Zen is a way of life and this inspirational new book, with beautiful illustrations, poetry, aphorisms and still-pointed text discusses Zen's origins in Buddhism, how to achieve enlightenment through meditation and contemplation, and even how to cook and garden in the spirit of Zen. Above all it's beautifully bound and illustrated, and perfect as a companion as well as a gift.
An introduction to Zen unlike any you’ve seen before—inspired by manga and graphic novels. The Complete Illustrated Guide to Zen offers a comprehensive overview of Soto Zen Buddhism in a delightfully captivating way. Complete with dynamic, detailed illustrations, Soto Zen Priest Seigaku Amato uses a semi-narrative style to take you on a visual tour of Buddhism and, using specifics to illuminate universals, dives deep into the practices and forms of Soto Zen. Whether you are just taking your first step or have been practicing Zen for years, this creative and profound book will be a constant companion and guide on your journey as it explores topics such as • a brief history of Buddhism, • an iconographic overview of various buddhas and bodhisattvas, • an introduction to the various practices of Zen including meditation (zazen), work practice (samu), and meditative eating (oryoki), • a what’s what of holidays, ceremonies, temple instruments, and religious vestments, and • a how-to guide for setting up a home altar.
Over 1,700 alphabetically-arranged entries cover the beliefs, practices, significant movements, organizations, and personalities associated with Zen Buddhism.
From bestselling cartoonist C. C. Tsai, a delightfully illustrated collection of classic Zen Buddhist stories that enlighten as they entertain C. C. Tsai is one of Asia’s most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. In The Ways of Zen, he has created an entertaining and enlightening masterpiece from the rich collections of the Zen Buddhist tradition, bringing classic stories to life in delightful language and vividly detailed comic illustrations. Combining all the stories previously published in Tsai’s Wisdom of the Zen Masters and Zen Speaks, this is the artist’s largest collection of selections from the most important and famous Zen texts. The story of the illiterate wood-peddler Huineng, who improbably rises to become the most famous Zen patriarch, is joined by others that trace the development of the five major sects of Zen Buddhism through other masters such as Mazu, Linji, and Yunmen. A shattered antique, a blind man carrying a lantern, sutras set on fire, a cow jumping through a window—each story leads the reader to reflect on fundamental Buddhist ideas. The Ways of Zen also features the original Chinese text in side columns on each page, enriching the book for readers and students of Chinese without distracting from the English-language cartoons. Filled with memorable anecdotes and disarming wisdom, The Ways of Zen is a perfect introduction to Zen Buddhism and an essential addition to any Zen collection.
Dear Disapproving Reader,First off, I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to peruse through my book and leave me your feedback. This isn't sarcasm, so I hope you do not interpret it as such. I put countless hours of painstaking labor into my books; carefully crafting every highly complex detail of the puzzles so that they emanate my intentions with the most optimal precision possible, given the media employed. That said, I would like to let anyone reading this comment know that, although Amazon labelled you as having made a "verified purchase", you did not pay for any physical copy of this book (the intended medium); rather, you viewed it for free as part of your Kindle Unlimited plan (by which much of the book's meaning is lost in translation, so to speak). This detail is crucial, as it sets the framework for your interpretation as well as my reply.Now, since there's nothing in the book that is obscene or politically charged, I'm not quite sure why you would go out of your way to spit such venom at me for bringing my artistic vision to fruition, as it were. I am left to surmise that you took issue with (again, not insulting you, just clarifying for my audience) the puzzles/koans being outside of your cognitive ability. You see, contrary to your comment about my book harboring the ability to kill brain cells (a comical notion I may now reference in my third book, having drawn inspiration from your comment), my books are actually designed to raise the intelligence of the reader (incidentally, preliminary research hitherto has yielded very promising results); however, the books need to be approached as 'active' or 'interactive' reads, rather than as 'passive' reads; like the sorts of books your comment history indicates you're accustomed to. Furthermore, it should be noted that many of the puzzles/jokes in my books require an IQ north of 160 to piece together; however, there are many riddles within the books which even people of modest IQs can also appreciate; if they put in the time, that is. Your intelligence will be raised by way of initially figuring out a few of the easier puzzles; thereby gaining the confidence and curiosity to tackle the more difficult ones. For some, my books will take years or decades to figure out; for others, perhaps only a few days. I believe this is where your misunderstanding of the work arose from and why you were unable to appreciate the humor and wit; although, I do believe, that with patience, persistence and a 'can-do attitude', you too could join in on the fun. The nice thing about my books is that instead of getting old, the jokes get funnier and more profound as time passes due to their inherent ability to take on deeper meaning with each subsequent reading. In this way, my work better resembles the humor of Joyce's 'Finnegans Wake' than it does of 'The Family Circus' (I'm sure would not even be able to comprehend the first page of the latter).Andylution is a compilation of original drawings birthed from the crevices of Andy Spickler's inflamed dada imagination. Each illustration is accompanied by a witty, sometimes strange and convoluted zen koan, joke, riddle, mental exercise or just an abstruse observation of the world. This little compilation of abstract illustrations and scattered wisdoms is both a bringer of smiles and reliever of stress. It wills stimulate your imagination and condition your soul. The world that lives inside Andy's head an addictive one, albeit preposterous.This book is like a pair of magical glasses that skillfully guides you through the labyrinth of phantasmagories created by the unconscious mind. It's a veritable vacation for the soul.For those of you who love halloween, philosophy, zen koans as well as the artwork of Saul Steinberg, Shel Silverstein, Robert Crumb, Ralph Steadman, and Gary Larson, this is book will keep you both puzzled and entertained. Get ready to scratch your head and laugh.
Stillwater, the beloved Zen panda, now in his own Apple TV+ original series! Stillwater the Panda returns in a delightful companion to his Caldecott Honor Book, Zen Shorts. Summer has arrived -- and so has Koo, Stillwater's haiku-speaking young nephew. And when Stillwater encourages Koo, and his friends Addy, Michael, and Karl to help a grouchy old neighbor in need, their efforts are rewarded in unexpected ways.Zen Ties is a charming story of compassion and friendship that reaffirms the importance of our ties to one another.
A Buddhist parable best known as The Ten Ox Herding Songs, likens a herdsman's search for a missing ox to an individual's journey toward enlightenment and features color artwork taken from its earliest known Japanese handscroll.
When Stillwater, a giant panda, moves into Addy, Michael and Karl's neighborhood, he tells them the most amazing stories! With graceful art, Jon Muth presents three ancient Zen tales that are sure to strike a chord in everyone they touch. Stillwater, the beloved Zen panda, is now in his own Apple TV+ original series!
A taste of Zen for the seeker and the curious alike. This small but wise book collects Eastern and Western sayings, haiku, poetry, and inspiring quotations from ancient and modern thinkers. Its aim is not to define Zen or answer its famous koan—What is the sound of one hand clapping?—but rather to point to a fresh way of looking at the world: with mindfulness, clarity, and joy. “Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought” —Bashō New material is taken from contemporary spiritual leaders, writers, meditation teachers, and others with an emphasis on the practice of mindfulness—on the heart, rather than the head. Pen and ink illustrations from the author bring an additional layer of feeling and beauty.
