The Zen Teaching of Huang-Po: On the Transmission of Mind [Paperback]

John Eaton Calthorpe Blofeld (Translator), P'ei Hsiu (Preface)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 18, 1994

This complete translation of the original collection of sermons, dialogues, and anecdotes of Huang Po, the illustrious Chinese master of the Tang Dynasty, allows the Western reader to gain an understanding of Zen from the original source, one of the key works in its teachings; it also offers deep and often startling insights into the rich treasures of Eastern thought. Nowhere is the use of paradox in Zen illustrated better than in the teaching of Huang Po, who shows how the experience of intuitive knowledge that reveals to a man what he is cannot be communicated by words. With the help of these paradoxes, beautifully and simply presented in this collection, Huang Po could set his disciples on the right path. It is in this fashion that the Zen master leads his listener into truth, often by a single phrase designed to destroy his particular demon of ignorance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press; First Evergreen Edition edition (January 18, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802150926
• ISBN-13: 978-0802150929
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,326 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 90 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pearl without price, December 21, 2004

By 

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

This review is from: The Zen Teaching of Huang-Po: On the Transmission of Mind (Paperback)

There seems to be unanimous agreement that this deceptively compact text repays careful digestion, a mine of wisdom compressed within its pages -for those prepared to dig it out. Huang Po's discourses (and the Wan Ling record) remain some the most lucid expositions of Zen. They were delivered when the Zen tradition was still fresh. Huang po's 'sermons' were addressed to practising Buddhists. They presuppose that you are 'looking' into the meaning hinted at - the 'MIND' - which is neither 'yours' nor 'mine' - and in that sense 'VOID' - yet
embraces everything in the phenomenal universe.

Zen is sometimes regarded as an 'obscure' doctrine, but Huang P'o sermons have a refreshing sense of focus. Skirting the boundaries of what is virtually indescribable, he necessarily ends up uttering paradoxes - sometimes paradox -within-paradox, within paradox - and yet, in such a way that it actually brings focus, 'jiggling' the mind out of its habitual tendency to cling to dualities and contraries. In short, it resumes its inherent condition. We don't 'do' it - 'IT' does itself. All we have to do - is to get out of the way.

Thus, Huang P'o's 'direct pointing to the Mind.'This is Zen as it was originally taught, before all the wrangling about 'fixed koans' and answers - or getting stuck with 'just sitting.'Huang P'o speaks with unshakeable conviction that we can AWAKEN RIGHT NOW - if we look into what he is saying. He doesn't want to tie anyone up. It has to be 'your own thing' - nobody else can do it for you. This is squeaky clean Dharma!

P.S Besides the Huang-Po material, Blofeld also translated
Hui-hai's 'Treatise on Entering the Gate to Sudden
Enlightenment.' Between them, these two Zen 'sermons'
represent some of most lucid expositions of Zen - ever
set down in writing. They posess astonishing focus and
compression, without a wasted word.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unquestionably a classic, August 24, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: The Zen Teaching of Huang-Po: On the Transmission of Mind (Paperback)

Huang Po (d. 850) is perhaps one of Zen Buddhism's most brilliant Zen masters. This translation by John Blofeld of Huang Po's dialogues brings to light Zen Buddhism's most esoteric theme which concerns Buddha Mind. Different than the Western concept of Mind, Huang Po reveals the transcendent nature of Buddha Mind which traditional Zen Buddhists believe is the source of all things. This book is a must for anyone wishing to put their foot into the waters of Zen Buddhism. It is a classic in every since of the word. It always seems to say more than print is capable of expressing

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A penetrating insight into Zen Buddhism by an early master, March 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Zen Teaching of Huang-Po: On the Transmission of Mind (Paperback)

The teachings of Huang Po bear re-reading many, many times. So compressed and dense is this work that it is impossible to absorb the full import of Huang Po's insights at first pass. I've read it at least a dozen times and continue to discover new insights. This is one of three books I'd want on a desert island.

Don't be put off by its compression.

This book was translated by John Blofield in the 1950s and appears to remain the only English translation. I'd love to know what happened to Blofield, who apparently was living in Thailand at the time he translated the work.