Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path as Taught by a Modern Chinese Master

by 聖嚴法師, Sheng Yen, Dan Stevenson

Revered by Buddhists in the United States and China, contemporary Master Sheng-yen shares his wisdom and teachings in this first comprehensive English primer of Chan, the Chinese tradition of Buddhism that inspired Japanese Zen. Often misunderstood as a system of mind games, the Chan path involves a process of self-transformation grounded in carefully hewn spiritual disciplines and premises.
Master Sheng-yen provides an unprecedented understanding of Chan, its precepts, and its practice. Beginning with a basic overview of Buddhism and meditation, the book then details the progressive mental exercises traditionally followed by all Buddhists. Known as the Three Disciplines, these procedures develop moral purity, meditative concentration, and enlightening insight through the "stilling" of the mind. Master Sheng-yen then expounds Chan Buddhism, recounting its centuries-old history in China and illuminating its fundamental tenets. He contemplates the nature of Buddhahood, specifies the physical and mental prerequisites for beginning Chan practice, and humbly considers what it means to be an enlightened Chan master.

Genres: Buddhism, Zen, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

聖嚴法師於1930年出生於江蘇南通，1943年在狼山廣教禪寺出家，1949年從軍跟隨國民政府到了台灣，服役十年後，於東初老人座下再度披剃出家。
◎閉關與留學
小沙彌時期的聖嚴法師，已深深體會到：「佛法是這麼好，可是誤解它的人是那麼多，而真正了解和接受的人是那麼少。」其中的根本原因，在於弘揚佛法的人才太少，因此前往高雄美濃山區閉關六年，之後更遠赴日本東京立正大學深造，於1975年獲得了文學博士學位。

◎從東方到西方
隨後，聖嚴法師應邀赴美弘化，先後擔任美國佛教會董事、副會長，紐約大覺寺住持及駐台譯經院院長。東初老人於1978年圓寂後，聖嚴法師自美返台承繼法務，隔年並應聘為中國文化學院佛學研究所所長及哲學研究所教授，此外也在東吳大學及輔仁大學任教，至此展開了推動佛教高等教育的理想。

因為有感於美國弟子們的求法熱誠，所以於1979年在美國紐約創立「禪中心」，後來擴大遷址更名為「東初禪寺」。此後，聖嚴法師便固定往返美國與台灣兩地弘化，經常在亞洲、美洲、歐洲等地著名學府及佛教社團宣揚佛法，不遺餘力。


籌建法鼓山
1989年，由於中華佛學研究所及農禪寺的各項教育事業、弘法事業以及文化事業推展迅速，場地已經不敷使用，聖嚴法師於是在台北縣金山鄉興建了一座世界性的教育園區——「法鼓山世界佛教教育園區」，具體實踐大學院、大普化、大關懷三大教育，以作為實現「提昇人的品質，建設人間淨土」理念的基地。2005年，園區第一期建設工程完工，並舉辦落成開山大典。


◎普濟的宗教本懷
聖嚴法師以其深厚的禪修經驗、正確的禪修觀念和方法指導東、西方人士修行，每年在亞、美、歐洲等地主持禪七、佛七，為國際知名禪師，尤其著重以現代人的語言和觀點普傳佛法，陸續提出「心靈環保」、「四種環保」、「心五四運動」、「心六倫」等社會運動，提供現代人具體可行的人生觀念與方法。

法師是一位卓越的教育家，除了於1989年創建法鼓山文教禪修體系之外，又相繼創辦「中華佛學研究所」、「僧伽大學」、「法鼓佛教學院」，更積極籌建「法鼓大學」，為佛教教育開闢歷史新頁。

此外，聖嚴法師也是國際佛教學術界知名學者，經常應邀出席各項有關的國際學術會議。自1990年起，每二至三年召開一次中華國際佛學會議，以「佛教傳統與現代社會」為永久主題，集合世界各國傑出的佛學學者集思廣義，務求將佛法應用在現代的社會中。

