Koans are an indispensable tool on the path to enlightenment. They reveal Truth through presenting the reader with a paradox that can only be solved by changing one's attitudes. The venerable Koans of the past, those that have been handed down through the generations are written in the language of the past. The reader needs to be able to fully enter into that archaic language if they are to benefit. This book re-represents the Koans in modern language, accessible to all. It will not please the traditionalists, but it will make the wisdom contained therein accessible to a whole new generation of seeker. Each koan encapsulates a profound truth for reflection. Zen counsels the lessening of the ego, not the strengthening of it as consumer culture would urge. Instead of making a name for ourselves in society, we should listen to the voice of pines and cedars when no wind stirs, in other words become no-thing, entering instead the field of pure being that is behind the phenomenal world.

Best known as the man who brought Zen classics to the West, Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki sheds light on all phases of a monk's experience, from being initially refused admittance at the Zendo's door to the definitive understanding the meaning of one's koan as the final act of ordinance into Zen priesthood. The Training of the Zen Buddhist Monk invites us inside the mysterious world of the Zendo, where monks live their lives in monastic simplicity. Suzuki reveals the subtle intricacies of the initiation ceremony, a monk's duty to beg among the laity, and he explains the spiritual remuneration of prayer & meditation as well as a life of service to others.Initially published in 1934, this exceptional hardcover edition contains handsome illustrations of diverse scenes from the life training of a Zen monk.DAISETZ TEITARO SUZUKI (1870-1966) was Japanese author who wrote essays and books on topics such as Buddhism, Zen, and Shin. His books played a role in making the west more knowledgeable with Far Eastern philosophy. He taught at western schools as well as Japanese schools. He was also a translator of Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit.

The Zen Follies, by Fil Lewitt, with plenty of B & W photos and drawings of zenbos, oddballs, and unusual locations, takes a close, sometimes ironic and often funny look at the business and pleasures of Zen Buddhism, and tells through stories, essays, autobiography, and some poetry the path one person took to find the Way, and what happened along the way. The book is aimed at the general reader with no special knowledge of Zen. Lewitt has been practicing Zen Buddhist meditation for more than forty years, and now in his 70th year, was ready to write about it. He spent 1972 as a student/monk at Tassajara Monastery deep in the coastal range of central California, and founded and helped direct a small Zen Buddhist community, Big River Farm Sangha, in Mendocino, California, during the 70s and 80s.

THE ORAL TRANSMISSIONS OF THE 52 SOTO ZEN ANCESTORS: Shakyamuni Buddha founded the path of the successive 52 Soto Zen Ancestors when he awakened to the Way. The transmissions of the teachings to the 52 Ancestors in Zen Buddhist Tradition were never meant to reach the eyes of laymen. 'The Denkoroku: The Record of the Transmission of Light' was originally written only for the eyes of Zen monks. Shasta Abbey's late Abbess, Jiyu Kennett, who translated the text into English often said that the long sentences used in Zen would likely annoy American readers. But she made the decision to share some of the deeper teachings of Zen with the lay public even if they were unable to penetrate into the deeper meaning of the words. This book gives you an overview and insight into a subject otherwise only understood through lengthy study. (For more info - www.outofbodytravel.org)

This is a complete explanation of Zen practice written by one of the most eminent masters of pre-modern Japan. The author, Torei Enji (1721-1792), was best known as one of two "genius assistants" to Hakuin Ekaku, who was himself a towering figure in Zen Buddhism who revitalized the Rinzai school. Torei was responsible for much of the advanced work of Hakuin's later disciples and also helped systemize Hakuin's teachings. "The Undying Lamp of Zen" includes a range of principles and practices, from the most elementary to the most advanced. It is an indispensable aid to the practice of Rinzai Zen, and provides an accessible entree to the Zen experience in general. Torei is a compelling guide; his tone is energetic, no-nonsense, and full of personality.
Premier translator Thomas Cleary provides a thorough introduction and illuminating footnotes throughout, and his masterful translation allows Torei's distinctive voice to shine through.

