Customer Reviews

The Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi (Shambhala Dragon Editions)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is one of the earliest and greatest Zen classics devoted to the teaching of an individual Master, a genre invented within Zen. In earlier Buddhism what was taught was what the Buddha had taught, what the Sutras recorded. Zen emphasised the uniqueness of the moment and the need for newly improvised teachings, because of the way the mind forms a "skin" over what it has learnt.

So Masters taught directly from their own realisation and not from the Sutras. Devoted disciples would then note down and record their words. But there's a paradox here - a permanent record of a unique moment - and some Masters disapproved and actively tried to destroy such records of their teachings.

Lin-chi was a formidable character even by the standards of Zen Masters. He was famous for the ferocious, unnerving shout which he would unleash when least expected, in the same way other Masters used blows: to stop the busy minds of his followers for a moment. But all of his teachings ultimately had no other purpose: and he can be scary, crude, confrontational.

He uses all means to teach one simple but elusive lesson: what is to be sought is what does the seeking: Mind itself, and not any limited image, concept or insight that Mind can come up with. Thus he also uses those double-edged words that have caused so much trouble and confusion ever since: "There is nothing to be done, nothing to achieve, nothing to be attained".

At times, surprisingly, he could also come out with passages of mysterious poetic imagery, in which he codifies some of the basic thought-structures of Zen, which have been argued over and commented upon ever since. He also coined the phrase "the real person with no position".
Burton Watson's translation aims at capturing the original's raw colloquial vigour, and as usual when academics do colloquial the results are sometimes awkward ("If you want to be a first rate fellow...") But this is a tiny flaw in a fluent translation of an essential and inexhaustible Zen classic.

Nishida Kitaro, famous modern Japanese philosopher, founder of the influential Kyoto School, and expert on Mahayana Buddhism, once made the remark that if he were stranded on some remote island (Gilligan's Island? Where's the Skipper?) with only a couple books in his possession, one of them would be the Rinzai Roku (Chinese: Linji Lu).

High praise indeed. And a sentiment shared by me, a lesser thinker than Nishida. There is simply something special in this book's extraordinary insight and power that comes shining through in these discourses (I grant here recent scholarship's insights into the formation of the Linji Lu legend during the Song Period, but undoubtably Linji was an important figure himself). Presenting such a powerful message, it is no wonder the Linji school became the leading Zen sect in Japan down through history. If you, dear reader, have no knowledge of Mahayana insights, just start here. Never mind the colorful anecdotes in the book where Linji is slapping or yelling at everybody, just concentrate on the sermons. The Linji Lu will literally turn you into a Mahayana powerhouse yourself if you ponder the discourses long enough. It can well serve as a "primer" on Mahayana doctrines...

Anyway, back to this translation. There have been several other translations into English, one by Irmgard Schloegl and another by Ruth Fuller Sasaki's team in Japan (both of which are hard to get nowdays in original form). And also a current one by Zen teacher Eido Shimano, and one by JC Cleary...there may be more. I've got all these versions, but I still like Burton Watson's translation the best. To me, Watson has done a masterful job rendering the Linji Lu into coherent English, no easy feat with this type of literature. He is simply a great translator.

As for the Linji Lu's place in world religious literature, I personally think it belongs up there near the top as far as a clear presentation of Mahayana doctrines. I realize mostly zen practitioners, scholars, and Buddhist fans will be the only ones interested in wading through these old Chinese works, but that is really a shame in a lot of ways. If scriptures like the Bible, Koran, and other familiar texts belong to classic world literature, and they do, so do powerful works less-familiar to the Western public, such as the Linji Lu, Dogen's Shobogenzo, the Hua-Yen Sutra, etc.

It is my feeling that anyone interested in expanding one's perceptual horizons needs to come to terms with the great Yu-Lu ("recorded sayings") literature from the T'ang/Song Periods in China, of which this book is representative. In particular, the Hong-Zhou line of Mazu, to which Linji belonged, became quite (in)famous for their emphasis on zen "functioning" in daily life. There is an old Chan saying which reminds us, "what comes in through the gates is not the family treasure...". In other words, your circumstances, and the constant bombardment of external stimuli from your environment, shouldn't be allowed to bind you (as they invariably do) from being a free human being. As Linji himself might have demanded, where is the "true human of no conditions"? Alas, we're all guilty these days, too bad Linji isn't around to slap us. Here- I'll do it for him (slaps lazy Amazon reader, who is nodding off reading this review...

