San Antonio College Library

One of the world's leading authorities on Zen Buddhism, D. T. Suzuki was the author of more than a hundred works on the subject in both Japanese and English, and was most instrumental in bringing the teachings of Zen Buddhism to the attention of the Western world. Written in a lively, accessible, and straightforward manner, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism is illuminating for the serious student and layperson alike. Suzuki provides a complete vision...

This landmark guide to the practice of Chan Buddhism includes texts from the great living Chan master Sheng Yen, as well as material by three key ancestors of his lineage, going back to medieval times: Yuanyun Jiexian, Boshan Yuanlai, and Xuyun. Though the texts were written hundreds of years apart, they are all remarkably lucid and are perfect for beginners or experienced practitioners today. All the main points of spiritual practice are covered,...

"This book offers an in-depth introduction to the philosophy and practice of Zen Buddhism. The author is a philosophy professor who formally practiced Zen in Japan for more than a dozen years, and who is authorized to teach Zen. During his years studying and teaching philosophy in universities in Japan, he worked closely with the leading contemporary representatives of the Kyoto School. The book lucidly explicates the philosophical implications of...

"Here is a spiritual practice uncomplicated enough for anyone to learn, yet rich enough to be worked with for a lifetime. The traditional Chan (Chinese Zen) practice called Silent Illumination begins with nothing more than putting aside all thoughts except the awareness of oneself "just sitting." It's so simple in execution that it has sometimes been called the "method of no-method"--Yet simple as it is, the practice is subtle and profound, with the...

"Among Buddhist traditions, Zen has been remarkably successful in garnering and sustaining interest outside the Buddhist homelands of Asia, and "zen" is now part of the global cultural lexicon. This deeply informed book explores the history of this enduring Japanese tradition - from its beginnings as a form of Buddhist thought and practice imported from China to its reinvention in medieval Japan as a force for religious, political, and cultural change...

"Unparalleled in scope and detail, this classic history of Zen covers all important ideas and developments in the tradition from its beginnings in India through the Sung period in China." --