Eloquent Zen

Eloquent Zen
Author :
Publisher : University of Hawaii Press
Total Pages : 284
Release :
ISBN-10 : 0824819527
ISBN-13 : 9780824819521
Rating : 4/5 (521 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Eloquent Zen by : Kenneth Kraft

Download or read book Eloquent Zen written by Kenneth Kraft and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 1997-01-01 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Zen master Daito (1282-1337) played a leading role in the transmission of Zen (Ch'an) from China to Japan. He founded Daitokuji, a major monastery that has been influential for centuries, and he provided interpretations of Chinese texts. Daito's traditional biography is full of vivid episodes, including his years among the beggars of Kyoto and ending with his dramatic death in the meditation posture. Despite his importance, however, Daito has remained virtually unknown in the West. With the publication of Eloquent Zen Kenneth Kraft offers the first comprehensive account of the life and teachings of one of the greatest of Japan's Zen masters. Dr. Kraft begins with the foundations of medieval Japanese Zen. He shows that Daito's predecessors were concerned with clarifying the essentials of Zen as it began to take root in Japan. During this formative phase, the Zen pioneers embraced varied conceptions of enlightenment and divergent notions of authenticity. Kraft places Daito's contributions within this context, offering new insights about early Japanese Zen and about Zen itself. Throughout this study, Kraft looks closely at the complex role of language in Zen--a tradition supposedly distrustful of words. Daito wrote haiku-like poetry, participated in brilliant dialogues, and delivered powerful sermons. His virtuosity in articulating the way of Zen, "beyond words, beyond silence, " is nowhere more apparent than in his use of the capping phrase, an interpretive and commentarial device unique to Zen. Analyzing Daito's use of this device, Kraft elucidates the significance of the literary and aesthetic dimensions of the Zen tradition. Eloquent Zen includes valuable translations of Daito's poetryand other writings. Illustrations include three classic portraits of Daito and rare examples of his calligraphy. This lucid and engaging study will interest scholars and nonspecialists interested in Zen, Japanese culture, and Asian philosophy, poetry, and related fields.


Eloquent Zen Related Books

Eloquent Zen
Language: en
Pages: 284
Authors: Kenneth Kraft
Categories: Philosophy
Type: BOOK - Published: 1997-01-01 - Publisher: University of Hawaii Press

GET EBOOK

Zen master Daito (1282-1337) played a leading role in the transmission of Zen (Ch'an) from China to Japan. He founded Daitokuji, a major monastery that has been
Zen and Material Culture
Language: en
Pages: 353
Authors: Pamela D. Winfield
Categories: Religion
Type: BOOK - Published: 2017-06-07 - Publisher: Oxford University Press

GET EBOOK

The stereotype of Zen Buddhism as a minimalistic or even immaterial meditative tradition persists in the Euro-American cultural imagination. This volume calls a
Eloquent Silence
Language: en
Pages: 458
Authors: Nyogen Senzaki
Categories: Literary Collections
Type: BOOK - Published: 2008-11 - Publisher: Simon and Schuster

GET EBOOK

This new book, Eloquent Silence, brings depth and breadth to our knowledge and appreciation of this historic figure. For the first time, we can read Nyogen Senz
Zen Traces
Language: en
Pages: 184
Authors: Kenneth Kraft
Categories: Religion
Type: BOOK - Published: 2018-06-05 - Publisher: Paul Dry Books

GET EBOOK

As Zen takes root in the West, new forms arise. For centuries Zen masters have tested their students with “koans” and “capping phrases.” A koan is a spi
Approaches to Chan, Sŏn, and Zen Studies
Language: en
Pages: 390
Authors: Albert Welter
Categories: Philosophy
Type: BOOK - Published: 2022-11-01 - Publisher: State University of New York Press

GET EBOOK

This volume focuses on Chinese Chan Buddhism and its spread across East Asia, with special attention to its impacts on Korean Sŏn and Japanese Zen. Zen enthral