susan Murphy offers a
profound message, subtly presented with clarity and assurance,
showing that engaged Buddhism provides a possible path to the
necessary repair and healing.
The object of this little book is to show how the Mahayanistic view
of life and of the world differs markedly from that of Hinayanism,
which is generally taken as Buddhism by Westerners, to explain how
the religion of Buddha has adapted itself to its environment in the
Far East, and also to throw light on the existing state of the
spiritual life of modern Japan.
Clear your head and relax. Replace annoyance with amusement. Enjoy
calm, clarity, humor, and patience.
Buddhism is not Zen. Mindfulness is not Zen. Zazen meditation is
not Zen. Zen is a name that began with Bodhidharma and includes the
Zen Patriarchs of China and the Masters that followed him, such as
Huang Po and Joshu and the others in the Mumonkan, and even Tung
Shan. They taught no practices, no means and no attainment. As
Joshu said, "We are all Patriarchs now that Bodhidharma has come."
The Zen conversation is characterized by several memes, one of
which is the Four Statements of Zen. These memes have largely been
abandoned by those who claim to be Zen Buddhists today. Other memes
include Negation (no teaching, no attainment, no wisdom), Zen
Dialogue or Dharma Combat, Conceptual Thought, and of course Sudden
Enlightenment. The Sudden Enlightenment meme is one of the most
ignored memes in Zen. The majority of those claiming to teach Zen
Buddhism are preaching the Buddhist religion. They preach a path to
inner peace, they preach mindfulness, and they put their faith in a
practice called zazen sitting meditation. They claim this is Zen.
What Zen Masters taught any of this? In contrast, even a brief
review of the Zen Masters that we all agree are the beginning of
the lineage, Huang Po, Joshu, Mumon, these old men teach no sitting
meditation, no inner peace, and only a sudden enlightenment that
does not rely on any means and cannot be attained through any
effort. This book contrasts the writings of the old Zen Masters
with those today who claim to be Zen Buddhists, but are not Zen.
A collection of dharma talks by Zen teacher Bonnie Myotai Treace,
Sensei touching on topics from koans to poetry, ancient Buddhist
masters to contemporary issues. Challenging yet accessible, will be
of interest to those new to Zen as well as seasoned practitioners.
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