Download or read book Zen and the Comic Spirit written by M. Conrad Hyers and published by . This book was released on 1973 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Zen as in no other religious movement are the principal records, the techniques for spiritual realization, the art and aesthetics, and the portrayal of the spirit and style of its masters so intimately intertwined with the comic spirit and perspective. In the sayings of Zen masters one soon discovers that the object of laughter is really oneself, trapped in the predicament and folly of mankind. The purpose of wit, in Zen teachings, is to reveal the rational approach as a false trail. The author of this study surveys Zen literature to reveal the profound perception and direct experience of reality beneath the seeming playfulness and lightheartedness of Zen Buddhist writers and teachers.
Download or read book The Laughing Buddha written by M. Conrad Hyers and published by Longwood PressLtd. This book was released on 1989 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Zen and the Comic Spirit written by M. Conrad Hyers and published by . This book was released on 1974 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Zen as in no other religious movement are the principal records, the techniques for spiritual realization, the art and aesthetics, and the portrayal of the spirit and style of its masters so intimately intertwined with the comic spirit and perspective. In the sayings of Zen masters one soon discovers that the object of laughter is really oneself, trapped in the predicament and folly of mankind. The purpose of wit, in Zen teachings, is to reveal the rational approach as a false trail. The author of this study surveys Zen literature to reveal the profound perception and direct experience of reality beneath the seeming playfulness and lightheartedness of Zen Buddhist writers and teachers.
Download or read book The Spirituality of Comedy written by Conrad Hyers and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on 2011-12-31 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To understand comedy is to understand humanity, for the comic sense is central to what it means to be human. Nearly all the major issues with which human beings have exercised themselves are touched upon in some manner by the comic spirit. Yet education in the art of comedy and in comic appreciation is given little attention in most societies. The Spirituality of Comedy explores the wisdom of comedy and the comic answer to tragedy (in both popular and classical senses of the term). Tragedy is seen as a fundamental problem of human existence, while comedy is its counterweight and resolution. Conrad Hyers has taken a fresh look at comedy from the standpoint of comparative mythology and religion, and thus comedy's spiritual significance. In his unique study of the comic tradition, Hyers explains the difficulty in pinning down themes, structures, plots, or characters that are common to all comedy. Instead he argues that there is an essence of comedy in the area of pattern. He draws upon the rich historical ensemble of types of comic figures: the humorist, comedian, comic hero, rogue, trickster, clown, fool, underdog, and simpleton. He shows how each type incarnates a comic heroism in its own unique manner, offering a profound wisdom and philosophy of life. The approach of this book is broadly interdisciplinary, with materials and interpretations introduced from the various fields of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences as they illuminate both the tragic and comic sensibilities. The methodological thread that draws this all together is an analysis of the major types of comic figures in terms of the myths and legends associated with them, the rituals they produce and enact, and the symbolism of the comic figures themselves. Written in a very readable literary style, The Spirituality of Comedy will appeal to psychologists, social scientists, clergy, philosophers, and students of literature.
Download or read book Zen Comics written by and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 1974 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Comics communicate the Zen spirit perfectly. Laughter deflates pretension and a good rap on the head sometimes transcends so-called logic. In the words of Zen, "Nothing is left for you but to laugh!"
Download or read book Zen Comics II written by and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Read one or two of the witty and provocative Zen riddles in this book, and you will find, in the words of Zen, that "nothing is left for you but to laugh." In Ioanna Salajan's delightful drawings, the Old Monk and his disciples spread the message of Zen through stories and koan that are as hilarious as they are profound, as meaningful as they are mysterious. This book dips further into the treasures of Zen wisdom that furnished the first volume of Zen Comics, which has enjoyed extraordinary popularity around the world. Due to the concise self-contained nature of the Zen riddle, those who have not read the first volume can start just as well with this second one. The comic strip turns out to be an ideal medium to communicate the Zen spirit, in which laughter deflates pretension, and a good rap on the head may transcend all logic. A koan is a paradox used in Zen Buddhism as an instrument of meditation, a bit of apparent nonsense that forces one to abandon dependence on reason and break through to sudden intuitive understanding. The Old Monk, a wise and whimsical character, dispenses enlightenment to his disciples (and perhaps the reader) through these ironic, rapier-like verbal thrusts ... or sometimes a whack with a stick. Zen teaches that it is not where you are going, but how you are going. Truley there is no better way to go than with these fresh but eternal gems of insight.
