The Compass of Zen

by Seung Sahn and SUNG SAN

Book Overview

A simple, exhaustive--and often hilarious--presentation of the essence of Zen by a modern Zen Master of considerable renown

In his many years of teaching throughout the world, the Korean-born Zen Master Seung Sahn has become known for his ability to cut to the heart of Buddhist teaching in a way that is strikingly clear, yet free of esoteric and academic language. In this book, based largely on his talks, he presents the basic...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570623295
• ISBN13: 9781570623295
• Release Date: October 1997
• Publisher: Shambhala
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Simple, Clear, and Hilariously Charming

This book is for beginners and adepts alike, and not just for Zen students, either. The following is borrowed from The Kwan Um School of Zen's webpage: "Zen Master Seung Sahn was born in 1927 in Seun Choen, North Korea. His parents were both Christian, and later he was forced to do mandatory military service. In 1944, Seung Sahn joined the underground Korean independence movement. In no time he was caught by the Japanese police and barely, just barely escaped a deaths sentence. After his release from prison, he and two friends stole several thousand dollars from their parents and crossed the heavily-patrolled Manchurian border in an unsuccessful attempt to join the Free Korean Army. He later studied philosophy at Dong Guk Universoty-meanwhile the situation in Korea was getting worse by the day. He realized at once acedemics were not going to help him help people-nor would politics.He decided to become a Buddhist monk and was ordained in October, 1948. Seung Sahn had already understood the sutras. The only thing left now would be practice, hard training. So ten days after his ordination as a monk, he went further up into the mountains and began a one-hundred-day retreat on Won Gak Mountain. He lived up there off of pine needles and rain water, and many times a day he took ice cold baths. For nearly 24 hours a day he would chant the Great Dharani of Original Mind Energy. Then the great doubts began to formulate-why is this needed? What use is going to all of these extremes? Why could he not, like a Japanese monk-go back to the town and maybe get married, and gradually come toward enlightenment? One night all the doubts became so vast he packed up and decided he would leave. The next day his mind was a bit clearer and so he stayed. In the following weeks he would repeat that process NINE times, pack/unpacj-pack/unpack. He was hallucinating a lot by now, about 50 days had passed. