This is an abridged edition of a more comprehensive collection and commentary on Chinul (1158-1210)，whose writings and talks, as well as his personal practice，re-defined Korean Zen Buddhism during the Koryo dynasty. Disgruntled with the ecclesia of the time，he established a retreat society and set down a range of practice techniques which are still taught. He also did his best to address the schism between sutra study and meditation practice.
Robert Buswell，himself a practitioner and former monk，renders translations of Chinul's "Secrets On Cultivating the Mind," "Straight Talk on the True Mind," and excerpts from Chinul's "Dharma Collection and Special Practice Record with Personal Notes" that are accessible，challenging to the general reader，and - for the practitioner - a long finger pointing us to our own mind.
This is not，however，practice-oriented material，so the Zen student looking for encouragement in practice will not find much "dharma candy" here. With Buswell's extensive introduction，the book offers us a history of Buddhism in Korea, a biography and extensive critique of his philosophy and methods, in addition to the translations. This offers some edifying history to a Zen student with a scholarly bent，but with this caveat：these are dead words! They were set down at a certain time as medicine for the kinds of dharma sickness Chinul confronted. Don't let this old medicine become a disease!
