The Infinite Mirror: Commentaries on Two Chan Classics

Description

These verses echo the teachings of Buddhism through the ages. Written by two of the founding patriarchs of the Chinese Ts'aotung sect of Chan Buddhism, upon which the Japanese Soto Zen sect is based, these classic texts have been largely unavailable to the Western reader until now. Furthermore, their meaning has baffled scholars and practitioners for centuries. In this book, Master Sheng Yen unravels the mysteries tangled in the lines of the poems, making their invaluable teachings understandable and accessible to modern readers. Both poems emphasize the Chan view that wisdom is not separate from vexation, and they speak of varying levels of awareness one must pass through to attain this enlightened realization. Master Sheng Yen expounds on these and other aspects of Chan in lucid detail.

Chan Master Sheng Yen is the best-known Chan (Chinese Zen) master in America, having taught regularly in the West for 20 years. He has 21 centers throughout North America, as well as dozens of others throughout the world. He has co-led retreats with the Dalai Lama, and he is the author of numerous books, including Song of Mind, Complete Enlightenment, and There Is No Suffering: A Commentary on the Heart Sutra.

Praise for Sheng Yen "Chan Master Sheng Yen is a great teacher, and I have a great confidence in his scholarship and wisdom."-Thich Nhat Hanh