The Koan: Texts and Contexts in Zen Buddhism

by Steven Heine (Editor)

Koans are enigmatic spiritual formulas used for religious training in the Zen Buddhist tradition. Arguing that our understanding of the koan tradition has been extremely limited, contributors to this collection examine previously unrecognized factors in the formation of this tradition, and highlight the rich complexity and diversity of koan practice and literature.

Genres: Zen, Religion, Buddhism, Japan, Philosophy

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

(5*) Rich in historical, and academic context but little in the ways of Koan explanation (admittedly, the latter was wrongfully expected from me :-) )