Download or read book Zen Sand written by Victor Sogen Hori and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2003-02-28 with total page 785 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen Sand is a classic collection of verses aimed at aiding practitioners of kôan meditation to negotiate the difficult relationship between insight and language. As such it represents a major contribution to both Western Zen practice and English-language Zen scholarship. In Japan the traditional Rinzai Zen kôan curriculum includes the use of jakugo, or "capping phrases." Once a monk has successfully replied to a kôan, the Zen master orders the search for a classical verse to express the monk’s insight into the kôan. Special collections of these jakugo were compiled as handbooks to aid in that search. Until now, Zen students in the West, lacking this important resource, have been severely limited in carrying out this practice. Zen Sand combines and translates two standard jakugo handbooks and opens the way for incorporating this important tradition fully into Western Zen practice. For the scholar, Zen Sand provides a detailed description of the jakugo practice and its place in the overall kôan curriculum, as well as a brief history of the Zen phrase book. This volume also contributes to the understanding of East Asian culture in a broader sense.
Download or read book Sand and Pebbles written by Mujū Ichien and published by SUNY Press. This book was released on 1985-01-01 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sand and Pebbles presents the first complete English rendering of Shasekishū--the classic, popular Buddhist "Tale Literature" (setsuwa). This collection of instructive, yet often humorous, anecdotes appeared in the late thirteenth century, within decades of the first stirrings of the revolutionary movements of Kamakura Buddhism. Shasekishū''s author, Mujū Ichien (1226-1312), lived in a rural temple apart from the centers of political and literary activity, and his stories reflect the customs, attitudes and lifestyles of the commoners. In Sand and Pebbles, complete translations of Book One and other significant narrative parts are supplemented by summaries of the remaining (especially didactic) material and by excerpts from Mujū's later work. Introduced by a historical sketch of the period, this work also contains a biography of Mujū. Illustrations, charts, a chronology, glossary of terms, notes, an extensive bibliography and an index guide the reader into a seldom seen corner of old Japan. Mujū and his writings will interest students of literature as well as scholars of Japanese religion, especially Buddhism. Anthropologists and sociologists will discover details of Kamakura life and thought unrecorded in the official chronicles of the age.
Download or read book Zen Traces written by Kenneth Kraft and published by Paul Dry Books. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As Zen takes root in the West, new forms arise. For centuries Zen masters have tested their students with “koans” and “capping phrases.” A koan is a spiritual paradox that must be solved intuitively. A capping phrase is a trenchant comment. Both are meditative practices that reveal deeper truths about the self and, ideally, lead to enlightenment. In Zen Traces, Buddhist scholar Kenneth Kraft plays off these practices in a new idiom. He selects passages from four sources: traditional Zen, present-day Zen, Henry David Thoreau, and Mark Twain. When a koan-like story about a contemporary Zen teacher is paired with a pithy comment by Mark Twain, something fresh emerges. “In this lovely book, Ken Kraft provides a unique opening for American Buddhism and American wisdom in general. The reader will come to fresh and spacious new insights and enjoyments… Cheers for Zen in America and a deep bow to Ken Kraft!”—POLLY YOUNG-EISENDRATH, Ph.D., author of The Present Heart: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Discovery “I highly recommend this delightful book of East-West wisdom—full of surprise, insight, wit, and piercing beauty.”—KATY BUTLER, author of Knocking on Heaven’s Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death
Download or read book Zen Sand written by Victor Sogen Hori and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2003-02-28 with total page 992 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen Sand is a classic collection of verses aimed at aiding practitioners of kôan meditation to negotiate the difficult relationship between insight and language. As such it represents a major contribution to both Western Zen practice and English-language Zen scholarship. In Japan the traditional Rinzai Zen kôan curriculum includes the use of jakugo, or "capping phrases." Once a monk has successfully replied to a kôan, the Zen master orders the search for a classical verse to express the monk’s insight into the kôan. Special collections of these jakugo were compiled as handbooks to aid in that search. Until now, Zen students in the West, lacking this important resource, have been severely limited in carrying out this practice. Zen Sand combines and translates two standard jakugo handbooks and opens the way for incorporating this important tradition fully into Western Zen practice. For the scholar, Zen Sand provides a detailed description of the jakugo practice and its place in the overall kôan curriculum, as well as a brief history of the Zen phrase book. This volume also contributes to the understanding of East Asian culture in a broader sense.
