Zhang Zhongxing - Zen Beyond Zen

Author: Zhang Zhongxing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Buddhism, Doctrines or Buddhist Philosophy, derived from a certain perspective on life (or the world) and a certain solution to life's problems. Therefore, to speak of Zen, to speak of Buddhism, is like tracing the source of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers—it cannot but begin with life. The author of this book, based on scientific common sense, starts with the way of life, then gradually delves into Buddhism, Zen, the goals of Zen, and its methods of practice, as well as its value and shortcomings in the philosophy of life. In the end, it also discusses its influence and the future. The book covers a broad range of knowledge, with sharp insights yet simple and easy language. After reading it, one can understand the general outline of Chinese Buddhism and grasp what Zen is—it is not as mysterious as some people say or imagine. Zen is an important part of Chinese Buddhism and also an important part of Chinese culture. Zen is a way of life that extinguishes suffering, with the ideal of sudden enlightenment being mystical, and its methods of practice also mystical, difficult to convey in words. But to understand it, one must rely on verbal transmission. Traditional methods of transmission within the Zen school involve passing on the heart and preaching the Dharma, either relying on names and concepts or relying on meditation, often resulting in difficulty of comprehension or even leading to mysticism. The author of this book believes that Zen is a way of dealing with life's problems, and therefore it cannot be worldly, and it must be understandable in the language of scientific common sense. This requires standing outside the mystical atmosphere to view and discuss it. Based on scientific common sense, the author starts with the way of life, then gradually delves into Buddhism, Zen, the goals of Zen, and its methods of practice, as well as its value and shortcomings in the philosophy of life, and in the end, it also discusses its influence and the future. The book covers a broad range of knowledge, with sharp insights yet simple and easy language. After reading it, one can understand the general outline of Chinese Buddhism and grasp what Zen is—it is not as mysterious as some people say or imagine.