Site mapAbout usConsultative CommitteeAsk LibrarianContributionCopyrightCitation GuidelineDonationHome        

CatalogAuthor AuthorityGoogle
Search engineFulltextScripturesLanguage LessonsLinks
 


Extra service
Tools
Export
Song of Mind: Wisdom from the Zen Classic Xin Ming=禪無所求
Author Shih, Sheng-yen (著)=釋聖嚴 (au.)
Date2004.09.11
Pages224
PublisherShambhala Publications, Incorporated
Publisher Url http://www.shambhala.com/
LocationBoston, MA, US [波士頓, 麻薩諸塞州, 美國]
Content type書籍=Book
Language英文=English
Keyword心靈=Spiritual; 佛教人物=Buddhist; 佛教經典=Buddhist Scriptures=Sutra; 法師=Master; 長行=契經=修多羅=Sutra; 修行方法=修行法門=Practice; 閉關=Retreat; 開悟=證悟=Satori=Enlightenment; 靜坐=Meditation; 禪修=Meditation; 尸羅=戒=command=Precept=sila=morality=rule=discipline=prohibition
Abstract"No words can explain enlightenment," says the seventh-century Zen classic Xin Ming, or "Song of Mind," yet, paradoxically, this poem is a masterpiece of expressing the inexpressible. In his commentary on it, Chan Master Sheng Yen takes a practical approach, opening up the language of the Xin Ming to show students how to approach meditation, how to deal with problems that arise in their spiritual practice, and how to accomplish the imperative task of integrating this practice into every aspect of one's life. "True understanding comes only with direct experience," according to Master Sheng Yen. "These lectures, the Buddhist sutras, songs, poems, and commentaries are useful only insofar as they encourage you to practice and incorporate the Dharma [teachings] into your daily life." The book takes the form of a week-long retreat with Master Sheng Yen, with each chapter in the form of an evening talk given on a particular section of the "Song of Mind" text-giving this book a far more intimate and accessible feel than most commentaries on Zen texts and creating a feeling of being right there with the master as he brings the text to life.

This book combines commentary on a seventh-century classic poem from Chinese Zen (Chan) Buddhism with dharma, or teaching, talks from retreats. The format works: it gives focus to the talks while also making textual commentary livelier and very 21st-century in application. Chinese Zen is not as well known in America as the Japanese forms, so the book is fresh in that respect. Sheng Yen is not as poetic as some Zen masters, such as Shunryu Suzuki and others in his lineage, but the Chan master has compelling command of the challenging mental paradoxes at the heart of Zen. This down-to-earth book is not for beginners, but it is eminently practical because of its derivation from retreat talks. The master describes many problems common to sitting meditation—chronic wandering thoughts, pains in the legs and pseudo-enlightenment states—and his responses to them essentially boil down to, unsurprisingly, practice, practice, practice. He also helpfully throws cold water on the pretentiousness of those who believe that Buddhism is an excuse for bizarre behavior. This practice-oriented book is like a good "incense board"—the stick used on students who request it during sitting meditation to prod them to greater effort.
ISBN1590301404 (pbk); 9781590301401 (hc)
Hits1185
Created date2005.06.10
Modified date2024.07.02



Best viewed with Chrome, Firefox, Safari(Mac) but not supported IE

Notice

You are leaving our website for The full text resources provided by the above database or electronic journals may not be displayed due to the domain restrictions or fee-charging download problems.

Record correction

Please delete and correct directly in the form below, and click "Apply" at the bottom.
(When receiving your information, we will check and correct the mistake as soon as possible.)

Serial No.
125361

Search History (Only show 10 bibliography limited)
Search Criteria Field Codes
Search CriteriaBrowse