Rational Zen

Rational Zen PDF Author: Thomas Cleary
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834829452
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Book Description
Zen has often been portrayed as being illogical and mystifying, even aimed at the destruction of the rational intellect. These new translations of the thirteenth-century Zen master Dogen—one of most original and important Zen writers—illustrate the rational side of Zen, which has been obscured through the centuries, tainting people's understanding of it. Rational Zen consists of enlightening selections from Dogen's two masterworks, "Treasury of Eyes of True Teaching" (the famed Shobogenzo, Japan's most sophisticated philosophical work) and "Universal Book of Eternal Peace," which until now has been unavailable in English. The translator also provides explanations of the inner meanings of Dogen's writings and sayings—the first commentaries of their kind of English. A compendium of authentic source materials further enhances the reader's insight into Dogen's methods, linking them to the great classical traditions of Buddhism that ultimately flowered in Zen.

Rational Zen

Rational Zen PDF Author: Thomas Cleary
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834829452
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Book Description
Zen has often been portrayed as being illogical and mystifying, even aimed at the destruction of the rational intellect. These new translations of the thirteenth-century Zen master Dogen—one of most original and important Zen writers—illustrate the rational side of Zen, which has been obscured through the centuries, tainting people's understanding of it. Rational Zen consists of enlightening selections from Dogen's two masterworks, "Treasury of Eyes of True Teaching" (the famed Shobogenzo, Japan's most sophisticated philosophical work) and "Universal Book of Eternal Peace," which until now has been unavailable in English. The translator also provides explanations of the inner meanings of Dogen's writings and sayings—the first commentaries of their kind of English. A compendium of authentic source materials further enhances the reader's insight into Dogen's methods, linking them to the great classical traditions of Buddhism that ultimately flowered in Zen.

Instant Zen

Instant Zen PDF Author:
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1556431937
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
Instant Zen presents the teachings of Foyan, a twelfth-century Chinese Zen master recognized as one of the greatest masters of the Song dynasty Zen renaissance in China. Returning to the uncomplicated genuineness of the original and classical Zen masters, Foyan offers many simple exercises in attention and thought designed to lead to the awakening of Zen insight into the real nature of the self. These succinct teachings emphasize independence and autonomy, and show us how to open our own eyes and stand on our own two feet, to see directly without delusion and act on truth without confusion. Translator Thomas Cleary provides an incisive introduction and extensive references from traditional Zen sources, placing the work in both historical and contemporary contexts. Newcomers to Zen will find this book a useful and sophisticated introduction to authentic inner Zen practices from an impeccable source, without cultural exoticism or religious cultism. Instant Zen sheds new light on this vital tradition, making available the immediacy of Zen practice and unveiling our innate potential for conscious awakening.

Classics of Buddhism and Zen, Volume Three

Classics of Buddhism and Zen, Volume Three PDF Author: Thomas Cleary
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 1590302206
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Volume Three of Classics of Buddhism and Zen contains translations of works by the key figures of Zen, including the Japanese master Dogen; Chinul, the twelfth-century Korean master; and Hakuin, founder of the Rinzai school. Also included are selections from the Prajnaparamita, or "Perfection of Wisdom" sutras, a key source of the Zen tradition. The volume includes: The Sutra of Hui-neng: Grand Master of Zen Hui-neng was the sixth patriarch of Chinese Zen. His teachings are characterized by their striking immediacy and by their concern with direct insight into the essential nature of awareness. The Sutra of Hui-neng is accompanied by Hui-neng's own commentary on the Diamond Sutra . Dream Conversations on Buddhism and Zen A collection of a renowned Japanese masters' written replies to questions about the true nature of Zen. Kensho: The Heart of Zen Included here are some of the important texts focusing on the profound subtleties of this essential Zen awakening and the methods used in its realization. Rational Zen: The Mind of Dogen Zenji Contains selections from Dogen's two masterworks, Shobogenzo and Eihei Koruko . Cleary's commentary and compendium of authentic source materials enhance the reader's insight into Dogen's methods. Zen and the Art of Insight Thomas Cleary has gathered key selections from throughout the Prajnaparamita literature, accompanying each selection with commentary, to present the key teachings as exercises in learning freedom.

Beyond Thinking

Beyond Thinking PDF Author: Dogen
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 083482342X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description
Spiritual practice is not some kind of striving to produce enlightenment, but an expression of the enlightenment already inherent in all things: Such is the Zen teaching of Dogen Zenji (1200–1253) whose profound writings have been studied and revered for more than seven hundred years, influencing practitioners far beyond his native Japan and the Soto school he is credited with founding. In focusing on Dogen's most practical words of instruction and encouragement for Zen students, this new collection highlights the timelessness of his teaching and shows it to be as applicable to anyone today as it was in the great teacher's own time. Selections include Dogen's famous meditation instructions; his advice on the practice of zazen, or sitting meditation; guidelines for community life; and some of his most inspirational talks. Also included are a bibliography and an extensive glossary.

