Everyday zen talk 05 commentary on the first words of. Nov 26, 2014 im studying the sandokai with sensei daiken nelson along with the assistance of two trusty tour guides shohaku okumuras living by vow and shunryu suzukis branching streams flow in the darkness. Both books contain material from both the soto and the rinzai. An analysis of jorge luis borgess the book of sand kibin. Branching streams flow in the darkness zen talks on the sandokai.
The paperback of the the night parade of one hundred demons. Nowadays, the word discrimination has a bad connotation, but discrimination against certain things or other people is not the sense meant here. The sandokai is a poem by zen master sekito kisen on the inseparability of the relative and the absolute. Shitou xiqian is the subject of these talks given by shunryu suzuki roshi, author of the influential zen mind, beginners mind. Zen talks on the sandokai, shunryu suzuki university of california press, 1999. For instance, because he is not so smart, the dull person must study hard and read one book over and over again. List of interesting books in english abze association. Everyday zen dvedhavitakka sutta two kinds of thought. Oct 01, 2001 branching streams flow in the darkness is the first followup volume to suzuki roshis important work. Shunryu suzukis voice from his lecture on june 3rd, 1970 synched with footage from the sandokai film.
Each chapter focuses on one to several of the lines of the poem. Book of serenity, by hsinghsiu, thomas cleary introduction an important collection of 100 classic zen buddhist koans with commentaries. I am indebted to shunryu suzuki roshi and many others who have translated and commented on the original sandokai. Like zen mind, beginners mind, it is a collection of lectures that reveal the insight, humor, and intimacy with zen that made suzuki roshi so influential as a teacher. It was constructed over a longer period of time, and contains different layers of writing. These talks provide a succinct overview of suzukis views on enlightenment, suffering, the big mind, the dangers of dualistic thinking, and the futility of knowing in the head what zen is.
The sandokai is chinese zen teaching poem written by sekito kisen 700790 ce. Though the new book is a marked departure in both tone and style from the less formal, more freeflowing and spacious structure of zen mind, it nevertheless delivers an abundance of suzukis. Home buddhism branches of the sandokai, by shunryu suzuki. A comprehensive resource for zen and buddhism practitioners. A few that i have not yet read i will try hard to read. Jul 08, 2018 home buddhism branches of the sandokai, by shunryu suzuki. Nagarjuna, the 2nd century indian buddhist monk and poet, is an almost mythical figure in buddhist history. Borges, what influenced him in his writings, and a brief history of his place of origin, argentina.
The book became the most successful treatise on buddhism in english, selling more than one million copies to date. A classic collection of koansthe paradoxical teaching devices that have been closely associated with zen study and practice since the tenth century. It covers a variety of works on zen, life, just sitting shikantaza zazen, master dogen and buddhism in general. Im studying the sandokai with sensei daiken nelson along with the assistance of two trusty tour guides shohaku okumuras living by vow and shunryu suzukis branching streams flow in the darkness. Zen talks on the sandokai university of california press.
Branching streams flow in the darkness university of california press, 1999 is a commentary on the sandokai, an eighthcentury poem. Norman begins his 2010 series of talks on the sandokai referencing suzuki roshis book branching streams flow in the darkness. Branches of the sandokai, by shunryu suzuki buddhism now. The text sandokai the title the mind of the great sage of india is intimately transmitted from west to east. The sandokai sekito kisen the book branching streams flow in the darknes s is a collection of lectures on the ancient chinese poem the sandoki sekito kisen ch. More may be added over time as this is an ongoing project. This retreat we are focusing on a chant known as the identity of the relative and absolute, or the sandokai. Unlike many groups that split away from their parent body, we decided that it would not be correct etiquette to continue teaching a syllabus from a system that we no longer ascribed to. In my first talk i explained the meaning of the title,sandokai, and the first line, the mind of the. Verse by verse exploration of the sandokai sekito kisens sandokai. The sandokai syllabus is a framework designed to guide the student into a lifetime career in the martial arts, enabling all to find their own niche within the system while stressing technical excellence and etiquette.
The book became the most successful treatise on buddhism in english. This clip is part of a collection of films about suzuki roshi called one particle of dust. Pauls episcopal church 2216 17th street bakersfield, ca 93301 this oneday retreat includes zazen seated meditation and kinhin walking meditation, samu work practice, a monks breakfast, and lunch. Shengyen, a famous zen teacher, published a commentary in english on both sandokai inquiry into matching halves and the precious mirror of samadhi under the title the.