聖嚴法師更是一位思想家、作家暨宗教家，曾獲台灣《天下》雜誌遴選為「四百年來台灣最具影響力的五十位人士」之一。著作豐富，至今已有中、英、日文著作百餘種，其中有些禪修著作還被翻譯成數十種語文，此外，更先後獲頒中山文藝獎、中山學術獎、總統文化獎及社會各界的諸多獎項。


◎展望與承繼
聖嚴法師為了更進一步推廣文化、教育、弘法及修行等悲願，多次與科技、藝術、文化等各個領域的菁英人士進行對話，乃至與不同的宗教進行合作，其寬闊的胸襟與國際化的視野，深獲海內外各界的肯定。近年來，法師更致力於國際弘化工作，參與國際性會談，促進宗教交流，提倡建立全球性倫理，致力於世界的和平。

2009年2月3日，法師因病圓寂，於2月15日植存於生前所致力推行的「台北縣金山環保生命園區」中，其未完的遺願，將由法鼓山團體持續推動下去。

Reviews

[g1no h1no · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ended up skimming the 2nd half. Found the diagrams on the single pointed mind and descriptions of it illuminating. The practical advice on meditation were well described. I love the final chapter's description of the 10 oxherding pictures. It's a beautiful description of the path of enlightenment that's always talked about but rarely illustrated so succinctly.

But the book is bogged down with history and references that I as a beginner have not had a chance to fully take in. Probably something to return to after more practice.

[Victor Ellison · Rating 2 out of 5]

A wealth of knowledge that’s nearly impenetrable due poor organization and confusing vocabulary.

[Ocean G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on a visit to Fagushan Nongchan Temple (法鼓山農禪寺) in Taipei, looking for an overview of Chan (Zen) Buddhism. The introduction is basically Sheng-yen's biography. The first chapter seemed to be an overview of Chan Buddhism that got way too technical for me, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The second chapter starts dealing with meditation, and then the other aspect of Chan Buddhism.

This is probably an excellent book if you are ready to set out and are serious about getting into Zen Buddhism. If you're just mildly interested and want to read more about it (like I was) this may be a bit much. Certain things were just too dense for me. For example, here's a sentence taken at random:

"The fourth station of mindfulness of dharmas entails taking a microscopic look at the continuum of psycho-physical experience from which concepts of self, mind and body are produced, using its constituent dharmas as the frame of reference".

It's not as bad as it may sound there, since the terminology is all explained beforehand, but it still ain't easy.

Having said that, it basically details all the aspects, history and beliefs of Chan Buddhism. The title is explained in the final chapter.

[boocia]

i feel it must be very hard to concisely and precisely discuss what is kinda ineffable -- enlightenment, the seeming contradiction of a religion about "nothing" where nothing is also everything, etc. Sheng Yen really does so, and his writing seems very well thought out, and surprisingly practical.

i am not a buddhism guy, and also have never read non-canonical religious texts before, so it's hard to know if this book is doing anything that other books of its kind don't do, but i was surprised and found pleasure in the historicity. Sheng Yen takes pains to briefly outline the various Zen lineages and their differing philosophies, as well as as emphasizing how many bits of Buddhist methodology and wisdom need to be contextualized within their original use being for monks in a monastery in a Buddhist culture; NOT casual americans w office day jobs. it's very clear he's thought a lot about what parts of zen buddhism are accessible and useful to casual americans w day jobs without diluting the original purpose and intentions of zen. walking that line sounds really hard! I also appreciated the delineation of zen buddhism from other strains of buddhism.