On a beautiful spring day in 2002, Lee Carlson's life was transformed forever when he was hit by a careless, speeding driver. Father, husband, writer, son all that was about to change. Several days later he woke up in a hospital with a new identity: Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor. Unfortunately he knew all about Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI. Just months before, his mother had fallen down a flight of basement stairs, crushing her brain and leaving her unable to walk, speak or feed herself. Passage to Nirvana tells the story of one person's descent into the hell of losing everything: family, home, health, even the ability to think and the slow climb back to a normal life. Told in a unique creative style brought on by the author's brain injury, combining short poems and essays in an interwoven, exuberant narrative, Passage to Nirvana recounts one person s struggle and ultimate joy at building a new life. The story takes the reader through Intensive Care Units, doctors offices and a profusion of therapy centers, eventually winding its way to sunlit oceans, quiet Zen meditation halls, white beaches, azure skies and a sailboat named Nirvana. Passage to Nirvana is a memoir, a treasury of Zen teachings and a sailor s yarn all rolled into one. Passage to Nirvana is an illustrative tale about finding a path to happiness after a traumatic life event, a book that will teach you about the Poetry of Living.

Zen koans are stories of exchanges between Zen masters and their disciples at the moment of enlightenment or near-enlightenment. These stories have long fascinated Western readers because of their wisdom, humor, and enigmatic quality. Drawing on over 30 years of practice and teaching, Richard Shrobe (himself a recognized Zen Master) has selected 22 cases from "The Blue Cliff Record" and "Wu-men-kuan" that he finds deeply meaningful and helpful for meditation practice. In "Elegant Failure, " he provides a wealth of background information and personal anecdotes for each koan that help to illuminate its meaning without detracting from its paradoxical nature. As Shrobe reminds us, "The main core of Zen teaching is the bare bones of what is there. In a certain sense, embellishing a story takes away from the central teaching: Don't embellish anything, just be with it as it is."

Extending their successful series of collections on Zen Buddhism, Heine and Wright present a fifth volume, on what may be the most important topic of all - Zen Masters. Following two volumes on Zen literature (Zen Classics and The Zen Canon) and two volumes on Zen practice (The Koan and Zen Ritual) they now propose a volume on the most significant product of the Zen tradition - the Zen masters who have made this kind of Buddhism the most renowned in the world by emphasizing the role of eminent spiritual leaders and their function in establishing centers, forging lineages, and creating literature and art. Zen masters in China, and later in Korea and Japan, were among the cultural leaders of their times. Stories about their comportment and powers circulated widely throughout East Asia. In this volume ten leading Zen scholars focus on the image of the Zen master as it has been projected over the last millennium by the classic literature of this tradition. Each chapter looks at a single prominent master. Authors assess the master's personality and charisma, his reported behavior and comportment, his relationships with teachers, rivals and disciplines, lines of transmission, primary teachings, the practices he emphasized, sayings and catch-phrases associated with him, his historical and social context, representations and icons, and enduring influences.

"while the poems in this volume certainly stand alone, experienced as a sequence, they transport you on a spirited, worthwhile journey: a journey in which, you will recognize yourself-encouraged, empowered, enlightened, and smiling inside and out, a journey where the greatest human mysteries just seem matter of fact-transparent. the thinking here is all so clear and true, it sounds simple. this is poetry so straightforward, prose lovers will enjoy it, and poetry lovers will discover craftsmanship so solid and steady that it feels effortless. one simply cannot imagine a better way to say what these words do. truth told in such an understandable and fresh voice, this is poetry that will be remembered." kathy hirshon, artist

So striking were the replies of Joshu (778-897 CE) to students' questions, that it was said that his "lips emitted light." His saysing were extremely influential throughout the Zen tradition and are included in many koan anthologies. Now here is the first full English translation of his sayings, lectures, dialogues, poems, and records from his pilgimages. The translation aims for readability rather than literalness; helpful notes illustrate features from the Chinese that might not be evident in English. A historical introudction by the translator a short biography of Joshu, and a useful glossary make The Recorded Sayings of Zen Master Joshu an invaluable text for any student of Zen Buddhism.