The book became the most successful treatise on buddhism in english, selling. Shitou xiqianis the subject of these talks given by shunryu suzuki roshi, author of the influential zen mind, beginners mind. The endpiece shows suzuki roshi and his wife, mitsu okusan suzuki sensei, at tassajara in june 1970, at the wedding ofed brown and meg gawler. The practice transmitted to us by our founder suzuki roshi and other early teachers included the formal rituals and ceremonies that are practiced at zen monasteries in japan. These have been published as the book branching streams flow in the darkness. A sequel to the popular zen and the brain further explores pivotal points of intersection in zen buddhism, neuroscience, and consciousness, arriving at a new synthesis of information from both neuroscience research and zen studies. Click the commentary tab or pulldown menu for a full selection of commentaries over any bible passage you are researching. Books by shunryu suzuki author of zen mind, beginners mind. Cleary, thomas, minding mind, shambala publications, boston, massachusetts, 1995 katagiri, dainin, returning to silence, shambala dragon ed. In the next two episodes ill explore the meaning of the sandokai. This is some talks by suzuki roshi on the sandokai a poem written by shitou xiqian a chinese chan master in the 8th century. Here is a link to online talks on the sandokai from the sandokai retreat lectures 2006 given by reverend master eko little, the current abbot of shasta abbey, using kennett roshis translation. Shunryu suzuki has 21 books on goodreads with 88622 ratings. Among the earliest of the specifically zen texts, dating back to at least the 8th century, is the platform sutra of the sixth patriarch, attributed to huineng.
Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. Glassman illuminates three key teachings of zen buddhism, offering linebyline commentary in clear, direct language. Zen practice in books by tony shinro doubleday stonewater. The book branching streams flow in the darkness is a collection of lectures on the ancient chinese poem the sandoki sekito kisen ch. This sequel to the widely read zen and the brain continues james austins explorations into the key interrelationships between zen buddhism and brain research. The harmony of difference and sameness the mind of the great sage of india is intimately transmitted from west to east. Sep 24, 2010 a sequel to the popular zen and the brain further explores pivotal points of intersection in zen buddhism, neuroscience, and consciousness, arriving at a new synthesis of information from both neuroscience research and zen studies. This my second episode on the sandokai, an ancient teaching poem composed by chinese zen master sekito kisen shitou xiqian, 700790. In my first talk i explained the meaning of the title, sandokai, and the first line. Shunryu suzuki branching streams flow in the darkness. A reminder that our next book is this, starting in a few weeks. Given in 1970 at tassajara zen mountain center, the lectures are an example of a zen teacher in his prime elucidating a venerated, ancient, and difficult work to his western students. We have just added many new sources, including the expositors bible commentary, bengels gnomon, langes commentary, hastings great texts and many more. In the first episode i read the whole poem, discussed the big deal about absolute and relative why zen talks about.
This is shunryu suzukis commentary on the sandokai. Sekkei harada in his beautiful book unfathomable depths 2014 writes. Its recited daily in soto zen temples throughout the world one of only a handful of zen or buddhist scriptures similarly honored. Branching streams flow in the darkness book by shunryu. This film of shunryu suzuki roshi is an excerpt from a talk he gave at tassajara in 1971 on the poem sandokai trans. The sandokai, is a poem written by sekito kisen daiosho, a zen buddhist priest who practiced and taught the true body of meditation in china during the first half of the eight century. Further readings about zen reading list compiled by janet cooke batchelor, stephen, verses from the center.
Books by jokai, mor sorted by popularity project gutenberg books by jokai, mor sorted by popularity. The sandokai, a poem by the 8thcentury zen master sekito kisen is the subject of this collection of lectures. Branching streams flow in the darkness is the first followup volume to suzuki roshis the book became the most successful treatise on buddhism in english, selling more than one million copies to date. This dialectic, derived by shitou from chinese huayan thought based on the flower ornament avatamsaka sutra, combined with some use of daoist imagery, became the philosophical background of soto, as expressed by dongshan in the five ranks teachings, and later elucidated by various soto thinkers. Sandokai means precisely that we have to go beyond sticking to. In this first talk norman gives a detailed talk on the origin and significance of the sandokai. Translation and commentary zen fellowship of bakersfield. Sandokai lecture series by shunryu suzuki that led to.