Download or read book Building My Zen Garden written by Kieran Egan and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2000 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The adventures and occasional mayhem of a Western gardener seeking to create a peaceful place that calms the soul".
Download or read book written by Thomas Wright and published by Books Nippan. This book was released on 1990 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A full-color introduction to the serene world of Kyoto's Zen gardens. Each garden's location, visiting hours and admission policies are noted.
Download or read book Zen Garden Litter Box written by Sarah Royal and published by RP Minis. This book was released on 2019-04-02 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen meets cats -- and kitty litter -- in this calming Zen garden kit that includes everything you need to reach ultimate enlightenment. For any cat lover looking for peace and mindfulness, this kit includes: 3-inch "Litter box" tray Two 3/4-inch cats Bag of sand 5 decorative rocks 2-1/2-inch wooden rake 32-page book on the Zen of litter box gardening
Download or read book Japanese Stone Gardens written by Stephen Mansfield and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2012-03-13 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gain some new ideas along with the principles and history of Japanese stone gardening with this useful and beautiful garden design book. Japanese Stone Gardens provides a comprehensive introduction to the powerful mystique and dynamism of the Japanese stone garden—from their earliest use as props in animistic rituals, to their appropriation by Zen monks and priests to create settings conducive to contemplation and finally to their contemporary uses and meaning. With insightful text and abundant imagery, this book reveals the hidden order of stone gardens and in the process heightens the enthusiast's appreciation of them. The Japanese stone garden is an art form recognized around the globe. These meditative gardens provide tranquil settings, where visitors can shed the burdens and stresses of modern existence, satisfy an age-old yearning for solitude and repose, and experience the restorative power of art and nature. For this reason, the value of the Japanese stone garden today is arguably even greater than when many of them were created. Fifteen gardens are featured in this book: some well known, such as the famous temple gardens of Kyoto, others less so, among them gardens spread through the south of Honshu Island and the southern islands of Shikoku and Kyushu and in faraway Okinawa.
Download or read book Zen Gardening written by Sunniva Harte and published by Pavilion Books, Limited. This book was released on 2002 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reflects the increasing interest in Eastern philosophies on the creation of natural balance in the garden; Provides detailed practical examples showing how to imbue your garden with the elements of harmony and peace; Gardens inspired by Zen are the ideal antidote to today's busy lifestyle - an oasis of calm and tranquillity - and require very little maintenance; Zen gardens are for contemplation, reflecting the beauty of nature and the aesthetic sense of the gardener. Originally created in Japanese monasteries around the twelfth century, their beauty comes from their simplicity and the precise arrangement of rocks, gravel, water and plants. Using as few or as many plants as required, Zen gardens also provide an eco-friendly alternative to the old-fashioned lawn, often requiring little or no water. For those with a limited area, Zen gardens create the illusion of space and freedom. Zen Gardening simplifies the principles of this art and reveals the meaning of the different elements, putting every aspect of creating a Zen garden at the hands of today's gardeners. Zen gardening need not mean ripping up your garden and starting from scratch. Nor need it involve replacing your lawn with
Download or read book The Mini Zen Gardening Kit written by Abd Al-hayy Moore and published by RP Minis. This book was released on 2000-09-04 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This carry-along version of our enormously popular Zen Gardening Kit provides a touch of tranquility on the go. Packaged with a 32page introduction to the aesthetic enlightenment of Zen gardening, it includes a tray, fine sand, decorative rocks, and miniature wooden rake.
