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

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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.

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

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.

If you want Chan (Zen) teachings, this book is what you need. I read it several times, then supplemented it with Bodhidharma's teachings as one reviewer suggested. However, upon reading Red Pine's Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma I immediately returned it and bought another copy of Huang Po as a backup. I did not have a problem with Bodhidharma's teachings as much as I simply felt that Huang Po explained the One Mind in a way that resonated clearer with me. Both Bodhidharma and Huang Po taught naught but the One Mind, so neither will lead you astray. I gave away all of my other Zen books when I read Huang Po. Reading a dozen Zen books will not bring me any closer to "attaining" enlightenment, just as boiling the ocean is not necessary in order to make a cup of tea. My only complaint is that this book is not available in hardcover.

Although I never considered myself a student of Zen Buddhism until I read this book along with Red Pine's Zen Teachings of Bodhidharma, I do now. Having been a student of Advaita Vedanta for years, I have crossed over. Originally I was drawn to Huang Po because of studying the Dr. David Hawkins's books who I highly respect. On the Map of Consciousness he devised, he calibrated Huang Po in the 900's which is extremely high on a scale ranging from 1-1000. Only the World Teachers like Buddha, Christ, Krishna, Zoroaster etc. calibrated higher. Although Zen has much in common with the nondualistic teachings of Advaita, the Teachings are, well, Zen! I can not begin to recommend this book highly enough for students ready to pierce the unadulterated Truth beyond words that comes with the tacit Understanding of One Mind or Universal Mind. Lying beyond the concepts of intellect, the wordless Transmission of Mind to Mind comes through the text of this book and teachings. Make no mistake, these are the highest teachings that have the Grace and Power to take the student beyond him/herself into Self or that Primordial Awareness of One Mind. Truly a Dharma Jewel in its undivided Shining Brillance. I love it!

Of the hundreds of books on Zen out there, this one does a classy job in communicating the wordless/mindless Zen. Although it is not an introductory book, one may wish to read it anyway later, after one has had an introduction to Zen. A once in lifetime/s book :-) and don't be deceived by the small size !

The definitive Chan (Zen) book. If I had to choose a book to carry with me to a desert island, I would choose this. Huang Po words are clear and powerful, they will dispel your doubts about the Way. Thank you Master Huang Po, thank you Mr. Blofeld. If you are interested in Zen (Chan), you must read it.

Once again a deceptively small book furnishes us with uncontainable amounts of wisdom for us lucky readers! Of all the ancient Zen masters - Huang Po, Lin Chi, and Joshu are mandatory as far as studying goes. Huang Po was in actual fact Lin Chis teacher. In this book you will hear the famous One Mind discourses, which are to say the very least mind-blowing. On the whole, he discusses how there are two types of people practicing Buddhism at one point in this work. Those taking the route of cognition, and those relying on their innate nature. Now, lets not place significance of one method over the other, but needless to say the latter is in the minority. This, in essence, is Zen Buddhism. Asking the questions for yourself while not simply being a gobbling fish.

Get the book. Its a must have.

This book has been my companion for over five years... it even fell with me into the middle of an alligator infested lake! It has opened and helped to wash away my urge to form concepts about Reality. No statement I could make would cut it. Read this book if you have any interest in Zen whatsoever. No book I have experienced has been quite as to the point as this teaching. Supplement it with the Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma translated by Red Pine. You will be well served.

There may be no way to "say" the unsayable, and Huang Po's most celebrated student went on to not say it masterfully, beginning what became the Rinzai school. But if you want to experience perhaps the clearest, most accessible attempt at saying it, try John Blofield and Huang Po. The book is so disarmingly clear that one may believe one has "gotten it." Maybe it was just this (misleading) clarity that pushed Lin Chi into his famous antics.