Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path as Taught by a Modern Chinese Master [Hardcover]

Ch'an Master Sheng-yen (Author), Dan Stevenson (Author), Master Sheng-Yen (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195136934 | ISBN-13: 978-0195136937 | Publication Date: February 22, 2001

Revered by Buddhists in the United States and China, Master Sheng-yen shares his wisdom and teachings in this first comprehensive English primer of Chan, the Chinese tradition of Buddhism that inspired Japanese Zen. Often misunderstood as a system of mind games, the Chan path leads to enlightenment through apparent contradiction. While demanding the mental and physical discipline of traditional Buddhist doctrine, it asserts that wisdom (Buddha-nature) is innate and immediate in all living beings, and thus not to be achieved through devotion to the strictures of religious practice. You arrive without departing.
Master Sheng-yen provides an unprecedented understanding of Chan, its precepts, and its practice. Beginning with a basic overview of Buddhism and meditation, Hoofprint of the Ox details the progressive mental exercises traditionally followed by all Buddhists. Known as the Three Disciplines, these procedures develop moral purity, meditative concentration, and enlightening insight through the "stilling" of the mind. Master Sheng-yen then expounds Chan Buddhism, recounting its centuries-old history in China and illuminating its fundamental tenets. He contemplates the nature of Buddhahood, specifies the physical and mental prerequisites for beginning Chan practice, and humbly considers what it means to be an enlightened Chan master.
Drawing its title from a famous series of pictures that symbolizes the Chan path as the search of an ox-herd for his wayward ox, Hoofprint of the Ox is an inspirational guide to self-discovery through mental transformation. A profound contribution to Western understanding of Chan and Zen, this book is intended for practicing Buddhists as well as anyone interested in learning about the Buddhist path.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Master Sheng-yen, author of Subtle Wisdom and the head of monasteries in both Taiwan and the United States, has written another inspiring introduction to the Chan Buddhist tradition of China, more familiar to Americans as Zen, its incarnation in Japan. Eastern religion bookshelves these days are crowded with Zen primers and collections of sermons by eminent monks or nuns, but Sheng-yen's work stands out, bridging the two genres in a way that has been much needed. Buddhist sermons by Asian masters, when transplanted to American soil, can be misinterpreted by an audience lacking the cultural context for deeper understanding, leading to disillusionment with the institutional practice of Chan/Zen Buddhism. Sheng-yen, having taught in America for many years, is well aware of this and places Chan meditation in the larger Buddhist picture, showing its basis in history and morality. He explains the relationship between actual practice and the ideals expressed in sermons and in the paradoxical stories of early masters in such a way that a beginning student of Chan/Zen can then read the sermons with a deeper understanding of their relevance to his or her life. Aided by a masterful introduction by well-known scholar Dan Stevenson, this work brings introductory books on Chan/Zen to a new level of sophistication, accuracy and relevance to both the more advanced and the novice American practitioner. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"In this illuminating treatise readers will discover a Chan practice that is marvelously alive.... A very special book; highly recommended."--Library Journal

"Master Sheng-Yen has written another inspiring introduction to the Chan buddhist tradition in China, more familiar to Americans as Zen, its incarnation in Japan.... Aided by a masterful introduction by well-known scholar Dan Stevenson, this book brings introductory books on Chan/Zen to a new level of sophistication, accuracy and relevance to both the more advanced and the novice American practitioner."--Publishers Weekly

"In the last few decades the EV has, as it were, made noises off stage and been glimpsed occasionally peeking round the curtain as if assessing the audience. Chan and Chau are unabashed entusiasts for the EV. Their backstage work ahs been assiduous and careful over the last 20 years. They are part of a relatively small but growing corps of automotive engineers sensing that the audience may be ready."--Power Engineering Journal

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 22, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195136934
• ISBN-13: 978-0195136937
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,176,080 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compendium of Chinese Chan Buddhist Practice!, March 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path as Taught by a Modern Chinese Master (Hardcover)

Hoofprint of the Ox is by far the best-written and presented systematic book on Chinese, especially Chan, Buddhism out there. Master Sheng-yen's words are so clear and specific. His voice combines the insight of an experienced Chan meditation retreat master and a knowledgeable Buddhist scholar.

This book stands out as a rare jewel in the mountain of books on Buddhism. For example, master Sheng-yen's presentation of meditation techniques from "five points of stilling the mind" (shamata) and contemplative meditation (vipashyana) to gong'an and silent illumination is the best that I have ever read. This book is for the serious practitioner of Chan or Buddhism in general.

Most of the books out there present Buddhism as a "packaged product." For example, most books on Zen or Chan presents it as some isolated, idealized spiritual practice free from religiosity (rituals, faith, and so on), as if it can be adapted to anything. Most times these books are watered down. Hoofprint of the Ox presents Buddhism as it is, without being apologetic or "fundamentalist."