Download or read book The Book of Zen written by Zhizhong Cai and published by China Books & Periodicals. This book was released on 1990 with total page 151 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Ways of Zen written by C. C. Tsai and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-07-27 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From bestselling cartoonist C. C. Tsai, a delightfully illustrated collection of classic Zen Buddhist stories that enlighten as they entertain C. C. Tsai is one of Asia’s most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. In The Ways of Zen, he has created an entertaining and enlightening masterpiece from the rich collections of the Zen Buddhist tradition, bringing classic stories to life in delightful language and vividly detailed comic illustrations. Combining all the stories previously published in Tsai’s Wisdom of the Zen Masters and Zen Speaks, this is the artist’s largest collection of selections from the most important and famous Zen texts. The story of the illiterate wood-peddler Huineng, who improbably rises to become the most famous Zen patriarch, is joined by others that trace the development of the five major sects of Zen Buddhism through other masters such as Mazu, Linji, and Yunmen. A shattered antique, a blind man carrying a lantern, sutras set on fire, a cow jumping through a window—each story leads the reader to reflect on fundamental Buddhist ideas. The Ways of Zen also features the original Chinese text in side columns on each page, enriching the book for readers and students of Chinese without distracting from the English-language cartoons. Filled with memorable anecdotes and disarming wisdom, The Ways of Zen is a perfect introduction to Zen Buddhism and an essential addition to any Zen collection.
Download or read book Religion and Humour written by David Feltmate and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-05-08 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This timely and lively introduction to exploring the intersection of religion and humour evaluates existing scholarship and methodologies within the field, arguing for a culturally critical approach to the study. Hinged on a qualitative sociological framework, this book asks questions about the construction, presentation, and purpose of humour in religious contexts. It is broken down by theoretical approach, with chapters covering: a “comparative religions” approach; a theological approach; how social sciences offer us useful tools for research; and a review of existing theoretical models. As the first volume to introduce the field of religion and humour, this engaging book is essential reading for students approaching the topic for the first time, and for anyone with an interest in related fields such as religion and popular culture and humour studies.
Download or read book The Laughing Buddha written by Conrad Hyers and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2004-01-26 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book has been highly acclaimed both as an imaginative way of introducing the Zen tradition to Western readers, and as an important contribution to understanding the fullness of the Zen perspective and way of life.
Download or read book The Zen of Steve Jobs written by Caleb Melby and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-01-03 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An illustrated depiction of Steve Jobs' friendship with Zen Buddhist Kobun Chino Otogawa and the impact it had on Jobs' career Apple cofounder Steve Jobs (1955-2011) had such an enormous impact on so many people that his life often took on aspects of myth. But much of his success was due to collaboration with designers, engineers and thinkers. The Zen of Steve Jobs tells the story of Jobs' relationship with one such person: Kobun Chino Otogawa. Kobun was a Zen Buddhist priest who emigrated to the U.S. from Japan in the early 1970s. He was an innovator, lacked appreciation for rules and was passionate about art and design. Kobun was to Buddhism as Jobs was to the computer business: a renegade and maverick. It wasn't long before the two became friends--a relationship that was not built to last. This graphic book is a reimagining of that friendship. The story moves back and forward in time, from the 1970s to 2011, but centers on the period after Jobs' exile from Apple in 1985 when he took up intensive study with Kobun. Their time together was integral to the big leaps that Apple took later on with its product design and business strategy. Told using stripped down dialogue and bold calligraphic panels, The Zen of Steve Jobs explores how Jobs might have honed his design aesthetic via Eastern religion before choosing to identify only what he needs and leave the rest behind.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Monasticism written by William M. Johnston and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-12-04 with total page 866 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The two-volume Encyclopedia of Monasticism describes the monastic traditions of both Christianity and Buddhism with more than 600 entries on important monastic figures of all periods and places, surveys of countries and localities, and topical essays covering a wide range of issues (e.g., art, behavior, economics, liturgy, politics, theology, and scholarship). Coverage encompasses not only geography and history worldwide but also the contemporary dilemmas of monastic life. Recent upheavals in certain countries are highlighted (Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, etc.). Topical essays subtitled Christian Perspectives and Buddhist Perspectives explore in imaginative fashion comparisons and contrasts between Christian and Buddhist monasticism. Encyclopedia of Monasticism also includes more than 500 color and black and white illustrations covering all aspects of monastic life, art, and architecture.
