Philip Kapleau (1912–2004)

From: Amazon:

I have never read or been interested in books on zen. After seeing this at a book sale for a dollar, I thought I would give it a try. The first section is a series of questions which are called "flashes of zen". These are extremely manageable pieces of zen if you are trying to understand it for the first time, like myself. If you are someone who has read multiple books on this topic already, all the questions/responses may have been things you've heard, but I found it enlightening. I would buy it just for this section alone. The rest of it looks equally as interesting. Roshi describes sesshin "encouragement talks", and commentary on zen beliefs/enlightenment. It isn't aloof and allowed me, an un-zen person, to improve my understanding of Buddhism.… (meer)

'For anyone seriously interested in Zen...this book will be invaluable.'-The Times Literary Supplement (London)

'An excellent book. It will in time be ranked with William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience as an exploration of the religious and mystical life.'-East West Jouranal

'It achieves in a remarkable way the almost impossible expression of what Zen is: a method for directly experiencing the reality of existence.'-The Personalist

'(An) excellent book-one of the best yet written and certainly one to become both basic and indispensable to anyone interested in Zen Buddhism...So simple, so basic, so right ...a necessary, a needed book. It is authoritative, human; simple, wise; it is one of the very few to echo the profundities of Zen Buddhism itself.'-Japan Times

Contents

Foreword aby Husston Smith
Editor's preface
Preface tothe revised edition
Preface to the anniversary edition by Kenneth Kraft
Part One Teaching and practice
I Yasutani-roshi's introductory lectures on Zen training
Editor's introduction
A biographical note on Yasutani-roshi
The lectures
Theory and practice of zazen
Precautions to observe in zazen
Illusory visions and sensations
The five varieties of Zen
The three aims of Zazen
Individual instruction
Shikan-taza
The parable of Enyadatta
Cause and effect are one
Oneness and manyness
The three essentials of Zen practice
Aspiration
II Yasutani-roshi's comentary (Teisho) on the koan Mu
Editor's introduction
The commentary
III Yasutani-roshi's private encounters with ten Westerners
Editor's introduction
The encounters
Student A (Woman, age 60)
Student B (Man, age 45)
Student C (Man, age 43)
Student D (Woman, age 40)
Student E (Man, age 44)
Student F (Woman, age 45)
Student G (Man, age 25)
Student H (Woman, age 37)
Student I (Man, age 30)
Student J (Woman, age 33)
IV Bassui's Dharma talk on one-mind and letters to his disciples
Editor's introduction
The talk
The letters
To a man from Kumasaka
Yo the Abbess of Shinryu-ji
To Lord Nakamura, Governor of Aki Province
To a dying man
To the layman Ippo (Homma Shoken)
To a monk on Shobo Herimitage
To the Nun Furusawa
First letter to the Zen Priest Iguchi
Second letter to the Zen Priest Iguchi
Third letter to the Zen Priest Iguchi
Fourth letter to the Zen Priest Iguchi
To a nun
Part Two Enlightenment
V Eight contemporary enlightenment experiences
of Japanese and Westerners
Editor's introduction
The experiences
Mr. K.Y., a Japanese executive
Mr. P.K., an American ex-businessman
Mr.K.T., a Japanese garden designer
Mr.C.S., a Japanese retired government worker
Mrs. A.M., an American school teacher
Mr. A.K., a Japanese insurance adjuster
Mrs. L.T.S., an American artist
Mrs. D.K., a Canadian housewife
VI Yaero Iwasaki's enlightenment letters to Harada-roshi and his comments
Editor's introduction
A biographical note on Harada-roshi
The letters and comments
Evidence of Kensho
Evidence of great enlightenment
Evidence of deepened enlightenment
Evidence of direct experience of the great way of Buddhism
Evidence of attaining the non-regressing mind of Fugen
Evidence of the joy and peace of being at one with the Dharma
Further evidence of the joy and peace of being at one with the Dharma
Presentiment of death
Part three Supplements
VII Dogen on 'Being-Time'
VIII The ten oxherding pictures with commentary and verses
IX Postures
Zazen postures illustrated
Questions and answers
X Notes on Zen vocabulary and Buddhist doctrine
Pronunciation guide to Japanese words
Index… (meer)