The development of Zen in China is really the story of the flourishing of Chinese philosophy, arts and literature beginning as far back as the Han Dynasty and earlier. Master Nan Huai-Chin offers an engaging chronicle of both in this groundbreaking work.

The Story of Chinese Zen begins with the premise that the climate during Shakyamuni's founding of Buddhism in India ultimately influence the differences behind Hinayana and Mahayana thought, practice, and methods of seeking enlightenment. From there—beginning with its transmission to China—Master Nan outlines the Zen School, exploring influences on the development of Zen before the early Tang Dynasty, different meanings of studying Zen and pursuing the heart and goal of Zen." He explores the relationship between Zen and new-Confucianism and the inseparability of religion and Zen from Chinese literature and philosophy, especially Taoism.

Born in Zhejiang province, China in 1918, Nan Huai-Chin has studied under thirty-two major Taoist and Buddhist masters, including the masters of the Esoteric School of Buddhism in Tibet, from whom he received the title of Esoteric Master. He has published over thirty books and is widely recognized as one of the foremost scholars on Zen and Taoism.

The Ecstasy of Enlightenment is an inside look at the spiritual world of Tantra--one of the most sophisticated, alluring, and controversial forms of Buddhism. Cleary unlocks the mysteries of the Carya-Giti, a collections of teachings by more than twenty famous Siddhas, or Tantric adepts, who lived during the illustrius Pala dynasty of old Bengal. These teachings emanate from one of the most dynamic sources of international Buddhism, at the height of its religious development, and as such, they are completely nonsectarian. Particularly noteworth is Cleary's demonstration of the parallels between Tantric Buddhism in Old Bengal and the original Zen Buddhism of China. 

THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU• to appreciate the significance of this particular school of Buddhism,famous for its focus on meditation and self-awakening• to understand the history of Zen and the ‘Ways of Zen’• to discover how Zen is a way of life — not a belief system• to avoid faux pas in conversation, in travelling and in personal relationshipsZen (in Chinese, Ch’an) is the form of Buddhism which the great teacher Bodhidharma brought to China from India in the late fifth century. Today it is practised mainly in Japan and Korea,. Based upon the understanding that each of us has the potential for complete awakening, Zen is in fact a coalition of practical ways of stilling the mind in order to attain self-knowledge. Because the realization of the true nature of reality, including one’s own, is not an intellectual pursuit but an experienced truth, Zen teachers transmit the truth (dharma) from mind to mind or heart to heart without the use of words, using different techniques to break through the limitations of the logical mind. This engaging book explains the essence of Zen in simple terms.. It traces its development and looks at its unique methods of teaching, such as meditation, koans — startling paradoxes that stop the intellect — the use of texts, ceremonies, poetry, and the martial arts. It describes life in monasteries and in the everyday world. Because Zen is rooted in Reality, its practitioners often experience a delightful sense of wonder in the commonplace. This democratic and liberating philosophy does not require us to give up our own traditions, but rather helps us to deepen our understanding of them, and continues to inspire growing numbers of followers in the West.ACCESS THE WORLD’S RELIGIONSSimple Guides: Religion is a series of concise, accessible introductions to the world’s major religions. Written by experts in the field, they offer an engaging and sympathetic description of the key concepts, beliefs and practices of different faiths. Ideal for spiritual seekers and travellers alike, Simple Guides aims to open the doors of perception. Together the books provide a reliable compass to the world’s great spiritual traditions, and a point of reference for further exploration and discovery. By offering essential insights into the core values, customs and beliefs of different societies, they also enable visitors to be aware of the cultural sensibilities of their hosts, and to behave in a way that fosters mutual respectand understanding.

Zen Koan as a Means of Attaining Enlightenment Presents the history and application of the koan exercise—the means for realizing enlightenment—with depth and clarity.

The koan system has effected a special development in Zen Buddhism, and is a unique contribution to the history of religious consciousness. When the importance of the koan is understood, it may be said that more than half of Zen is understood.

Simple Zen is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to Zen's history, themes, and uses in our modern Western world.

Beginning with a history of Zen from the time of its origin to the present, the book goes on to outline the themes and practices associated with Zen, such as koans, meditation, enlightenment, and ethics. The final section of the book, entitled "Living Zen," addresses the ways in which Zen can help us to realize a deeper, fuller life though such artistic activities as poetry, brush painting, the martial arts, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement.

The word 'Zen' is considered by many to be an abbreviation for Zen Buddhism. However, today Zen is not tied to any particular group: it is a way of life, discipline and thinking. Zen practitioners use sayings and scriptures to help them uncover the secrets of the universe. The most often used is the Koan, a nonsensical question given to students for meditation. The answer to one of the best-known Koans 'What is the sound of one hand clapping?' is, of course, 'silence', the silence that permeates the universe. And for most of us unattainable without a good deal of practice, here is a treasury of such jewels of thought.

At the heart of Shin (Pure Land) Buddhist teaching lies a vision of true reality as alive with wisdom and compassion, working to bring all beings to the highest fulfillment of human life, the attainment of Buddhahood. Shinran teaches that this activity manifests itself as Amida Buddha, who resolved to save all beings by bringing into his Pure Land, the realm of enlightenment, all who say his Name, entrusting themselves to his Vow. He thus performed practices for long eons and fulfilled this Vow, so that his Name, Namu Amida Butsu, came to resound throughout the universe, awakening all beings to the reality of great compassion. Interestingly, in the end, Pure Land and the more traditional Zen share the primary framework of removing the individual as the central point out from which all else is referred.

This Historical text from the direct teaching of the Zen master, Huang Po, allows the Western reader to gain an understanding of Zen from the original source, one of the key works in its teachings; it also offers deepening and often startling insights into the rich treasures of Eastern thought.

Huang Po, also known as Hsi Yun, is believed to have died as late as 850 A.D. He is regarded in a sense as the founder of the great Lin Chi sect. He lived below the Vulture Peak on Mount Huang Po, in the district of Kao An. Like most Zen masters, Huang Po taught in parables which were delivered as sermons, anecdotes, and dialogues. These have been collected here to present the teachings of the Master himself. He compares the mind to the sun travelling through the sky, sending forth light uncontaminated by the finest particle of dust. For those who have discovered the nature of Reality, he says, there is nothing old or new, concepts become meaningless and reason leads to error.

Nowhere is the use of paradox in Zen illustrated better than in the teachings of Huang Po, who shows how the experience of intuitive knowledge which reveals to a man what he really is, cannot be communicated by words. With the help of these paradoxes, beautifully and simply presented in this collection, Huang Po could set his disciples on the right path. It is in this fashion that the Zen master leads his listener into the truth, often by a single phrase designed to destroy his particular demon of ignorance.

Many of the dialogues recorded in The Zen Teaching of Huang Po took place in public assembly, generally with hundreds of the Master’s followers in attendance. This text is remarkable for its purity of thought and speech. John Blofeld’s translation reflects his deep understanding of Zen and gives it a crystal clear presentation. In addition, there are an introduction and explanatory notes that make this original and revered text even more valuable to the contemporary reader.

The Diamond Sutra is revered throughout Asia as one of the Buddha's most profound expressions of the nature of reality. A gem among the vast Perfection of Wisdom literature, the Diamond Sutra elicits an experience of eternal truth through its use of a seemingly paradoxical style, as the reader goes back and forth between "what is" and "what is not." Master Hsing Yun skillfully plumbs the depths of the Diamond Sutra, illuminating for us its power to change who we are and how we interpret our world.