Essential Chan Buddhism : The Character and Spirit of Chinese Zen

Essential Chan Buddhismprovides a rare glimpse into this tremendously rich but little-known ancient spiritual tradition of China. Full of hard-won wisdom, passages of lyrical beauty, and profound teachings clearly and simply expressed, it is also a testimony of religious commitment and insight. The work captures the ?avor and incantatory style of Guo Jun's spoken English in talks he gave at a fourteen-day retreat near Jakarta in 2010 and in subsequent conversations with his editor, Kenneth Wapner. Guo Jun takes up themes already familiar to Western readers, such as mindfulness and relaxation in meditation, but Chan goes further than Zen in extending these principles to daily life. This value-priced hardcover edition is both a distinctive addition to Buddhist collections and a thoughtful gift for anyone looking for spiritual guidance. Chan master Guo Junis one of a new breed of international teachers taking the world's great wisdom traditions into the twenty-?rst century. He is currently abbot of Mahabodhi Monastery in Singapore and teaches internationally. Chan master Sheng Yen's youngest dharma heir, he served as abbot of his Pine Bush, New York, retreat center from 2005 to 2008. A native of Singapore, Guo Jun received his full monastic ordination in Taiwan. He is a lineage holder and successor in Chan as well as the Xianshou and Cien schools of Chinese Buddhism. Essential Chan Buddhismis his ?rst book. Kenneth Wapner's Peekamouse Books is a book packager and editor. Clients include Bantam, Tarcher/Putnam, Ballantine, and Doubleday. He is well known for his work on Rabbi Jesus, Bones of the Master, and The Zen of Creativity.