A Zen Life in Nature

A Zen Life in Nature

Author: A. Keir Davidson

Publisher: U of M Center for Japanese Studies

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13:

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A sustained exploration of the garden designs of a medieval Japanese Zen Buddhist monk


Interwoven Nature

Interwoven Nature

Author: John Danvers

Publisher:

Published: 2016-12-20

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9780995678903

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Interwoven Nature is an unusual, lively and provocative reflection on human identity within nature - a philosophical and poetic meditation on our being-in-the-world. It is argued that if we fully realise our porous interwoven nature, we will not feel and behave like beings separate from, and in conflict with, the natural world. Danvers writes eloquently about the interrelatedness of everything within a universe of endless change, and about how we locate ourselves in, and navigate ways through, this fluid relational world - a world full of surprises, dangers, challenges and delights. With a text complemented by photographs and drawings by the author, the book weaves together two voices: an old man looking back on his long life; and a young man thinking analytically about the future. Drawing on ideas from Buddhism, Daoism, ecology, science, art, poetry and philosophy, the two voices are used to suggest that the natural world is a site of grace and wonder - a place in which human beings can come to a realisation of who they are and how they are implicated in the world around them.


Good Life

Good Life

Author: Cheri Huber

Publisher: Keep It Simple Books

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13: 9780963078421

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Good Life presents the Buddhist precepts as signposts on the path to discovering human beings' inherent goodness. It offers concrete ways of transforming real-life difficulties into freedom.


Dialogues in a Dream

Dialogues in a Dream

Author: Muso Soseki

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2015-06-16

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 161429268X

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Drawing on his encyclopaedic knowledge, one of the most famous masters in the history of Zen leads us on a grand tour of Buddhist theology in all its timeless relevance. Muso Soseki, the renowned fourteenth century Zen master, is today most known for developing the art of traditional Japanese Zen gardening. Even more impressive is his creation of the institutional structure for all Japanese Buddhist temples, which still in use today. Dialogues in a Dream is one of the many projects Soseki took on in this final period of his life. Written in the guise of a conversation between Soseki and the shogun, the work covers the breadth of Buddhist philosophy and practice, and includes insightful discussions of prayer, mediation, and the place of study in religious life. His penetrating analysis deepens our appreciation of even the simplest Buddhist practices. Acclaimed scholar Thomas Yuho Kirchner painstakingly translates this classic text into English.


Nature Is Enough

Nature Is Enough

Author: Loyal Rue

Publisher: State University of New York Press

Published: 2011-11-01

Total Pages: 178

ISBN-13: 143843801X

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Nature is enough: enough to allow us to find meaning in life and to answer our religious sensibilities. This is the position of religious naturalists, who deny the existence of a deity and a supernatural realm. In this book, Loyal Rue answers critics by describing how religious naturalism can provide a satisfying vision of the meaning of human existence. The work begins with a discussion of how to evaluate the meaning of life itself, referencing a range of thought from ancient Greek philosophy to the Abrahamic traditions to the Enlightenment to contemporary process and postmodern philosophies. Ultimately proposing meaning as an emergent property of living organisms, Rue writes that a meaningful life comes through happiness and virtue. Spiritual qualities that combine evolutionary cosmology and biocentric morality are described: reverence, gratitude, awe, humility, relatedness, compassion, and hope. Rue looks at why religious naturalism is not currently more of a movement, but nevertheless predicts that it will become the prevailing religious sensibility.


The Art of Simple Living

The Art of Simple Living

Author: Shunmyo Masuno

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2019-04-02

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0525505849

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"Does for mental clutter what Marie Kondo has done for household clutter." --Publishers Weekly Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally bestselling guide to simplifying your life by the renowned Zen Buddhist author of Don’t Worry. In clear, practical, easily adopted lessons--one a day for 100 days--renowned Buddhist monk Shunmyo Masuno draws on centuries of wisdom to teach you to Zen your life. Discover how . . . Lesson #4: lining up your shoes after you take them off can bring order to your mind; Lesson #11: putting down your fork after every bite can help you feel more grateful for what you have; Lesson #18: immersing yourself in zazen can sweep the clutter from your mind; Lesson #23: joining your hands together in gassho can soothe irritation and conflict; Lesson #27: going outside to watch the sunset can make every day feel celebratory; Lesson #42: planting a flower and watching it grow can teach you to embrace change; Lesson #67: understanding the concept of ichi-go ichi-e can make everyday interactions more meaningful; Lesson #85: practicing chisoku can help you feel more fulfilled. A minimalist line drawing appears opposite each lesson on an otherwise blank page, giving you an opportunity to relax with a deep breath between lessons. With each daily practice, you will learn to find happiness not by seeking out extraordinary experiences but by making small changes to your life, opening yourself up to a renewed sense of peace and inner calm. A PENGUIN LIFE TITLE


How to Raise an Ox

How to Raise an Ox

Author: Eihei Dogen

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2011-08-23

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 0861718755

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The writings of Zen master Dogen are among the highest achievements not only of Japanese literature but of world literature. Dogen's writings are a near-perfect expression of truth, beautifully expressing the best of which the human race is capable. In this volume, Francis Cook presents ten selections from Dogen's masterwork, the Shobogenzo, as well as six of his own essays brilliantly illuminating the mind of this peerless master.


Blowing Zen

Blowing Zen

Author: Ray Brooks

Publisher: Sentient Publications

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 1591811708

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"As a young, dissolute man, Ray Brooks set off from his native England and embarked on a path of self discovery. Through a series of serendipitous and often humorous events while living in Tokyo, Ray stumbled upon and began to study the ancient art of shakuhachi, and extremely difficult Japanese bamboo flute. With intuition as his guide, he found the heart of Zen through focused shakuhachi practice."--P. [4] of cover.