Description
Book SynopsisBodhidharma, its first patriarch, reputedly said that Zen Buddhism represents a special transmission outside the teaching/Without reliance on words and letters. This saying, along with the often perplexing use of language (and silence) by Zen masters, gave rise to the notion that Zen is a lived religion, based strictly on non-linguistic practice and lacking a substantial canon of sacred texts. Even those who recognize the importance of Zen texts commonly limit their focus to a few select texts without recognizing the wide variety of Zen literature. This collection of previously unpublished essays argues that Zen actually has a rich and varied literary heritage. Among the most significant textual genres are hagiographic accounts and recorded sayings of individual Zen masters, koan collections and commentaries, and rules for monastic life. During times of political turmoil in China and Japan, these texts were crucial to the survival and success of Zen, and they have for centuries been va
