Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record: Zen Comments by Hakuin and Tenkei [Paperback]

Thomas Cleary (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 10, 2002

The Blue Cliff Record is a classic text of Zen Buddhism, designed to assist in the activation of dormant human potential. The core of this extraordinary work is a collection of one hundred traditional citations and stories, selected for their ability to bring about insight and enlightenment. These vignettes are known as gongan in Chinese and koan in Japanese.

Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record is a fresh translation featuring newly translated commentary from two of the greatest Zen masters of early modern Japan, Hakuin Ekaku (1685–1768) of the Rinzai sect of Zen and Tenkei Denson (1648–1735) of the Soto sect of Zen. This translation and commentary on The Blue Cliff Record sheds new light on the meaning of this central Zen text.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Blue Cliff Record is a collection of Chinese koan, cryptic Zen stories that point the way to enlightenment. Monks would (and still do) spend days, months, even years on a single koan, ruminating over it, plumbing its depths--not trying to figure it out, but letting it open a door inside of them. Over the centuries, masters have attempted to help the process along by adding their own remarks. Translator Thomas Cleary tells us that two of the most important commentators on the Blue Cliff Record have been the Japanese Hakuin Ekaku of the Rinzai lineage and Tenkei Denson of the Soto. In Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record, Cleary includes the core elements of the original Blue Cliff Record and selections from the extensive work of these two commentators. The result is not exactly a CliffsNotes, as the reading is still arduous. Even the comments can be cryptic and in need of comment. But the more fingers pointing at the moon, the easier it is to find. --Brian Bruya --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Authentic traditions of commentary have been hard to find—until this fluidly translated work, which includes commentaries by two of the greatest Zen masters of early modern Japan . . . their words shine light on this deep and extraordinary work."— Tricycle



"These commentaries make the challenges of the Zen masters available to the spiritually courageous among us."— Bodhi Tree Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (December 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570629129
• ISBN-13: 978-1570629129
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,418 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

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diamond cutting sword!!! Hakuin and Tenkei Share their Wisdom, April 6, 2002

By 

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

This review is from: Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record: With Explanations by Zen Master Tenkei (Hardcover)

Once again Thomas Cleary has delivered a masterpiece!! Hakuin and Tenkei comment on THE Zen text of the ages.

All one-hundred cases are represented (many of them revised from Thomas Cleary's earlier translations with J.C Cleary in The Blue Cliff Record). Cleary also offers an in-depth overview of the history of this text, and its influence on Zen in Japan.

With comments by two great Zen masters from opposites sides of the lineage chart (Hakuin from the Rinzai sect; Tenkei from the Soto sect). One is struck by the harmonious commentaries by two Masters representing sects that supposedly are diametrically opposed on their views and teachings of Zen Buddhism. Cleary once again finds the "Universal Elements" of Zen that transcend all schools and sects. An excellent guide to the most influential Zen Text of all time.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A complementary study to the Blue Cliff Record, August 10, 2005

By 

Hakuyu "Ikeda" (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record: Zen Comments by Hakuin and Tenkei (Paperback)

While it would be unfair to generalise - not everyone views Zen practice as something set in wood, according to lineage etc. (Yasutani Roshi, for instance, embraced a joint Rinzai-Soto fusion), centuries of tradition have left their mark. In some quarters at least, there is a tendency for Rinzai and Soto followers to define their schools by their differences (e.g. use of the koan, jakugo, koan-colections etc. as against 'shikantza' etc).

As against such hybrid narrowness, it is fascinating to read these parallel commentaries on the Blue Cliff Record - one, by the eminent Soto master - Tenkei Denson (1648-1735) - the other by Hakuin Zenji (1685-1768), the renowned Rinzai reformer of the Tokugawa. These commentaries reveal a breadth of insight which transcends all conditioned boundaries.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome translation, April 5, 2001

By 

Joe McFadden (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record: With Explanations by Zen Master Tenkei (Hardcover)

Thomas Cleary translated The Blue Cliff Record many years ago.In this new book Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record he makes available commentaries by Rizai master Hakuin and Soto master Tenkei. This book will be welcomed by those who have read,re-read and studied The Blue Cliff Record in detail. I recommend this books to students of The Blue Cliff Record everywhere!