Download or read book Zen Garden Design written by Mira Locher and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2020-08-18 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen Buddhist priest Shunmyo Masuno understands that today's busy world leaves little time or space for self-reflection, but that a garden--even in the most urban of spaces--can provide some respite. In his words, "The garden is a special spiritual place where the mind dwells." With this in mind, Masuno has designed scores of spectacular Japanese gardens and landscapes with the aim of helping people achieve a balanced life in the 21st century. This book explores Masuno's design process and ideas, which are integral to his daily Zen training and teachings. It features 15 unique gardens and contemplative landscapes completed in six countries over as many years--all thoughtfully described and documented in full-color photos and drawings. Readers will also find insights on Masuno's philosophy of garden design and a conversation between the designer and famed architect Terunobu Fujimori. Zen Garden Design provides an in-depth examination of Masuno's gardens and landscapes--not just as beautiful spaces, but as places for meditation and contemplation.
Download or read book Sea Sand Me written by Patricia Hubbell and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2001-05-22 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Uncovering seashells... jumping in the waves... It's a perfect beach day! And what better way to spend it than with a new beach friend? Patricia Hubbell's light verse skips merrily along, while Lisa Campbell Ernst's playful scenes picture a sea that is justwaiting to be splashed in!
Download or read book Zen Sanctuary of Purple Robes written by Sachiko Kaneko Morrell and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2012-02-01 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen Sanctuary of Purple Robes examines the affairs of Rinzai Zen's Tōkeiji Convent, founded in 1285 by nun Kakusan Shidō after the death of her husband, Hōjō Tokimune. It traces the convent's history through seven centuries, including the early nuns' Zen practice; Abbess Yōdō's imperial lineage with nuns in purple robes; Hideyori's seven-year-old daughter—later to become the convent's twentieth abbess, Tenshu—spared by Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle for Osaka Castle; Tōkeiji as "divorce temple" during the mid-Edo period and a favorite topic of senryu satirical verse; the convent's gradual decline as a functioning nunnery but its continued survival during the early Meiji persecution of Buddhism; and its current prosperity. The work includes translations, charts, illustrations, bibliographies, and indices. Beyond such historical details, the authors emphasize the convent's "inclusivist" Rinzai Zen practice in tandem with the nearby Engakuji Temple. The rationale for this "inclusivism" is the continuing acceptance of the doctrine of "Skillful Means" (hōben) as expressed in the Lotus Sutra—a notion repudiated or radically reinterpreted by most of the Kamakura reformers. In support of this contention, the authors include a complete translation of the Mirror for Women by Kakusan's contemporary, Mujū Ichien.
Download or read book Zen Dust written by Isshu Miura and published by . This book was released on 2015-07-15 with total page 551 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published in Kyoto in 1966 by the First Zen Institute of America in Japan, and by Harcourt, Brace & World in New York in 1967, "Zen Dust: The History of the Koan and Koan Study in Rinzai (Linji) Zen" quickly established itself as the only major resource into Zen koan study available in any Western language. Long since out of print, this Quirin Pinyin Updated Editions (QPUE) Revised Edition offers the full original text with the following features: Older Wade-Giles transliteration fully updated and revised to the current Pinyin standard. Fully re-typeset and proofed for typographical errors and inconsistencies. A fully searchable E-book edition of this title will be made available in PDF format. Not to be confused with the earlier title by the same authors on the Zen koan, which is a much shorter preliminary version of the present volume, Zen Dust: The History of the Koan and Koan Study in Rinzai (Linji) Zen is divided into five main sections: Part One is an extensive essay by Ruth Fuller Sasaki on the history of the koan in Chinese and Japanese Rinzai Zen and how it developed into a unique technique to aid the monk in quest of enlightenment. Part Two is a translation of a series of lectures on koan study given by the Zen master Issh Miura R shi Part Three offers a selection of Zen phrases or capping phrases that were used as commentary and annotations to the often enigmatic koans. The notes to the first two sections of Zen Dust offer a veritable treasure trove of background information on the monks and masters that forged the koan-study tradition of