Zen Masters of China presents more than 300 traditional Zen stories and koans, far more than any other collection. Retelling them in their proper place in Zen's historical journey through Chinese Buddhist culture, it also tells a larger story: how, in taking the first step east from India to China, Buddhism began to be Zen. The stories of Zen are unlike any other writing, religious or otherwise. Used for centuries by Zen teachers as aids to bring about or deepen the experience of awakening, they have a freshness that goes beyond religious practice and a mystery and authenticity that appeal to a wide range of readers. Placed in chronological order, these stories tell the story of Zen itself, how it traveled from West to East with each Zen master to the next, but also how it was transformed in that journey, from an Indian practice to something different in Chinese Buddhism (Ch'an) and then more different still in Japan (Zen). The fact that its transmission was so human, from teacher to student in a long chain from West to East, meant that the cultures it passed through inevitably changed it. Zen Masters of China is first and foremost a collection of mind-bending Zen stories and their wisdom. More than that, without academic pretensions or baggage, it recounts the genealogy of Zen Buddhism in China and, through koan and story, illuminates how Zen became what it is today.

Zibo, the last of the great Chinese Zen masters, played a leading role in the 16th century revival of Buddhism in China. A famous teacher with wide contacts in high society and among the common people, Zibo taught Zen by personal example, showing in his own life the single-minded determination and pure intent characteristic of the champions of Zen. In a final uncompromising gesture, he gave his life in a protest against the policies of the tyrannical imperial authorities. This is Zen teaching from an authentic source, a classic Zen teacher who embodied the truth of the Buddhist Teaching. The language is plain and direct, the message challenging and profound. The lessons left to us by Zibo are indeed jewels from the treasury of light.

Zen's Chinese Heritage traces twenty-five generations of inlightened Buddhist teachers, supplementing their core teachings with history, biography, and poetry. The result is an intimate and profound human portrait of the enlightened Zen ancients, and an unprecedented look into the depths of the rich cultural heritage. In this new edition with even more valuable material, Ferguson surveys generations of Zen masters, moving chronologically through successive generations of ancestral teachers, supplementing their core teachings with history, biography, and starkly beautiful poetry. In addition to giving the reader the engaging sense of the "family history" of Zen, this uniquely valuable book paints a clear picture of the tradition's evolution as a religious, literary, and historical force.

Since the first century, when Buddhism entered China, the foreign religion has influenced and been influenced in turn by traditional Chinese culture, and eventually became an important part of it. That is one of the great historical themes not only for China but also for East Asia. This book explores the elements of Buddhism, including its classics, doctrines, system, and rituals, to reveal the basic connotation of Buddhism as a cultural entity. Regarding the development of Buddhism in China, it traces the spread in chronological order, from the introduction in Han Dynasties (202 BC–220 AD), to the prosperity in the Sixteen Kingdoms (ca. 304–439 AD), and then to the decline since the Five Dynasties (907–ca. 960 AD). It is noteworthy that the Buddhist schools in the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420–589 AD) and the Buddhist sects in Sui and Tang Dynasties (581–907 AD) contributed to the sinicization of Buddhism. This book also deals with the interesting question of the similarities and differences between Chinese Buddhism and Indian Buddhism, to examine the specific characters of the former in terms of thought and culture. In the last chapter, the external influence of Chinese Buddhism in East Asia is studied. Scholars and students in Buddhism and Chinese culture studies, especially those in Buddhist countries, will benefit from the book. Also, it will appeal to readers interested in religion, Chinese culture, and ancient Chinese history.

Your hands-on guide to this widely practiced and ancient religion Buddhism, one of the world's most widely practiced religions, is a fascinating yet complex eastern religion that is rapidly spreading throughout western civilization. What does it mean to be a Buddhist? What are the fundamental beliefs and history behind this religion? Buddhism For Dummies explores these questions and more in this updated guide to Buddhist culture. You'll gain an understanding of the origins of this ancient practice and how they're currently applied to everyday life. Whether you're a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what makes Buddhism such a widely practiced religion, this guide is for you. In plain English, it defines the important terms, explains the key concepts, and explores in-depth a wide range of fascinating topics. New and expanded coverage on all the schools of Buddhism, including Theravada, Tibetan, and Mahayana The continuing relevance of the Dalai Lama Updated coverage on daily observances, celebrations, styles, practices, meditation, and more Continuing the Dummies tradition of making the world's religions engaging and accessible to everyone, Buddhism For Dummies is your essential guide to this fascinating religion. P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, youre probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Buddhism For Dummies (9781118023792). The book you see here shouldnt be considered a new or updated product. But if youre in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. Were always writing about new topics!

First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The Dictionary of World Philosophy covers the diverse and challenging terminology, concepts, schools and traditions of the vast field of world philosophy. Providing an extremely comprehensive resource and an essential point of reference in a complex and expanding field of study the Dictionary covers all major subfields of the discipline. Key features: * Cross-references are used to highlight interconnections and the cross-cultural diffusion and adaptation of terms which has taken place over time * The user is led from specific terms to master entries which provide valuable historical and cultural context * Each master entry is followed by at least two suggestions for further reading on the subject, creating a substantial bibliography of world philosophy * References extend beyond philosophy to related areas such as cognitive science, computer science, language and physics Subdisciplines covered include:* aesthetics * ethics * sociopolitical philosophy * the philosophy of law * epistemology * logic * the philosophy of science * the philosophy of mind * the philosophy of culture and history * metaphysics * the philosophy of religion Entries are drawn from West Africa, Arabic, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Jewish, Korean, Latin American, Maori and Native American philosophy including the important and so far largely neglected instance of Pre-Hispanic thought: Nahua philosophy.

While the Origin of Life on Earth is explored by modern sciences based both on experimental and observational methods, a new biological principle is adopted in addition to the principles of physics and chemistry. The biosphere is explained by the biodiversity and coexistence amongst countlessly different species reminding us of the Buddha Nature. The book verifies the existence of a platform — dialogues between science and Buddhism — to contemplate these modern aspects of life.In the 2nd century BCE, western Greek philosophy encountered eastern Indian Buddhist philosophy, as captured in a Buddhist text, the Milindapanha (Questions of Milinda), resulting in the Greco-Buddhism, the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism. Some two thousand years later, in the modern era, the sciences have revolutionized ancient philosophies, as Buddhism by the philosophy of Emptiness, stimulating various new schools.Many scientists have written about science, and many Buddhists have explained Buddhism, but an in-depth analysis of both fields may be rare. The book reports on a recent project commemorating the founder and Indian monk of Zen Buddhism Bodhidharma. Imagine a Buddhist Eagle, soaring in the sky of Emptiness with both wings spreading out — one of Wisdom and another of Great Compassion — on all countlessly-many sentient beings.

Shaolin Kungfu has been considered by many as the best martial art in the world. But kungfu is just one of the three treasures of Shaolin, the other two being chi kung and Zen. For the first time ever, this inspiring book, written by an internationally acclaimed Shaolin Grandmaster, brings to you the crystallization of Shaolin wisdom and practice spanning many centuries. Its scope and depth is amazing, touching on, among many other things, poetry and enlightenment. Yet it is written in a language easy to understand. Profound concepts and difficult techniques are explained systematically with many illustrations. The book includes: * The background and scope of kungfu. * Form and combat applications. * Principles and methods of force training. * Energy training and mind training. * Secrets of the masters. * Traditional Chinese weapons. * Maintaining one’s health and vitality and the healing of so-called incurable diseases. * Interesting stories and legends of Shaolin. * Zen and spiritual development.