Record of the Transmission of the Lamp: Volume One: The Buddhas and indian patriarchs

by Daoyuan, Yang Yi (Editor)

This compilation of Buddhist biographies, teaching and transmission stories of Indian and Chinese Chan (Japanese 'Zen') masters from antiquity up to about the year 1008 CE is the first mature fruit of an already thousand year-long spiritual marriage between two great world cultures with quite different ways of viewing the world. The fertilisation of Chinese spirituality by Indian Buddhism fructified the whole of Asian culture. The message of this work, that Chan practice can enable a free participation in life's open-ended play, seems as necessary to our own time as it was to the restless times of 11th century Song China. Volume I (Books 1 - 3) is the first of a full translation of this work of thirty books.

Genres: Buddhism

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 23, 2015

Reviews

[Christiaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful read into the history and lineage of Chan Buddhism. Would not recommend this as a first read into the subject, but more as a comprehensive study into the history of Chan. From Buddha to Boddhidharma, each Master is given historical and cultural context and when and how they met their Dharma Heir. This book is proof that Chan Buddhism is not only pragmatic or 'direct' as some like to believe, but mystical and religious in it's origin.