Rinzai Zen in China and Japan. This is followed by an extensively descriptive bibliography that teases out the vast literature of Zen in particular and Buddhism in general by giving considerable background material not only on the content of the works but also the context in which they came to be put together. Along with the appendices, which include genealogical charts of Zen lines, and the extensive index, it is these last sections (totaling nearly 400 pages) that make Zen Dust an invaluable companion not only for students and Zen adepts seeking to delve in the unique spiritual training that koan study entails, but also for scholars and researchers of Zen Buddhism. Keywords: Koan. Zen Buddhism. Rinzai Size: Paperback xx + 531 pages 6 x 9 in. / 234 x 156 mm. 1.8 lb /816 gm For details and updates, including occasional extracts and special offers, visit our website quirinpress.com and follow us Twitter @QuirinPress"
Download or read book Sand written by Michael Welland and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2009-01-15 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From individual grains to desert dunes, from the bottom of the sea to the landscapes of Mars, and from billions of years in the past to the future, this is the extraordinary story of one of nature's humblest, most powerful, and most ubiquitous materials. Told by a geologist with a novelist's sense of language and narrative, Sand examines the science—sand forensics, the physics of granular materials, sedimentology, paleontology and archaeology, planetary exploration—and at the same time explores the rich human context of sand. Interwoven with tales of artists, mathematicians, explorers, and even a vampire, the story of sand is an epic of environmental construction and destruction, an adventure in staggering scales of time and distance, yet a tale that encompasses the ordinary and everyday. Sand, in fact, is all around us—it has made possible our computers, buildings and windows, toothpaste, cosmetics, and paper, and it has played dramatic roles in human history, commerce, and imagination. In this luminous, kinetic, revelatory account, we do indeed find the world in a grain of sand.
Download or read book Zen Master Who written by James Ishmael Ford and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2006-10-20 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Surprisingly little has been written about how Zen came to North America. "Zen Master Who?" does that and much more. Author James Ishmael Ford, a renowned Zen master in two lineages, traces the tradition's history in Asia, looking at some of its most important figures -- the Buddha himself, and the handful of Indian, Chinese, and Japanese masters who gave the Zen school its shape. It also outlines the challenges that occurred as Zen became integrated into western consciousness, and the state of Zen in North America today. The author includes profiles of modern Zen teachers and institutions, including D. T. Suzuki and Alan Watts, and such topics as the emergence of liberal Buddhism, and Christians, Jews, and Zen. This engaging, accessible book is aimed at anyone interested in this tradition but who may not know how to start. Most importantly, it clarifies a great and ancient tradition for the contemporary seeker.
Download or read book Confucian Values and Popular Zen written by Janine Anderson Sawada and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2020-12-31 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although East Asian religion is commonly characterized as "syncretic," the historical interaction of Buddhist, Confucian, and other traditions is often neglected by scholars of mainstream religious thought. In this thought-provoking study, Janine Sawada moves beyond conventional approaches to the history of Japanese religion by analyzing the ways in which Neo-Confucianism and Zen formed a popular synthesis in early modern Japan. She shows how Shingaku, a teaching founded by merchant Ishida Baigan, blossomed after his death into a widespread religious movement that selectively combined ideas and practices from these traditions. Drawing on new research into original Shingaku sources, Sawada challenges the view that the teaching was a facile "merchant ethic" by illuminating the importance of Shingaku mystical experience and its intimate relation to moral cultivation in the program developed by Baigan's successor, Teshima Toan. This book also suggests the need for an approach to the history of Japanese education that accounts for the informal transmission of ideas as well as institutional schooling. Shingaku contributed to the development of Japanese education by effectively disseminating moral and religious knowledge on a large scale to the less-educated sectors of Tokugawa society. Sawada interprets the popularity of the movement as part of a general trend in early modern Japan in which ordinary people sought forms of learning that could be pursued in the context of daily life.