This dharma talk, offered by sensei alan during a zazenkai daylong silent meditation retreat, is a wonderful concise commentary on the zen poem song of the grass hut. The frontispiece is a traditional chinese woodcut of sekito kisen. These lectures became the basis of the book, branching streams flow in the darkness. Shunryu suzukis most popular book is zen mind, beginners mind. Not always so harper, 2002 is another collection of short talks. In this volume edited by mel weitsman and michael wenger, this teacher presents his interpretation and commentary on the sandokai a poem by the eighth century zen master sekito kisen. Branching streams flow in the darkness by shunryu suzuki. This work is attributed to the chinese monk dongshan liangjie japanese. An important, liberating book by one of the great founders of american zen, this work connects the wilderness of nature and mind. The sandokai is a poem revered by the soto school of zen buddhism. The zfb is hosting a day of zen practice on saturday, 17 december.
Nevertheless, i remember being particularly impressed by a first zen reader, which included a very fine commentary on hakuins song of zazen that i read on a solitary retreat in north wales. Also, to those of us who practice or try to learn about zen without benefit of teachers, and the guided life of a monastery. Branches of the sandokai, by shunryu suzuki by buddhism now on 8 july 2018 0. The sandokai a poem by the eighthcentury zen master sekito kisen ch. It is designed to be constantly challenging, yet rewarding. The teachings of the five ranks may be inspired by the sandokai, a poem attributed to shitou xiqian traditional chinese. Shunryu suzuki 19041971 was the founder of the san francisco zen center and author of the popular zen mind, beginners mind. In january 2001, i entered the new orleans zen temple for a halfday introduction. The sandokaia poem by the eighthcentury zen master sekito kisen ch. Books by jokai, mor sorted by popularity project gutenberg. Branching streams flow in the darkness is the first sequel to suzuki roshis important work. Publication of branching streams, the commentary on the sandokai by shunryu suzuki is a great benefit to those of us learning about zen, and life, here in the west. Branching streams flow in the darkness book by shunryu suzuki. Project gutenberg offers 61,477 free ebooks for kindle, ipad, nook, android, and iphone.
In this volume edited by mel weitsman and michael wenger, this teacher presents his interpretation and commentary on the sandokaia poem by the eighth century zen master sekito kisen. Branching streams flow in the darkness, a compilation of. Difference simply exists, so it is not possible to say that differences are truly good or bad, or to make comparisons. This is an important zen verse that is chanted in many centers and monasteries every day. The following excerpts come taigen dan leightons preface to the book, the art of just sitting ed. While human faculties are sharp or dull, the way has no northern or southern ancestors. A collection of suzukis talks on the sandokai, an eighthcentury poem written by the chinese zen master sekito kisen. Hi all sandokei fans, we finish up the sandokai this week and we should finish the book next time. In this paper, i will discuss several short stories written by mr. Sandokai talk 2 of 6 a series of talks on zen poem merging of difference and unity part two. The sandokai is a japanese translation of an eighth century chinese poem by shitou xiqian, a student of qingyuan xingsi, who was in turn a dharma heir of huineng, the sixth ancestor. Tozan ryokan, who lived during the end of tang dynasty, as well as two sets of verse commentaries by him.
I checked out 10 or 11 books from the library, and this poem was in. List of interesting books in english a list of recommended books and texts in english for sutradharma students. This poem was composed by the 8th century chinese zen master shitou xiqian. Toward the end of his life shunryu suzuki roshi gave a series of lectures on the sandokai. Included with the lectures are student questions and suzuki roshis answers, along with a meditation instruction. Zen talks on the sandokai suzuki, shunryu, suzuki, shunryu, weitsman, mel, wenger, mich. Here is the inimitable master sheng yen at his best, illuminating the ancient texts of the chinese zen tradition to show how wonderfully practical they really are, even for us today. Branching streams is culled from a series of talks given by suzuki on a challenging, 22couplet chinese poem called the sandokai, written by the eighthcentury zen master sekito kisen chinese. Practice of the wild, gary snyder north point press, 1990. Sandokai 3 talks on the identity of relative and absolute. You will find this poem in many zen and buddhism books. Branching streams flow in the darkness is the first followup volume to suzuki roshis important. It is a beautiful poem and suzuki roshis talks about this poem are a worthwhile read.
Branching streams flow in the darkness by shunryu suzuki, mel. Suzuki explores the poem, expounding on the meanings of its imagery and relevance to buddhist practice and to life. Master daishin also gives a commentary on the sandokai in his book buddha recognizes buddha see references. In infinite circle, one of americas most distinctive zen teachers takes a backtobasics approach to zen. Thank you to all who provided input, and the list is still open to new suggestions and additions i am trying to read about everything before it goes on the list. The identity of relative and absolute part v march 1, 2015 by unlockthedoortolearning the four elements return to their true nature as a child to its mother. When sandokai progressed from a concept to a reality the senior grades sat down and pooled over 100 years of karate experience. Hi, the following is a recommended book list for our sangha.
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