Zen Buddhism

Japan 1933 – The echoes of the distant war in Manchuria hardly disturb 13-year-old Ichiro’s relaxed life in Kyoto, but following an under-age love affair, he is sent to a Zen Buddhist monastery. With the outbreak of war with China, he is seized from the monastery and conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army. The saga of his war experiences in the subjugated countries of Asia changes him completely and culminates in his repatriation to his devastated homeland. Set against the historical events of the Asia-Pacific war, the drama unfolds from the perspective of a young man caught up in ...

The teachings of Shunryu Suzuki have served for innumerable people as the gateway to Zen practice and meditation. In Zen Is Right Now, devoted student and biographer David Chadwick sheds new light on Suzuki’s presence and teachings through selected quotes from his lectures and a variety of stories told by his students.

This collection of 21 short, soul-soothing Zen stories will help you see that true peace isn’t found in flawless outcomes—but in learning to love the cracks, the missteps, and the unfinished edges of life. Each story is quick and easy to read yet layered with timeless wisdom—gently guiding you toward self-acceptance, resilience, and inner calm.

The Danish people are the happiest in the world, and for good reason. The secret lies in their lifestyle, their famous concept of 'Hygge'. Simplify And Get Cosy The people in Scandinavia know to curb the cold winter nights into a slow-paced season of togetherness and cosy living. The Danish refer to this as 'hygge'. A word that does not have or even NEED a good translation, because everybody that encounters it will instantly fall in love with it. Hygge means to live simple, and to put coziness before style. Get snug and grab yourself a blanket, pour a good cup of hot chocolate, and start ...

Comprising only 632 Chinese characters, the Heart Sutra is Buddhism in a nutshell. Despite its brevity, this powerful work covers more of the Buddha's teachings than any other scripture. Its influence is more profound and wide-reaching than any other text in Buddhism.

Buddhism aims for the development of a flexible mind and skillful responsiveness-whether toward problems in one's personal life or broader issues like the ecological crisis. But in a culture now saturated with cliches about mindfulness and unrealistic fantasies about happiness, what does it truly mean to walk this path? The key practice is that of embodied aliveness.

This compelling and innovative view of Zen practice gives people in their 20s and 30s a contemporary approach to spiritual development that is meaningful and actionable within the complexities of modern life. Grounded deeply in the tradition of Soto Zen, professional mediators and Zen practitioners, Diane Hamilton and Gabriel Wilson extol the virtues of sitting meditation, dharma study, and the student-teacher relationship. At the same time, they offer insight into the importance of emotional development and the maturation of relationship skills.

These three sutras are the most important texts for the Chan (Chinese) and Zen (Japanese) Buddhist traditions, though they are very different in character and provenance. The Diamond Sutra (Vajracheddikā Prajña Pārāmitā Sutra in Sanskrit) has the distinction of being 'the earliest complete survival of a dated (11 May 868) printed book’. It was found in the Dunhuang Caves in China in 1900. The title, Diamond Cutter, outlines its purpose, which is to cut through ignorance to attain to perfect wisdom or ultimate reality.

Composer John Cage sought the silence of a mind at peace with itself - and found it in Zen Buddhism, a spiritual path that changed both his music and his view of the universe. "Remarkably researched, exquisitely written", Where the Heart Beats weaves together "a great many threads of cultural history" (Maria Popova, Brain Pickings) to illuminate Cage’s struggle to accept himself and his relationship with choreographer Merce Cunningham. Freed to be his own man, Cage originated exciting experiments that set him at the epicenter of a new avant-garde forming in the 1950s.

What is the essence of Zen meditation? Why is it considered one of the most celebrated spiritual practices of all time? What are the basic steps of its practice? What is the essence of the revolutionary philosophy behind it? And how can its regular practice allow you to conquer spiritual progress and inner peace starting today? Zen Meditation in Easy Steps answers these and other profound questions, presenting the basic teachings of Zen Buddhism. With a bonus selection of Zen spiritual tales, this beginner’s guide contains the basic steps of Zen meditation.

Transform your life and achieve your dreams with I Am A Dreamer, Book 12 in The Affirmation Collection. Discover the power of dreaming and how it can lead you to a purpose-filled life. Benefits: - Unlock the key to achieving your dreams - Find clarity and direction in your life through the power of dreaming This life-changing book includes: - Master techniques for harnessing the power of your dreams - Overcome obstacles and fears that may be holding you back - Create a roadmap for achieving your dreams and living a fulfilling life - Cultivate a positive mindset and attract abundance into ...

Leave the pressures and demands of your daily life behind as you focus on the Zen within your soul. Zen and the Love of Nature takes you on a captivating journey from a single lotus flower to a rippling brook to the grandeur of Mount Fuji, giving a Zen perspective on the joy and beauty of our natural world.

'Is it the world that's busy, or my mind?' The world moves fast, but that doesn't mean we have to. In this timely guide to mindfulness, Haemin Sunim, a Buddhist monk born in Korea and educated in the United States, offers advice on everything from handling setbacks to dealing with rest and relationships.

Lucidly and beautifully written, Peace Is Every Step contains commentaries, meditations, personal anecdotes, and stories from Nhat Hanh's experiences as a peace activist, teacher, and community leader. It begins where the listener already is - in the kitchen, office, driving a car, walking - and shows how deep meditative presence is available now.

The book, Can Zen Buddhism Offer a Life Free of Problems Through Its Ancient Spiritual Remedies?, takes us through the nooks and crannies of Zen Buddhism. As it demystifies several ancient notions about Zen Buddhism, it also highlights the current state of several aspects of Zen Buddhism.

Outside it snows, inside is laughter from friends and family, enjoying life together with a warm beverage, wrapped in warm blankets. Welcome to the popular Nordic concept of Hygge. Simplify And Get Cosy The Danish are the happiest people on the planet: and for a good reason. They know to curb the cold winter nights into a slow-paced season of togetherness. The Danish refer to this as 'hygge'. A word that does not have or even NEED a good translation, because everybody that encounters it will instantly fall in love with it. Hygge means to live simple, and to put coziness before style. Get ...

This book offers a complete translation of the Majjhima Nikāya, or Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, one of the major collections of texts in the Pāli Canon, the authorised scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. This collection - among the oldest records of the historical Buddha's original teachings - consists of 152 suttas or discourses of middle length, distinguished as such from the longer and shorter suttas of the other collections.

This isn't a book about making your time more productive... this is a book being more productive with your time. Learn from a Zen monk how to find calm, be more present and get more out of the time you have. Learn from a Zen monk how to turn time pressure into tranquility. Time is our most precious commodity, but all too often it is swallowed up by the frantic pace of work and our always-on connection to the world.

As an orphan in the slums of Tsu City, Japan, Kodo Sawaki had to fight his way to adulthood, and became one of the most respected Zen masters of the twentieth century. Though he remained poor by choice, he was rich in spirit. A student of Kosho Uchiyama, Arthur Braverman has compiled an anthology of Sawaki's writings and a garland of sayings gathered from throughout his lifetime. One of a few collections of Sawaki's teachings published in English, his life and work bracket the most intriguing and influential period of modern Zen practice in Japan and America.

Find yourself and tune in: such is the message of Zen. Instant Zen presents the teachings of Foyan, a twelfth-century Chinese Zen master recognized as one of the greatest masters of the Song dynasty Zen renaissance in China. These simple exercises by Foyan lead you to the awakening of insight into the real nature of self and emphasize independence and autonomy, two qualities vital to seeing and acting clearly. Newcomers will find this a useful and sophisticated introduction to authentic inner Zen practices without cultural exoticism or religious cultism.