Classics of Buddhism and Zen, Volume 1: The Collected Translations of Thomas Cleary [Paperback]

Thomas Cleary (Author)

Book Description

Series: Classics of Buddhism and Zen | Publication Date: April 12, 2005

Volume One of Classics of Buddhism and Zen contains teachings predominantly from the Chinese Zen (Chan) tradition, including the writings of revered Chinese masters such as Pai-chang, founder of the Chan monastic tradition; Huang-po, one of the forefathers of the Lin-chi-tsung or Rinzai school; Foyan, the great master of the twelfth-century Chinese Zen "renaissance"; and many others.



The volume includes:

Zen Lessons: The Art of Leadership
This guide to enlightened conduct for people in positions of authority is based on the teachings of several great Zen masters of China.

Zen Essence: The Science of Freedom
Drawn from the records of the great Chinese Zen masters of the Tang and Song dynasties, this collection represents the most open and direct forms of instruction in the entire Zen canon.

The Five Houses of Zen
These writings are widely considered to be preeminent among Zen literature.

Minding Mind: A Course in Basic Meditation
The meditation instructions in this book focus on attaining a state of true objectivity that enables the practitioner to use all other forms of meditation freely and consciously, without becoming fixated or obsessed.

Instant Zen
Presented here are the teachings of Foyan, who offers simple exercises in attention and thought designed to lead to insight into the real nature of self.

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (April 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590302184
• ISBN-13: 978-1590302187
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 1.6 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thomas Cleary is the preeminent translator of classic Eastern texts, including The Essential Tao, The Essential Confucius, The Secret of the Golden Flower, and the bestselling The Art of War.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for Zen students, enriching for all, February 18, 2009

By 

Ted Biringer "Author of The Flatbed Sutra of ... (Anacortes, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

Essential for Zen students, enriching for all.

All Five Volumes of Classics of Buddhism and Zen contain the translations of some of the most essential literature of Buddhism and Zen.

Volume One focuses primarily on the classic Chinese masters of Zen (like Pai-chang, Lin-chi-tsung [J.Rinzai] and his teacher, Huang-po, Yunmen, and more), but also contains some gems from Japanese masters (including Eihei Dogen), and a wonderful translation of one of the classic meditation treatises by the Korean master Chinul.

As the Collected Works of Thomas Cleary, these translations span his remarkably prolific career. Finally, they have become available in this beautiful, accessible five-volume set. This five-volume set includes nearly all of Thomas Cleary's translations (some have even been slightly revised and updated). They also include all the supplemental material included in the original individual translations, ie. glossaries, notes, indexes, Introductions, and Cleary's own insightful commentaries.

Only a handful of Thomas Cleary's Buddhist and Zen translations are not included in this set, primarily because their own bulk would necessarily constitute a volume unto themselves-these include, The Blue Cliff Record (trans. with J.C. Cleary), The Book of Serenity, and The Avatamsaka Sutra.

Volume One contains:

Zen Lessons: The Art of Leadership

Zen Essence: The Science of Freedom

The Five Houses of Zen

Minding Mind: A Course in Basic Meditation

Instant Zen

All five volumes are formatted for ease of access and reading. The set, or the individual volumes are a perfect gift for anyone with an interest in Zen or Buddhism, Eastern Religion or Eastern Philosophy. The Hardcovers are sturdy and finely bound, the Trade Paper are also made to last.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for Zen students, enriching for all, April 24, 2008

By 

Ted Biringer "Author of The Flatbed Sutra of ... (Anacortes, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classics of Buddhism and Zen, Volume 1: The Collected Translations of Thomas Cleary (Hardcover)

Essential translations of the classic texts of Buddhism and Zen!

All Five Volumes of Classics of Buddhism and Zen contain the translations of some of the most essential literature of Buddhism and Zen.

Volume One focuses primarily on the classic Chinese masters of Zen (like Pai-chang, Lin-chi-tsung [J.Rinzai] and his teacher, Huang-po, Yunmen, and more), but also contains some gems from Japanese masters (including Eihei Dogen), and a wonderful translation of one of the classic meditation treatises by the Korean master Chinul.

As the Collected Works of Thomas Cleary, these translations span his remarkably prolific career. Finally, they have become available in this beautiful, accessible five-volume set. This five-volume set includes nearly all of Thomas Cleary's translations (some have even been slightly revised and updated). They also include all the supplemental material included in the original individual translations, ie. glossaries, notes, indexes, Introductions, and Cleary's own insightful commentaries.

Only a handful of Thomas Cleary's Buddhist and Zen translations are not included in this set, primarily because their own bulk would necessarily constitute a volume unto themselves--these include, The Blue Cliff Record (trans. with J.C. Cleary), The Book of Serenity, and The Avatamsaka Sutra.

Volume One contains:

Zen Lessons: The Art of Leadership

Zen Essence: The Science of Freedom

The Five Houses of Zen

Minding Mind: A Course in Basic Meditation

Instant Zen

(You can find more info on the contents of these texts by "searching" them individually).

All five volumes are formatted for ease of access and reading. The set, or the individual volumes are a perfect gift for anyone with an interest in Zen or Buddhism, Eastern Religion or Eastern Philosophy. The Hardcovers are sturdy and finely bound, the Trade Paper are also made to last.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zen, July 16, 2009

By 

J.J.M. "Traveler" (Novi, MI) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Classics of Buddhism and Zen, Volume 1: The Collected Translations of Thomas Cleary (Paperback)

An excellent collection of Cleary's translations of Zen Classics.
Full of real insight that points the Way through this confusing
age of science and materialistic religions towards true Awakening.
"Don't cling, don't seek. Act spontaneously without attachment."
"Float like a cloud, flow like water, bend like grass in the wind."

Highly recommended!