The ancient authoritative text: 'Writings from Zen Masters' has stood the test of time for over 800 years as the fundamental document in Zen Buddhism, and is undeniably deserving of this, quite literally, sacred distinction. 'Writings from Zen Masters' seeks to help guide its readers onto the path of enlightenment by revealing numerous universal truths, chief among them being that enlightenment can be achieved in an endless amount of ways. The opening quatrain of this literary feat captures the books’ essence best; “The great path has no gates/ Thousands of roads enter it. / When one passes through this gateless gate/ He walks freely between heaven and earth.” This ideological foundation for the Zen branch of Buddhism prompts you to discover its thesis through over one hundred short parables, all needing little to no prior knowledge, all using simple language and concepts to prompt the reader to deduce larger universal truths. A story about overflowing tea is used as a metaphor for the need of an unbiased perspective, describing a masters’ short staff prompts a re-evaluation of absolutes as a whole. The beauty of 'Writings from Zen Masters' is that it can use such basic language and complexity to speak volumes about the human experience on levels that most philosophers could only dream. This text excels in word choice, simplicity, and ability to reveal universal wisdom with unbelievable ease. The only instances when the book fails to illuminate the mind are when the lessons become too deeply entrenched in metaphors, or the when the lessons become too advanced to be understood. There are some stories in the book that just completely surpass the untrained mind, encouraging you to return to these lessons at a later date when you have advanced on your own personal path to the gateless gate, or enlightenment. This critique isn’t even wholly a drawback because this opportunity for growth spurs on your own quest for improvement in the area, encouraging you more than just the prospect of enlightenment alone. Once you have taken a comprehensive look at the work as a whole, you realize that the words that fill its ancient pages are nothing less than timeless, and serve a purpose no less important than the ultimate self-liberation from the human condition. Delving into 'Writings from Zen Masters' is a must for anyone seeking to open the mind, bewilder the consciousness, and enlighten the self.
The ancient authoritative text: 'Writings from Zen Masters' has stood the test of time for over 800 years as the fundamental document in Zen Buddhism, and is undeniably deserving of this, quite literally, sacred distinction.
ReplyDelete'Writings from Zen Masters' seeks to help guide its readers onto the path of enlightenment by revealing numerous universal truths, chief among them being that enlightenment can be achieved in an endless amount of ways. The opening quatrain of this literary feat captures the books’ essence best; “The great path has no gates/ Thousands of roads enter it. / When one passes through this gateless gate/ He walks freely between heaven and earth.”
This ideological foundation for the Zen branch of Buddhism prompts you to discover its thesis through over one hundred short parables, all needing little to no prior knowledge, all using simple language and concepts to prompt the reader to deduce larger universal truths. A story about overflowing tea is used as a metaphor for the need of an unbiased perspective, describing a masters’ short staff prompts a re-evaluation of absolutes as a whole. The beauty of 'Writings from Zen Masters' is that it can use such basic language and complexity to speak volumes about the human experience on levels that most philosophers could only dream.
This text excels in word choice, simplicity, and ability to reveal universal wisdom with unbelievable ease. The only instances when the book fails to illuminate the mind are when the lessons become too deeply entrenched in metaphors, or the when the lessons become too advanced to be understood. There are some stories in the book that just completely surpass the untrained mind, encouraging you to return to these lessons at a later date when you have advanced on your own personal path to the gateless gate, or enlightenment. This critique isn’t even wholly a drawback because this opportunity for growth spurs on your own quest for improvement in the area, encouraging you more than just the prospect of enlightenment alone.
Once you have taken a comprehensive look at the work as a whole, you realize that the words that fill its ancient pages are nothing less than timeless, and serve a purpose no less important than the ultimate self-liberation from the human condition. Delving into 'Writings from Zen Masters' is a must for anyone seeking to open the mind, bewilder the consciousness, and enlighten the self.