Zen Verses True Meaning

Author: Liang Shenwei
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The translation of Zen into "samatha" refers to settling the mind, calming thoughts, and achieving stillness. Although Zen schools are diverse, with five families and seven sects, transcending ordinary saints; and although Zen styles are ever-changing, carrying forward traditions while embracing continuity. Amidst the rising tide of Zen culture, we have compiled this "Threefold Delight of Zen Series," namely "The True Charm of Zen Verses," "The Wondrous Charm of Zen Poetry," and "The Subtle Charm of Zen Lyrics," to share the wisdom of Zen with readers and explore the world, delve into Zen insights, and savor life. Verses, poems, and lyrics resonate with Zen, enriching yet ethereal, passionate yet tranquil, transcendent yet luminous, thoughtful yet profound, imbued with highly penetrating life content and a vast cultural heritage. Reading them is like sweet dew nourishing the heart, and appreciating them is like nectar enlightening the mind. They will guide readers to wholeheartedly engage with life, to inherit the light of human nature, to forget the troubles of fame and fortune, to avoid the disputes of ignorance, to break free from the bonds of favor and disgrace, not to sink passively in the whirlpool of material desires, but to progress with the journey of releasing conceptual attachments. The verses, poems, and lyrics selected in this series are not for interpreting Buddhist principles or doctrines, but for cultivating oneself and nurturing one's character. May these works bring readers spiritual insights, the purity of Bodhi, the perspective of Prajna, and the elevation of the spirit. If one can understand the heart through Zen, preserve truth through verses, see nature through poetry, and cherish enlightenment through lyrics, truly as "sitting in meditation amidst heaven and earth," and as "gazing upon this to open the Zen gate," the compilers' wishes would be fulfilled. It is also as if "the autumn moon is both void and bright," and even more delightful is "the Zen heart is also pure and clear."