Download or read book The Book of Householder Koans written by Eve Myonen Marko and published by Monkfish Book Publishing. This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen koans, beginning some 1500 years ago, refer to stories or questions arising in encounters between monks and old Chinese and Japanese masters, and include commentaries designed to help the Zen practitioner awaken. Koans like Hakuin'sWhat is the sound of one hand clapping? are well-known, and the word koan has even gone mainstream. Thousands of classic koans emerged from the lives of monks living inside a Chinese or Japanese culture, and the commentaries on those koans contain poetic elements and images that have proved challenging for many Westerners. The Book of Householder Koans is a collection of koans created by 21st century Zen practitioners living a lay life in the West. The koans deal with the challenges of relationships, raising children, work, money, love, loss, old age, and death, and come from practitioners across three continents, and with commentaries by two Western teachers. The collection is based on the premise that our lives as householders contain situations rich with challenge and grit, the equivalents of old Zen masters' shouts or blows meant to sweep the ground right from under their students. They become koans, or koan practice, when they jolt us out of our usual way of thinking, when we're no longer observers of our lives but plunge in, closing the gap between ourselves and the situation we face.
Download or read book Sitting with Koans written by John Daido Loori and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-06-04 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Zen tradition has just two main meditative practices: shikantaza, or "just sitting"; and introspection guided by the powerful Zen teaching stories called koans. Following in the tradition of The Art of Just Sitting (endorsed as a "A book we have needed for a long, long time"), this new anthology from John Daido Loori illuminates the subtle practice of koan study from many different points of view. Includes writings by: Robert Aitken William Bodiford Robert Buswell Roko Sherry Chayat Francis Dojun Cook Eihei Dogen Heinrich Dumoulin Hakuin Ekaku Victor Sogen Hori Keizan Jokin Philip Kapleau Chung-fen Ming-Pen Taizan Maezumi Dennis Genpo Merzel Soen Nakagawa Ruth Fuller Sasaki Sokei-an Sasaki Nyogen Senzaki Zenkei Shibayama Eido Shimano Philip Yampolsky Hakuun Yasutani Wayne Yokoyama Katsushiro Yoshizawa
Download or read book The Book of Equanimity written by Gerry Shishin Wick and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2005-03-15 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A thought-provoking collection of Zen koans culls the wisdom of thisnfluencial brand of Buddhism to present a series of "teaching stories" thatresent spiritual wisdom in interesting ways. Original.
Download or read book The Hidden Lamp written by Zenshin Florence Caplow and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-10-21 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Hidden Lamp is a collection of one hundred koans and stories of Buddhist women from the time of the Buddha to the present day. This revolutionary book brings together many teaching stories that were hidden for centuries, unknown until this volume. These stories are extraordinary expressions of freedom and fearlessness, relevant for men and women of any time or place. In these pages we meet nuns, laywomen practicing with their families, famous teachers honored by emperors, and old women selling tea on the side of the road. Each story is accompanied by a reflection by a contemporary woman teacher--personal responses that help bring the old stories alive for readers today--and concluded by a final meditation for the reader, a question from the editors meant to spark further rumination and inquiry. These are the voices of the women ancestors of every contemporary Buddhist.
Download or read book The True Dharma Eye written by John Daido Loori and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2009-08-11 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of three hundred koans compiled by Eihei Dogen, the thirteenth-century founder of Soto Zen in Japan, this book presents readers with a uniquely contemporary perspective on his profound teachings and their relevance for modern Western practitioners of Zen. Following the traditional format for koan collections, John Daido Loori Roshi, an American Zen master, has added his own commentary and accompanying verse for each of Dogen’s koans. Zen students and scholars will find The True Dharma Eye to be a source of deep insight into the mind of one of the world’s greatest religious thinkers, as well as the practice of koan study itself.
Download or read book The Mind Illuminated written by Culadasa and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2017-01-03 with total page 675 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mind Illuminated is a comprehensive, accessible and - above all - effective book on meditation, providing a nuts-and-bolts stage-based system that helps all levels of meditators establish and deepen their practice. Providing step-by-step guidance for every stage of the meditation path, this uniquely comprehensive guide for a Western audience combines the wisdom from the teachings of the Buddha with the latest research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Clear and friendly, this in-depth practice manual builds on the nine-stage model of meditation originally articulated by the ancient Indian sage Asanga, crystallizing the entire meditative journey into 10 clearly-defined stages. The book also introduces a new and fascinating model of how the mind works, and uses illustrations and charts to help the reader work through each stage. This manual is an essential read for the beginner to the seasoned veteran of meditation.