A wonderful translation of an essential text for all Zen students and practitioners. The Zen teachings of Lin-chi (Rinzai) pack the force of a nuclear blast. The record of Lin-chi foregoes any pretense to gradual guidance and delivers its Zen message in raw, heavy bucket-fulls.

Burton Watson's translation of The Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi (Sung edition), like his other translations, is exceptional. Without sacrificing either the letter or the spirit, Mr. Watson makes the Record of the seminal Zen master Lin-chi (Rinzai) accessible to English readers with all the clarity and force of the original.

With his usual high standard in regard to scholarship, Burton Watson provides extensive notes to each section. He also includes translations of the two alternate versions of two sections of the Lin-chi lu in Ming editions of the Ku-tsun-su yu-lu, and a decent glossary.

This is probally one of the best Zen books I've ever read!!! Lin-chi (Rinzai) speaks in a clear manner easy to understand. Like a true master he knows how to get straight to the "heart" of Zen. It's no wonder a school of Zen is named after him.

While this is no Zen Teachings of Huang Po, there are statements made herein that strike the brain faster and harder than most other teachings. I was reluctant to buy it, because Huang Po would have hit me for doing so, and Lin Chi likely would have done the same. Regardless, I wanted to see what Lin Chi had to say about Real stuff, and I was repaid for my curiosity.

This book is short and is divided into several sections. Some are the usual - Zen master is asked a question, Zen master hits questioner or shouts or does something other than provide a direct, conceptual reply. Questioner walks away puzzled and reader falls asleep with half empty beer in hand. One section, on the other hand, consists of Lin Chi giving actual brain-shaking speeches that are even more forceful and direct than Huang Po himself. This section (Section Two) makes this book worth the purchase price, even if you are a true simpleton who understands that any advice is simply better than current ignorance but nowhere near real comprehension.

I find it hard to recommend a book on Zen when I myself never plan on reading it again myself, but it works better than the 4 million Zen teachers who make a living writing books on how Zen applies to cleaning your house. I guess that's worth something.

This book along with The Zen Teaching of Huang Po are the only two books one needs to start his or her path towards complete freedom. I used to always read a variety of books on buddhism and would always be purchasing new books on the subject, however after reading these two books I will never get another buddhism book again. This book cuts straight to the heart of zen buddhism and i highly recommend it. (note this book is probably not for a beginner)

The teachings of Lin-chi can be a rough ride for those who are attracted to the more flowery descriptions of paths to enlightenment and nirvana encountered elsewhere. The reader is more likely to be confronted with Lin-chi's infamous shouts and blows that may resemble Cher slapping Nicholas Cage in the movie Moonstruck and telling him to "snap out of it!" more than the airy, comforting words used by some of today's teachers and practitioners. This is not to suggest that Cher is an enlightened Zen master, but metaphors often come from unexpected places! Lin-chi himself does not hesitate to resort to extreme hyperbole, violent metaphor and scatological references in order to emphatically make a point.

It was Lin-chi who borrowed the Taoist term "chen-jen" (buji-nin in Japanese) to describe the "Natural or True Man of No Rank." Bu and chen refer to the unparticularized and uncontrived, while nin and jen literally mean man or person. His emphasis on being natural and "doing nothing" is often misinterpreted as being a slacker rather than his stated intention in pointing out the potential pitfalls of becoming entangled in the rituals and trappings of overly conceptualized practices. Unfortunately, today's institutionalized Zen schools have misappropriated the term "Buji-Zen" and apply it in a derogatory manner to those who are lazy or frivolous in their approach to individual practice.

The reader will realize early on that the "father of Rinzai Zen" was neither frivolous nor lazy. His teaching is strong medicine, with no sugar offered to help the medicine go down. Highly recommended.

The translator of this should be Burton Watson; it looks to be a new editions of the Shambala Dragon edition of 1994. check with publisher so you will provide your readers with accurate information

This is probably the stupidest book and probably one of the most confusing things I have ever tried to read. I had to do it for this terrible Buddhism class and I regret taking it and wasting my time trying to decipher the Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi. I learned nothing from this class and really learned nothing from the book. What I did get from the book were headaches and I am glad the class is over and I never have to see this book again.