Four Books of Zen Forest

Author: Yu Ting
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-04-01
Features: The four books included in this collection, three of which are from the Song Dynasty and one from the Ming Dynasty. By reading these four books in order, we can clearly perceive the transformation of Zen from being lively and ethereal to becoming dull and rigid after it integrated with teaching and teaching was integrated into Zen. Our hope is that readers not only feel the wit and exemplary conduct of ancient masters of Zen but also gain a basic understanding of the historical context of Zen through reading. This collection includes four essay-style works on Zen: Huikai's The Gateless Gate, HuHong's Record of the Woods, Xiaoying's Wild Records of Luo Lake, and Zhu Hong's Collected Notes from Bamboo Window. These four ancient monks, after their journeys, recalled their past experiences and recorded the wise words and noble deeds of eminent monks. Their writings are vivid, sharp in wit, insightful in argument, and renowned in the history of Zen literature, with their influence extending far beyond overseas.