Download or read book A Playful Spirit written by Mark W. Teismann and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-02-06 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The great narratives of religion and nationhood were battered in the twentieth century by the dual forces of globalization and postmodernism. In the uncertainty of broken traditions, many people looking for God retreated into a regressive fundamentalism, and others abandoned themselves to nihilism and cynicism. But is there another way? In this volume, esteemed sociologist and therapist Mark W. Teismann offers a fresh approach to spiritual pursuits, one that neither relies upon absolutes nor leaves seekers in a void of disbelief. This approach is to consider the exercise of spirituality as a type of play. Teismann takes the reader on a whirlwind ride through the different aspects of play and how they relate to spirituality. Teismann draws on classical philosophers, memories of childhood, developmental science, poets, and his long career as a psychotherapist to create a deep understanding of how the spirit of play informs our moral pursuits and spiritual yearnings. A conclusion and epilogue summarize the book’s tenets and touch on Mark Teismann’s battle with cancer and how the practices of meditation and play accompanied him on his spiritual journey in the context of an incurable disease. The book’s appendix gives interested readers a detailed description of how to approach the practice of meditation.
Download or read book Zen Confidential written by Shozan Jack Haubner and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2013-05-14 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A screenwriter and stand-up comic’s hilarious and profound account of his journey into Zen monkhood—featuring a foreword by Leonard Cohen Shozan Jack Haubner is the David Sedaris of Zen Buddhism: a brilliant humorist and analyst of human foibles, whose hilarity is informed by the profound insights that have dawned on him—as he's stumbled and fallen into spirituall practice. Raised in a truly strange family of Mel-Gibson-esque Catholic extremists, he went on to study philosophy (becoming very un-Catholic in the process) and to pursue a career as a screenwriter and stand-up comic in the clubs of L.A. How he went from life in the fast lane to life on the stationary meditation cushion is the subject of this laugh-out-loud funny account of his experiences. Whether he’s dealing with the pranks of a juvenile delinquent assistant in the monastery kitchen or experiencing profound compassion in the presence of his spiritual teacher, Haubner’s voice is one you'll be compelled to listen to. Not only because it’s highly entertaining, but because of its remarkable insight into the human condition.
Download or read book Reversal Theory written by M. J. Apter and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2014-02-25 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1985. In the eight years since the publication of the first papers by Apter and Smith outlining the basic principles of the theory of psychological reversals, interest in the theory has grown rapidly. So within this book the emphasis is very much upon opening up fresh avenues and interests with a view to stimulating and guiding those psychologists who, whether as academics or as practitioners, are involved with reversal theory at any level. Some of the papers are based upon material presented at the International Symposium on Reversal Theory held under the sponsorship of the Welsh Branch of the British Psychological Society in September 1983, while others have been written specially for this book. The topics covered have been carefully selected to give a representative flavour of what reversal theory is currently about.
Download or read book Alternative Educational Futures written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2008-01-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “We desperately need the dynamic revolution in education that this book offers us, reflecting the new ways of thinking and being on this planet that will permit us to live in peace as a global family even through massive climate changes. Read it and put these ideas into practice as quickly as possible in any ways you can!” —Elisabet Sahtouris, Evolutionary biologist and futurist, author of EarthDance: Living Systems in Evolution
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Monasticism A L written by William M. Johnston and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2000 with total page 866 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