2010 Facsimile of the 1932 Edition. Goddard compiled a collection of favorite texts of the Zen Sect of Buddhism. Includes a History of Zen Buddhism, Self-Realization of Noble Wisdom, The Diamond Sutra, The Prajna Paramita Sutra, the Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch. Edited and interpreted by Dwight Goddard.

When Roshi Philip Kapleau returned to the United States in 1966, after thirteen years of training in Japan with two of the country's greatest masters of Zen, he "did not come home empty-handed -- he brought us a living word of Zen," Kenneth Kraft has said. The first Westerner fully and naturally at home with Zen, Roshi Kapleau has made it his life's work to translate Zen Buddhism into an American idiom, to take Zen's essence and plant it in American soil. Four decades later, the seeds of Zen that Roshi Kapleau planted have blossomed. Zen flourishes and Roshi Kapleau continues to help people find enlightenment and fulfillment "within, " not outside, their daily lives. "True awakening," Roshi Kapleau has said, "is not a 'high' that keeps one in the clouds of an abstract oneness, but a realization that brings one solidly down to earth into the world of toil and struggle."

Kapleau has written a number of books in his lifetime, "The Three Pillars of Zen" the most well known among them, but the heart of his work, his teachings to his students, has never before been made available. "Awakening to Zen" extracts the vital threads of Roshi Kapleau's teachings and braids them into a strong yet supple cord that readers may follow toward a deeper understanding of the enlightened life. Roshi Kapleau's warm, sometimes humorous but always grounded lessons touch on every aspect of daily reality; they capture his power, too, to transform the lives of not just practicing Buddhists, but all people who seek to experience in a more authentic way the bond they share with the world around them. One way or another, Roshi Kapleau has spent the past forty-three years of his life helping make Zen practice and its fruits accessible to anyone of sincere intent. "Awakening to Zen" offers a crucial and never-before-published aspect of his life's work.

For more than four decades, Robert Aitken Roshi has taught thousands of people the Buddhist practice of Zen meditation, and has led hundreds through their practice of the study of traditional koans. He has authored more than a dozen books, including a celebrated appreciation of Basho's haiku; volumes of commentary on sacred texts; works on ethics, daily life, and social action; and one of the best-loved introductions to Zen Buddhism, Taking the Path of Zen. A founder of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, he has spent his life as a political activist, work he continues to this day. After a long and remarkable life--he will be 91 years old when this collection is published--Aitken Roshi offers a collection of 266 short texts. Some are clearly parables; others are simple stories, quotations, memories, and commentaries. Resembling Benjamin Franklin's Almanac or the epigrams of Chamfort as much as it does work from ancient sages, this collection of "miniatures" distills a life devoted to teaching and awareness, of being present, showing up, and making a difference. Any person living a considered life, whether secular humanist or religious seeker, will find this a book of rich inspiration, a lasting companion, sharing a journey of deep realization and profound hope.

This book is a collection of ten shorts talks on Buddhism by Japanese Zen Master Gudo Nishijima. In the first part, Master Nishijima talks about his theory of three philosophies and one reality - his interpretation of Gautama Buddha's Four Noble Truths. Each talk is followed by a lively discussion and questions and answers. The second part contains translations of three talks given by Master Nishijima on NHK Radio in Japan in 1994. The talks are titled: Buddhism & Action, Action & Daily Life, and Buddhism & Zazen. ..".If we look at the many Sutras written about the Buddha's realization we can conclude that he reached that viewpoint or state because he revered action. Action cannot exist at any other time or place than the present moment here and now. Another way of looking at this is in terms of past, present and future: no matter what mistakes we have made in the past, although we may regret them, we can never return to the past to put things right. At the same time, although we want to attain our dream or reach some aim in the future, we can never go into the future to reach our dream or aim. But if we look at life as centered on acting, we see that we can only really exist in the present. We can never return to the past, and we cannot go into the future. This is the essence of what Gautama Buddha taught-real existence is the present moment..."