The book covers issue of: buddhist doctrine (clarifying the misconception of buddhist emptiness, selflessness, correct views, etc), path (Chan and classical path: precepts, different types of meditation methods, etc.), and various levels and types of experience (experiences of enlightenment and delusion). Most importantly, master Sheng-yen also delineates what it means to be a Chan master. This is a revealing chapter of the book. It dispels many romantic ideas we may have as a practitioner in the West.

Enjoy the book!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Ch'an Overview?, May 22, 2006

By 

The Masked Reviewer - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path as Taught by a Modern Chinese Master (Paperback)

Master Sheng Yen has spent a lifetime devoted to understanding, mastering and teaching Ch'an. This book explicates as much as it outlines. Any Sheng Yen book tends to be an absolute find. I'd have to say that this book has impressed me most thus far, out of all the Ch'an books I own...(I own a LOT).

Expect to learn very nearly everything you ever wanted to know about Ch'an and the subtleties of samadhi and practice. American Ch'an/Zen practictioners, you simply have to have this book. If you're shikantaza'd out, welcome to an intelligent Ch'an book to set you straight again and make sense of non-sectarian Ch'an. It's a worthwhile meditation, even if you intellectually "know" everything contained (Which would likely mean you are already ordained or well on the way or the equivalent). Sheng Yen is a great teacher, and sometimes it's not what's said, but how the teacher says it that makes the overwhelming difference. Sheng Yen has much to say on emphases and overlooked aspects in Rinzai and Soto differentiated Zen practice, illustrating how Zen is not intellectualism, not cold "emptiness," not "just sitting," but rather a full sweeping life-transforming experience that entails everything one does, and is not owned by any one practice, faith, school, sect or tradition. This is also perhaps something of a cure for those who are brainwashed into thinking that there is no such thing as bad/wrong zen or that one spiritual path is automatically equivalent to another.

The quality of attention and straightforwardness that Sheng Yen puts into every chapter and subject in this book is somewhat impressive. Historical and schematic overview lends great depth of understanding to whatever one already knows of any of the various forms of Buddhist and Ch'an practices.

What if we all bowed to each other when we passed on the street, instead of playing games relating to our appearance and presumed cultural cache or gender roles? What if we all looked on each other with the warm glow of enlightenment, rather than cool, smug competitiveness as the auto-default style of interaction nowadays? If you have ever asked yourself this question in a sincere state of mind, then Sheng Yen's Ch'an is also yours. This is a skillfully-written technical manual of sorts on how the engine of Ch'an practice really works, written by a trained and aged monk who has entirely devoted his life to perfecting, teaching and articulating Ch'an practice.

This is a book I think I will probably come back to again and again.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you wanted to know about Chan meditation .. and more, December 31, 2007

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calmly - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path as Taught by a Modern Chinese Master (Paperback)

This is a book I believe will help me with my Chan meditation practice. I've found a few lately which seem like they do or will help: I need to stop reading now so much and start meditating more.

It is fortunate that there are some books on Chan meditation which seem helpful. This is the most thorough. Others I have found recently are:
1) Attaining the Way: A Guide to the Practice of Chan Buddhism, also by Sheng Yen. Not as thorough but arguably sufficient and better focused.
2) The Chan Handbook: Talks About Meditation by Hsuan Hua, also not as thorough but also arguably sufficient and seemed more intimate than "Attaining the Way"
3) Chan Buddhism (Dimensions of Asian Spirituality) by Peter Hershock, which covers both Chan history and the spirit of Chan meditation but not technical details.

Reading all these books may risk "overdosing", as I may have done, but probably can't hurt. If I had to pick only one to learn the practice of Chan meditation, I'd pick this book ("Hoofprint of the Ox"). If I had to pick only one to learn either the history or spirit of Chan Buddhism, I'd pick Herchock "Chan Buddhism". At the moment, all these books seem relatively affordable so you may be able to "avoid picking and choosing!"

Besides teachings of substance to be found in this book, a few relatively minor lessons from this book that helped me are:

1) even if not ideal, it is okay to sit in a chair when doing silent illumination.
2) to minimize distractions, restraining oneself from much talking and socializing helps at all times. Is that obvious?
3) modern life being as complex as it is will, almost certainly, make it more difficult to quiet oneself. Sheng Yen details methods for calming oneself.
4) exercises and self-massage before meditation can help. For exercise, I'm considering doing chi gong again regularly for which I recommend Master Lam Kam-Chuen's The Way of Energy: A Gaia Original
5) Chan Buddhism historically was actually associated with the production of much literature and the many of early Chan masters were well-versed in Buddhist and non-Buddhist texts
6) Sheng Yen recognizes the difficulty in finding and identifying a suitable Chan teacher, as well how difficult it can be to trust any teacher one may consider.
7) practice with a huatou (meditation subject) may be more suitable than silent illumination practice, one needs to try and find out. Silent illumination is recommends to try first.

I suspect I will not find a more thorough guide to Chan meditation. Nevertheless, I did not feel lost in the details although I will certainly need to reread this book, in whole or parts, in order to truly benefit from it. Given all the reading I've done lately on Chan meditation, I am well overdue for such rereading and to focus more on my meditation practice itself.