anyway wisdoms
- genuinely changed the way i sit when i meditate for the better lmao
- it was v cool to get some concrete discussion of the "steps" of enlightenment; how it is traditionally very dialectical; from sort of disengaging from the material to realizing that the material and immaterial are one and the same; ricocheting from committing to not committing to the world around you
- this book did change my perception of meditation a lot; i think in the western context you meditate when you are stressed to reduce stress; sheng yen considers reducing stress, sleeping and eating well, etc. to be pre-requisites to meditating. meditation takes poise and calm and strength and discipline! i think this firmer delineation between "just laying there and taking a breather because work was rough" and truly Meditating (focusing very hard on a singular thing) was cool and is a thing i'm tryna do more.
- getting more detailed insight to the "stakes" of buddhism; as about serving others and compassion Because everyone is one big karmic thing; about letting go of ego to better serve others who are you; and of course the religious angle of the best thing u can do once enlightened to "serve" is to enlighten others.
- i originally thought it'd be cool to get into buddhism because of eve sedgewick's Touching, Feeling; where she mentions buddhism as one of her inspirations for her thinking on affect theory. i did find buddhism Very compelling for its non-western takes in this book; Sheng Yen takes pains to elucidate that one of the anti-materialist realizations one can make on the path to enlightenment is that all things are INTERRELATED; that there is no direct cause and effect or isolation of ego or self. this sense of boundlessness, or porousness AND malleability of ego or identity by "outside" forces is so butler, and sedgewick, and ofc haraway too. so i thought that was really cool and spicy.
- not to say that sheng yen's buddhism is woke or anything lol, the implications within the bounds of his philosophy are pretty normative. but there is a really compelling kernel i think of humility in sort of this careful holding not ONLY of the belief that you and the world are connected, but that "you" don't exist at all kind of? and are just the world

anyway i'm sure actually buddhist guys have good takes, i can't assess this, but i had fun. also just enjoyed the fundamentally v chinese bit of there being like 48 precepts and 6 steps not to be confused with the 5 stages, or the 72 tranformations, 93 hells, etc etc etc.

[DoGG · Rating 4 out of 5]

The purpose of Buddhist practice is to attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment or Buddhahood. Traditionally this involves a graduated approach of moral purification, meditative concentration to develop samadhi, followed by meditative contemplation to develop the insight that true reality is impermanent, empty, and there is no self. Chan practice instead takes a "sudden and direct" approach to uncovering one's original, intrinsically pure and enlightened (Buddha) nature.

[Johnathon Pendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Introduction to Chan Buddhism

Well written and exhaustive, this book is a great overview - not only for Chan/Zen, but for Buddhism in general. Sheng Yen starts with the views and practices of early Buddhism, and then takes the reader smoothly into Chan.

[Matthew Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional ‘introduction’ To Chan Buddhism. It really seems to cover the bases. Though there are a lot more than three. I will read it many many times

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books from Oxford University Press are well put together, and this one is no exception by Mr. Stevenson. The first 15% of the book consists of a substantial introduction and biography on Shen-Yen. Shen-Yen's emphasis on conjoined contemplation and study resulted in 6 years of solitary meditation and a masters in Buddhist Studies before coming to America. While many in the US are familiar with the word "zen", few know of the earlier Chinese equivalent, Chan. Chan gained popularity starting roughly 500 C.E. and had its Golden Age in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), around 1300 years after the Buddha. While this is my first book on Chan, it seems a good look at traditional Chan in the modern world.

As an overview of Chan principles topics included are: philosophy of emptiness, precepts and vows, shamatha and vipassana, koan and hautau, histories and stories of zen figures, silent illumination, 10 ox herding pictures, and more. "One could say that the aim of this book is to help you develop this confidence in Chan by explaining to you its goals and principles of practice."

What makes Chan in particular? We can point to things like the enigmatic style, doctrine of buddha nature, koan and huatou, emphasis on sudden enlightenment and lineage, and method-less practice like "just sitting". While interesting developments, they are hardly without issues. Just like how he wrote that "Chan has undergone a steady dilution as it has moved from China to Japan to America", I wonder to what extent he noticed that seems to apply to the history of Buddhism as a whole.

[712 Panchita :3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

很好！！！

[Vili Kohonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to Zen (Chan) Buddhism. Describes a background how it was developed in China and the main differences and motivation in approach compared to "traditional", progressive path.