Most Billiard instructional guides focus solely on the physical aspects of the game - the techniques, the shots, and the rules. Zen Pool teaches you all of these practical insights and skills, then goes one step further - showing you how to improve your total game by increasing your physical, mental, and spiritual awareness in the present moment. Many readers have described remarkable improvements after reading the lessons taught in this book - and many professional players have reported winning more tournaments. Zen Pool is your own private success coach: It will guide you to new levels of play and give you the knowledge you need to vastly improve your game. The wisdom and secrets herein have been distilled from a lifelong and fruit bearing quest, including study with, and of, many pool masters. So open Zen Pool, begin your journey, and let three-time national billiards champion Max Eberle awaken the master within you.

IN THICH NHAT HANH'S MOST EXCITING and provocative book in years, he offers a dramatic vision of the future of our planet and links his contemplation of environmental destruction to the Buddhist teachings of interconnectedness and the impermanence of all things. Rather than seeing impermanence as an excuse for disengaging from the world, he argues passionately that engaging with the world is the key to our individual and collective survival. The World We Have is above all a hopeful book. Thich Nhat Hanh offers a clear vision of the road ahead and models conviction and courage that we will need to stay on that path.

Breath-Centered Consciousness is a manual for practicing meditation. But don't expect to find the same instructions in this book that you've read in other meditation manuals. The practice described is ancient-the practice of anapana sati or "mindfulness of breathing"-but the way it's described may surprise you. And the way some common problems in meditation are dealt with is fresh and powerful. Distraction, for example, isn't a matter of what we pay attention to, but of how we pay attention-in the clinging anxiety of self-centeredness or in the equanimity of breath-centered consciousness. Meditation isn't something restricted to a special time of practice, but a way of life in which every moment is special. We meditate because we want to be happy. But we find in meditation that our happiness can't be separated from the happiness of others. If you're new to meditation-or if you've been meditating a while, but feel something is lacking in your practice-this book is for you.

Buddhist masters of the past have explained the relationship between Buddhist theory and the Truth by way of a simple metaphor. The Truth, they say, is like the distant moon. Ideas, theories, and explanations are merely fingers pointing at that far-away goal. They are not, and can never be, the moon itself. So this book is one such finger, a finger pointing at the moon, but the moon itself can be touched by you alone... The Buddhism which emerges from To Meet the Real Dragon is Buddhism for real people: ordinary human beings with ordinary human problems. It is humanistic Zen--Zen for human beings. Here are a few of the topics covered by this very readable book: What is Religion, Meeting a True Master, Master Dogen, Science and Buddhism, Idealism and Materialism, Gautama Buddha, The Four Noble Truths, The Transmission of the Truth, Cause and Effect, Not Doing Wrong, Action: The Center of Buddhism, Zazen, The Four Philosophies.

Instead of promising a straight and clear path to enlightenment, author and teacher Geri Larkin shows us that even stumbling along that path can lead to self-discovery and awakening, especially if we prize the journey and not the destination. With candour, affection, and earthy wisdom, Larkin shares her experiences as a beginning and continuing Buddhist. This spirituality classic shows any seeker that it's possible to stumble, smile, and stay Zen through it all.

Translation of selected essays from Shobogenzo, the masterpiece written by Dogen, the 13th-century Japanese philosopher and religious figure.

Zen and the Art of Sleep offers a surprising discovery for insomniacs. The problem isn't sleep. The problem is trying to capture and control sleep. Readers new to Zen Buddhism are gently guided down this reflective path. Along the way, emotional baggage and misguided endeavors that feed insomnia fade away. Each chapter builds upon previous insights and ends with Zen Practice exercises that reveal awake and asleep to be part of the same moving stream. Unblocking that flow allows the inevitable bedtime moment of drowsiness, a moment not so different from any other, to proceed naturally and without effort. Illustrated by Zen artist Andy Lee.