The Buddhist I Ching

by Chih-hsu Ou-i, Thomas Cleary (Translator)

For centuries the I Ching has been used as a basic map of conscious development, containing the underlying principles of all religions, and highly prized by followers of Buddhism. Chih-hsu Ou-i uses the concepts of Tianti Buddhism to elucidate the I Ching —concentration and insight, calmness and wisdom, and various levels of realization. Skillfully translated by Thomas Cleary, this work presents the complete text of the I Ching plus the only Buddhist interpretation of the oracle.

Genres: Buddhism, Religion, Divination, Spirituality, Reference, Nonfiction, Philosophy

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars -- the work is filled with allegories, explained beautifully by Chih-hsu Ou-i (as translated by Thomas Cleary), and wisdom, but it is an attempt to interpret the I Ching through three interrelated lenses: social, meditational and Buddhist, and, as such, it comes across as a bit more erudite and structured than say the Dhammapada or, to draw on another Eastern philosophical/religious work, the Tao Te Ching (though containing some elements of both). But, that is really the intention of this work (though it was not what I was prepared for when I picked it up) -- to aid those on the path of enlightenment in the interpretation of the I Ching as it relates to Buddhism, as one route to finding enlightenment. What I appreciate the most about the work are: (1) its non-dualism (but that, of course, has more to do with Eastern philosophy than the work itself) and (2) Ou-i's ability to explain simply so many rich allegories contained within the work. On that level, this interpretation has both a scholarly value and a poetic value, as well. It works better as a book to be consulted from time to time than as a stand-alone work and I think it has more value to those with deeper familiarity with the I Ching than I had when I embarked on this read.

[Joe Fiala · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the concept of this book series and this is definitely a valuable resource to have on hand, but doesn't stand well on its own. On its own, it would not give adequate respect to the Yi Jing teaching. Again, a great resource, though.

[Jeff Mayo · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this was a tough read. I am supposed to get insight, calmness, and wisdom. I got some allegories that didn't teach me what the point was, but I did enjoy them for the most part.