A Primer Of S T Zen

Zen was popularized in the West largely through the writings of Dr. D.T. Suzuki, who followed the school of Rinzai Zen. Although it remains relatively unknown in the West, Soto Zen eventually attracted the greatest number of followers in Japan. With its gentle, more intellectual approach, Soto Zen relies on deep meditation (zazen) rather than the "sudden," direct method (using koan) of Rinzai Zen, in striving for enlightenment. The Shobogenzo Zuimonki consists largely of brief talks, horatatory remarks, and instructional and cautionary comments by the Soto Zen Master Dogen (1200-1253). Translated, shobogenzo means "the eye of the true law." Roughly translated, zuimonki means "easy for the ears to understand," or "simplified."

"Among the Zen handbooks or primers out there, none fit your hand so simply as these sixty-four poetry-like chapters of Hoag Holmgren's No Better Place. Like the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching, each widens into a far-off state of mind. Turn them over in your thoughts though, and they prove to be guides to where you are standing. Ten in particular, which refer to the 12th century Chinese Oxherding Pictures, point North American Zen back to a mythic world of ancestors. Old-time buddhas, those ancestors. They are our brothers and sisters in the ecology of mind. Thanks to Holmgren's book, you can stand eyebrow-to-eyebrow with them.". -Andrew Schelling Editor of The Wisdom Anthology of North American Buddhist Poetry .."No Better Place is a penetrating and affecting presentation of the Buddha Dharma cast in a thoroughly Western idiom. Hoag's simple, clear prose invites entry in this very place, now." -Danan Henry Roshi.."Hoag Holmgren writes from the depths of his own understanding in this profound and simply expressed primer. These words will touch and inspire readers to surrender to a joyful experience of compassion for all.". -Jiun Hosen, Osho Abbess, Bodhi Manda Zen Center.."While No Better Place may seem like a slight book, it's actually a wide-open doorway-into the essence of Zen! It says so much so succinctly and insightfully, that reading its brief chapters brings real "Aha!" delight. I look forward to sharing this book with my own Zen students. Many thanks to Hoag Holmgren!". -Rafe Martin Sensei, Award-winning author, founding teacher and spiritual director, Endless Path Zendo.."No Better Place is simple, clear, and beautifully written. I highly recommend it for anyone (new or experienced) interested in the path of Zen. This book captures the heart of this journey and beckons one to step in.". -Peggy Metta Sheehan Sensei, Zen Center of Denver..

This guide to Zen Buddhism helps explain classic Zen koans in a unique and fascinating manner. For Westerners, Zen Buddhism is shrouded in the mysterious. Attempts at explanation are lost to double meanings and unanswerable questions. This fascinating book uses dot-to-dot simplicity to unravel this Zen ambiguity. The author presents a series of 79 visual koans in the form of dot-to-dots which help to translate Eastern thought into Western understanding. Each illustration is accompanied by a concise phrase from Buddhist teachings along with a brief interpretation. There is also an on-going sequence of relaxation instructions drawn from Buddhist psychology. Each set fosters a unique interaction between mind and spirit, which will help lead the reader from confusion to enlightenment.

The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Founders Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas give detailed instructions and insights into how to draw specific tangles and how to benefit from a Zentangle practice. -- back cover.

This volume provides the advanced student or scholar a set of introductions to each of the world's major non-European philosophical traditions. Sections on Chinese philosophy, Indian philosophy, Buddhist philosophy, East Asian philosophy, African philosophy, and trends in global philosophy are all edited by an expert.