How to Cook Your Life

How to Cook Your Life PDF Author: Dogen
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834824329
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 212

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Book Description
This modern-day commentary on Dogen’s Instructions for a Zen Cook reveals how everyday activities—like cooking—can be incorporated into our spiritual practice In the thirteenth century, Zen master Dogen—perhaps the most significant of all Japanese philosophers, and the founder of the Japanese Soto Zen sect—wrote a practical manual of Instructions for the Zen Cook. In drawing parallels between preparing meals for the Zen monastery and spiritual training, he reveals far more than simply the rules and manners of the Zen kitchen; he teaches us how to "cook," or refine our lives. In this volume Kosho Uchiyama Roshi undertakes the task of elucidating Dogen's text for the benefit of modern-day readers of Zen. Taken together, his translation and commentary truly constitute a "cookbook for life," one that shows us how to live with an unbiased mind in the midst of our workaday world.

The Essential Dogen

The Essential Dogen PDF Author: Kazuaki Tanahashi
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834828472
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
Eihei Dogen (1200–1253), founder of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism, is one of the greatest religious, philosophical, and literary geniuses of Japan. His writings have been studied by Zen students for centuries, particularly his masterwork, Shobo Genzo or Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. This is the first book to offer the great master’s incisive wisdom in short selections taken from the whole range of his voluminous works. The pithy and powerful readings, arranged according to theme, provide a perfect introduction to Dogen—and inspire spiritual practice in people of all traditions.

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind PDF Author: Shunryu Suzuki
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 083482129X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description
"In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few." So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line. In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it’s all about. An instant teaching on the first page. And that’s just the beginning. In the forty years since its original publication, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind has become one of the great modern Zen classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Suzuki Roshi presents the basics—from the details of posture and breathing in zazen to the perception of nonduality—in a way that is not only remarkably clear, but that also resonates with the joy of insight from the first to the last page. It’s a book to come back to time and time again as an inspiration to practice, and it is now available to a new generation of seekers in this fortieth anniversary edition, with a new afterword by Shunryu Suzuki’s biographer, David Chadwick.

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind PDF Author: Shunryu Suzuki
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 1611808413
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
Named one of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century (Spirituality & Practice) A 50th Anniversary edition of the bestselling Zen classic on meditation, maintaining a curious and open mind, and living with simplicity. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line. In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it's all about. It is an instant teaching on the first page--and that's just the beginning. In the fifty years since its original publication, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind has become one of the great modern spiritual classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Suzuki Roshi presents the basics--from the details of posture and breathing in zazen to the perception of nonduality--in a way that is not only remarkably clear, but that also resonates with the joy of insight from the first to the last page.

Dōgen on Meditation and Thinking

Dōgen on Meditation and Thinking PDF Author: Hee-Jin Kim
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 0791480909
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 186

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Book Description
Thirty years after the publication of his classic work Dōgen Kigen—Mystical Realist, Hee-Jin Kim reframes and recasts his understanding of Dōgen's Zen methodology in this new book. Through meticulous textual analyses of and critical reflections on key passages primarily from Dōgen's Shōbōgenzō, Kim explicates hitherto underappreciated aspects of Dōgen's religion, such as the ambiguity of delusion and also of enlightenment, intricacies of negotiating the Way, the dynamic functions of emptiness, the realizational view of language, nonthinking as the essence of meditation, and a multifaceted conception of reason. Kim also responds to many recent developments in Zen studies that have arisen in both Asia and the West, especially Critical Buddhism. He brings Dōgen the meditator and Dōgen the thinker into relief. Kim's study clearly demonstrates that language, thinking, and reason constitute the essence of Dōgen's proposed Zen praxis, and that such a Zen opens up new possibilities for dialogue between Zen and contemporary thought. This fresh assessment of Dōgen's Zen represents a radical shift in our understanding of its place in the history of Buddhism.

Master Dogen's Zazen Meditation Handbook

Master Dogen's Zazen Meditation Handbook PDF Author: Eihei Dogen
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462923097
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 226

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Book Description
"Dogen's famous text on Zen practice comes alive in the hands of a modern meditation master." --Carl Biefeldt, Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University and author of Dogen's Manuals of Zen Meditation This is the definitive English translation of a foundational work of Zen Buddhism--the Bendowa ("On the Endeavor of the Way") by Eihei Dogen, founder of the Soto school of Zen in Japan. Written in 1231, it contains the master's essential teachings on zazen, or seated meditation, which is the fundamental pathway to Buddhist enlightenment. The first part of the book introduces the notion of "wondrous dharma" and looks at the role of the individual to society and notions of time and interconnection. The second part of the work is cast in the form of a dialogue, the Q&A format offering answers to questions a Zen novice might pose regarding the paths to enlightenment: How can passively sitting being a means of attaining enlightenment? Why is sitting so key to meditation? Can seated meditation be combined with other practices? How can I maintain a practice that accords with my other responsibilities in life? What sets this edition apart are the contemporary insights by modern Zen master Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, which tackle some of the difficulties readers face in comprehending Dogen's guidance and demystify some of the terms and concepts central to an understanding of zazen practice and Buddhist philosophy. He discusses the notion of dharma as presented in the text and looks at Buddhist thought through the lens not of abstraction, but in terms of its concrete realities.