The Freedom of Zen

The Freedom of Zen
Author: Zensho W. Kopp
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 218
Release: 2020-07-22
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 3751954643

This inspiriting book is a total rebellion against the intellect. It smashes our well-worn views and all of our fond illusions. Zen Master Zensho shows how we can free ourselves of the slavery of autonomous compulsive thinking and how we can experience the enlightened state of pure consciousness. Uncompromisingly, everything is swept away so we become able to reach that boundless freedom of the Mind which lies beyond everything that sense and reason can comprehend. Zensho's humorous geniality and his free unconventional way of conveyance bestow a tremendous vitality on his talks. His clear words are a vivid and direct revelation of the great simplicity and freedom of Zen. An exceptional book by an exceptional Zen Master.

The Book of Zen

The Book of Zen
Author: Zhizhong Cai
Publisher: China Books & Periodicals
Total Pages: 151
Release: 1990
Genre: Comic books, strips, etc.
ISBN: 9789971985486

Finding Freedom

Finding Freedom
Author: Jarvis Jay Masters
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Total Pages: 171
Release: 2020-07-14
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1611809118

There are many forms of liberation—some that exist at the mercy of circumstance and others that can never be taken away. In this stirring and timely collection of stories, essays, poems, and letters, Jarvis Jay Masters explores the meaning of true freedom on his road to inner peace through Buddhist practice. He reveals his life as a young African American man surrounded by violence, his entanglement in the criminal justice system, and—following an encounter with Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche—an unfolding commitment to nonviolence and peacemaking. At turns joyful, heartbreaking, frightening, and soaring with profound insight, Masters’s story offers a vision of hope and the possibility of freedom in even the darkest of times.

Zen Essence

Zen Essence
Author: Thomas Cleary
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Total Pages: 137
Release: 2000-05-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1570625883

Drawn from the records of Chinese Zen masters of the Tang and Song dynasties, this collection may surprise some readers. In contrast to the popular image of Zen as an authoritarian, monastic tradition deeply rooted in Asian culture, these passages portray Zen as remarkably flexible, adaptive to contemporary and individual needs, and transcending cultural boundaries. The readings contained in Zen Essence emphasize that the practice of Zen requires consciousness alone and does not depend on a background in Zen Buddhism and Asian culture. The true essence of Zen resides in the relationship between mind and culture, whatever that culture might be. This unique collection of writings creates a picture of Zen not as a religion or philosophy, but as a practical science of freedom.

The Discipline of Freedom

The Discipline of Freedom
Author: Phillip Olson
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Total Pages: 242
Release: 1993-08-20
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1438415036

The author interprets Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki's account of Zen practice from a Kantian perspective in order to explore the deep connection between Zen meditation, or zazen, and respect for universal moral principles. The author shows that both Shunryu Suzuki and Kant posit a reciprocally supportive relationship between the development of personal autonomy and the respectful observance of moral rules or precepts, and that both see the practice of a discipline restricting the speculative activity of reason as essential to the attainment of true freedom and moral worth. By cultivating consciousness of freedom through insight into emptiness, the discipline of zazen acts as what Kant calls a "moral ascetic," cultivating a mind and body responsive to universal moral concerns. Olson concludes by showing how Kant's notion of the ultimate end of moral behavior—the highest good—is manifested in the Bodhisattva's vow to work for the salvation of all sentient beings.

The Spiritual Tourist

The Spiritual Tourist
Author: Mick Brown
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 468
Release: 2010-11-15
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 140881952X

This is a narrative recounting a spiritual voyage taking the author around the world in a quest for the divine. A trail of chance, synchronicity, divine providence and the occasional railway and airline schedule, leads Brown from the extraordinary figure of the 19th-century occult adventuress Madame Blavatsky, via the philosopher Krishnamurti, to the genial Scottish clairvoyant who claims that the Christ of the age is alive and well and living in London. In India, he encounters the miracle-working Sai Baba, and discusses reincarnation with the world's most revered spiritual figure, the Dalai Lama. In Germany, he joins the pilgrims who kneel at the feet of the young Indian Woman, Mother Meera, believing she is divine. In a tiny backwoods church in Tennessee, he examines the "Crosses of Light" which are held as evidence of Christ's imminent return to Earth.;Mick Brown is the author of "Richard Branson, The Inside Story" and "American Heartbeat: Travels from Woodstock to San Jose by Song Title".

Stepping into Freedom

Stepping into Freedom
Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
Publisher: Parallax Press
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2021-09-28
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1952692016

Here are practice poems, novice precepts, and "Mindful Manners" on how to be a Buddhist monk and nun in the Plum Village tradition. With inspiration for every step in the monastic timetable from "Waking Up" and "Taking the First Steps of the Day" to "Lighting a Candle" in the evening, this book was originally compiled for novices who are still learning how to practice mindfulness in daily life. Thus it is perfect for beginners in mindfulness who wish to make progress in their practice at home, for young people considering a life in a spiritual community, and especially for followers of Thich Nhat Hanh who wish to deepen their understanding of the monastic way of life today.

The Ways of Zen

The Ways of Zen
Author: C. C. Tsai
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 280
Release: 2021-07-27
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0691220514

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.

The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation

The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation
Author: Chögyam Trungpa
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Total Pages: 242
Release: 2002-02-12
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1570629331

Featuring a new foreword by Pema Chödrön, this Tibetan Buddhist classic explores the meaning of freedom and how we can attain it through meditation Freedom is generally thought of as the ability to achieve goals and satisfy desires. But what are the sources of these goals and desires? If they arise from ignorance, habitual patterns, and negative emotions, is the freedom to pursue these goals true freedom—or is it just a myth? In The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation, Chögyam Trungpa explores the true meaning of freedom, showing us how our attitudes, preconceptions, and even our spiritual practices can become chains that bind us to repetitive patterns of frustration and despair. He also explains how meditation can bring into focus the causes of frustration, and how these negative forces can aid us in advancing toward true freedom. Trungpa's unique ability to express the essence of Buddhist teachings in the language and imagery of contemporary American culture makes this book one of the best, most accessible sources of the Buddhist doctrine ever written.