Download or read book The Dogs of the Kiskadee Hills written by Eve Marko and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Dogs of the Kiskadee Hills: Hunt for the Lynx is the first book in a trilogy about a society of dogs after humans have destroyed themselves and much of the world. Living with their families and clans in the Kiskadee Hills, they've developed over generations a rich tradition and way of life, with hunters, guards, poets, prophets, Enforcers, Noble Ones, and Gawls, or mixed breeds. But in their world, too, there are slaves and masters, purebreds and outcasts. While many prosper, others suffer in endless misery. Now, for the first time in their history, an unknown killer is butchering the Kisdees of the Hills. Is it Rathbane, a gigantic mixed wolfhound Gawl, who wishes to bring down everything they created? Is it wolves, the Ancients, who have scores to settle with dogs? Is it humans, or Magogs, a small group of whom has just emerged from underground, the only survivors of their species? Or is it someone else, who holds in his black heart the history of all three species and has planned his revenge? The Dogs of the Kiskadee Hills trilogy imagines a future world where humans are no longer masters, where they're hated and feared by dogs and wolves who have only bitter memories of past cruelty and enslavement. It re-imagines a historic moment when, after ties are formed and broken, battles fought and memories avenged, the three must decide how they will live. Will humans once again wish to own others? Can humans, dogs, and wolves live a life of synergy and cooperation, or forever go their own ways, viewing each other only as enemies and competitors for survival?
Download or read book The Intimate Way of Zen written by James Ishmael Ford and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2024-07-23 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An intimate mystery encompasses you and tugs upon your heart—what does it mean to follow that tug across the arc of a spiritual life? Reflecting out of more than fifty years of practice in Zen Buddhism, Unitarian Universalism, and other contemplative traditions, James Ishmael Ford invites us into a journey through life's mysteries and the stages of spiritual development. Lightly structured by the archetypal Buddhist oxherding images, Ford’s exploration is rooted in the Zen way while being deeply enriched by various strains of world mysticism. The book, sprinkled with insights and quotes from Buddhist, Daoist, and Christian traditions, serves as a map and a companion to spiritual seekers or pilgrims—whether within one religious tradition or cobbling together a way of one’s own. “Here is the most natural of all natural experiences,” writes Ford. “In the midst of our suffering, our longing, our desperation, we capture a glimpse. Something touches us. And with that, if we are lucky and really notice some movement of some spirit within us, we turn our attention to the intimate way.”
Download or read book The Garden of Flowers and Weeds written by Matthew Juksan Sullivan and published by Monkfish Book Publishing. This book was released on 2021-11-16 with total page 535 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: International Book Awards—Religion: Eastern | Top Award AmericanBookFest's Best Book Awards Winner | Religion: Eastern Nautilus Award | Gold Benjamin Franklin Award | Silver Independent Book Publisher's Award | Bronze Named One of the Best Books of 2021 — Spirituality and Practice Magazine “An intriguing, challenging crash course in Zen Buddhism.” — Kirkus Reviews "A generation-defining rendering of one of the great Zen Buddhist scriptures." — Spirituality and Practice For centuries, The Blue Cliff Record has stood as one of the preeminent scriptures of the Zen Buddhist tradition in China, Japan, and Korea. However, until now there has been no published commentary by a contemporary Zen Master to assist readers in understanding its counterintuitive and sometimes baffling teachings. The Garden of Flowers and Weeds draws on contemporary scholarship and the author’s extensive experience with Zen in order to offer new insights for sophisticated students who are hoping to uncover the secrets of the koan tradition. At the same time, The Garden is jargon-free and uses personal stories to appeal to readers who are new to Buddhism. The theme of the book is simple: Accepting the unenlightened self with all its flaws is the most profound form of enlightenment. Even with this clarity, finding a path into these old Zen stories is a challenge. They are designed to be roadblocks to intellectual understanding. Using personal memoire, the oral teachings of Zen, and meditation instruction, The Garden assists the reader in approaching the dialogues as spiritual exercises. The Blue Cliff Record contains an explosive power, but you can only access it by integrating its wisdom into your everyday experiences. As Zen Master Nanquan said, “Ordinary mind is the Way.”
Download or read book Mala of the Heart written by Ravi Nathwani and published by New World Library. This book was released on 2015-07-20 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of timeless poetry celebrates the eternal spiritual truth within each heart. Since ancient times, this hidden essence has been symbolized by the number 108. There are 108 earthly desires, 108 human feelings, 108 delusions, 108 beads in the traditional meditation mala, and 108 sacred poems in this anthology. Filled with crystalline wisdom from the great poets, sages, saints, and mystics, this selection of poems is a collective expression of universal heart-filled wisdom. The poems span a wide range of cultures and civilizations — from India to Europe, Japan, and the Middle East — and each one offers a unique perspective about the path to awakening. Some of the poems express belief in a higher being. Some convey instantaneous awakening. Others lead the reader down a disciplined path of contemplation. Ordered according to a broad interpretation of the heart-centered chakra model, these remarkable poems guide the reader toward realization and offer timeless jewels of insight to spark awakening and enrich spiritual practice.
Download or read book The Eight Gates of Zen written by John Daido Loori and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2002-09-10 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This accessible introduction to the philosophy and practice of Zen Buddhism includes a program of study that encompasses practically every aspect of life. The American Zen teacher John Daido Loori shows us that Zen practice should include not only meditation, the study of Zen literature and liturgy, and moral and ethical action, but should also manifest in work, artistic, and everyday activities. The Eight Gates are: 1. Zazen, a type of meditation described as "sitting Zen" 2. Face-to-face meetings between teacher and student 3. Academic study of the sutras related to Zen training, other schools of Buddhism, Buddhist history, psychology, and philosophy 4. Zen rites and rituals and their meaning 5. The moral and ethical requirements set in the Buddhist Precepts 6. Art practice as an extension of Zen practice 7. Body practice as an extension of Zen practice 8. Work as an active function of zazen Beautifully illustrated with Loori's own photographs, this edition also includes a new introduction and an updated reading list.
Download or read book Nine Headed Dragon River written by Peter Matthiessen and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 1998-04-28 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In August 1968, naturalist-explorer Peter Matthiessen returned from Africa to his home in Sagaponack, Long Island, to find three Zen masters in his driveway—guests of his wife, a new student of Zen. Thirteen years later, Matthiessen was ordained a Buddhist monk. Written in the same format as his best-selling The Snow Leopard, Nine-Headed Dragon River reveals Matthiessen's most daring adventure of all: the quest for his spiritual roots.
Download or read book The Garden of Flowers and Weeds written by Matthew Juksan Sullivan and published by Monkfish Book Publishing. This book was released on 2021 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Groundbreaking new translation of key Zen Buddhist text whose intention is to awaken dormant human potential.
Download or read book The Inner Work of Age written by Connie Zweig and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-09-07 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: • Award Winner in the Health: Aging/50+ category of the 2021 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest • Award Winner in Non-Fiction: Aging and Gerontology category of the 2021 Best Indie Book Award • Offers shadow-work and many diverse spiritual practices to help you break through denial to awareness, move from self-rejection to self-acceptance, repair the past to be fully present, and allow mortality to be a teacher • Reveals how to use inner work to uncover and explore the unconscious denial and resistance that erupts around key thresholds of later life • Includes personal interviews with prominent Elders, including Ken Wilber, Krishna Das, Fr. Thomas Keating, Anna Douglas, James Hollis, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, Ashton Applewhite, Roshi Wendy Nakao, Roger Walsh, and Stanislav Grof With extended longevity comes the opportunity for extended personal growth and spiritual development. You now have the chance to become an Elder, to leave behind past roles, shift from work in the outer world to inner work with the soul, and become authentically who you are. This book is a guide to help get past the inner obstacles and embrace the hidden spiritual gifts of age. Offering a radical reimagining of age for all generations, psychotherapist and bestselling author Connie Zweig reveals how to use inner work to uncover and explore the unconscious denial and resistance that erupts around key thresholds of later life, attune to your soul’s longing, and emerge renewed as an Elder filled with vitality and purpose. She explores the obstacles encountered in the transition to wise Elder and offers psychological shadow-work and diverse spiritual practices to help you break through denial to awareness, move from self-rejection to self-acceptance, repair the past to be fully present, reclaim your creativity, and allow mortality to be a teacher. Sharing contemplative practices for selfreflection, she also reveals how to discover ways to share your talents and wisdom to become a force for change in the lives of others. Woven throughout with wisdom from prominent Elders, including Ken Wilber, Krishna Das, Father Thomas Keating, Anna Douglas, James Hollis, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, Ashton Applewhite, Roshi Wendy Egyoku Nakao, Roger Walsh, and Stanislav Grof, this book offers tools and guidance to help you let go of past roles, expand your identity, deepen self-knowledge, and move through these life passages to a new stage of awareness, choosing to be fully real, transparent, and free to embrace a fulfilling late life.
Download or read book Upside Down Zen written by Susan Murphy and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2006-11-13 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Upside-Down Zen" invites readers to explore the vivid spirit of Zen Buddhism in fresh ways. Recalling, in another vein, the warm, lyrical style of Lin Jensen's "Bad Dog!, " author Susan Murphy offers a multifaceted take on the spiritual, grounded in the everyday. She uses her skills as storyteller, filmmaker, and poet to uncover the connections between Zen and Western cinema, as well as between Zen and traditions as diverse as Australian aboriginal beliefs and Jewish folktales. In the process, she finds spirituality where it has always belonged -- wherever life is happening. Murphy helps readers make sense of Zen koans, the often oversimplified and misunderstood teaching stories of the tradition, and highlights their wisdom for any reader on the spiritual path. A strong new voice in Western Buddhism, Murphy speaks for the many "unrecorded" women of Zen while bringing a lively, literate approach to a sometimes daunting genre.
Download or read book Love Without Conditions written by Paul Ferrini and published by Paul Ferrini-Heartways Press. This book was released on 2021-11-02 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The incredible book from Jesus calling us to awaken to our own Christhood. Rarely has any book conveyed the teachings of the master in such a simple but profound manner. This book will help you to bring your understanding from the head to the heart so that you can model the teachings of love and forgiveness in your daily life.
Download or read book Meditating with Koans written by Zhuhong and published by Jain Publishing Company. This book was released on 2001-04 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Translation of a work known in Chinese as Chan Guan Ze Jin (Impetus for Advancing in the Zen Gate), put together in China around 1600 A.D. by Zhuhong of Yunqui temple. It is a compendium of practical lessons on meditating with koans, which are often used as focal points in Zen meditations.
