Critical Sermons Of The Zen Tradition: Hisamatsu's Talks On Linji

Book Summary

This book brings together two giants of the history of Zen: Linji (Japanese, Rinzai) and Hisamatsu Shin'ichi. Linji is looked upon as the founder of the Rinzai sect in Japan. Hisamatsu was a leading twentieth century master/thinker who lived in Kyoto and was a tremendous influence on the development of the Kyoto school of Japanese philosophy. The translators and editors have translated twenty-two of Hisamatsu's Zen teisho (Dharma talks, in effect, sermons for Zen practitioners) of a classical Zen text, the Record of Linji, the recorded sayings of the Chinese founder of Rinzai Zen. The Record of Linji stands as one of the great classics of the Zen tradition, and modern Zen master and reformer Hisamatsu Shin'ichi offers a lively and penetrating exploration of the religious essence of the text. Several decades ago, at a series of Zen retreats at the Myoshinji monastery in Kyoto, Hisamatsu gave the twenty-two talks translated here. The book features a preface by renowned Zen philosopher Abe Masao and an introduction by Yanagida Seizan, the foremost scholar of classical Zen texts. The translators have added annotations for technical terms and textual references.

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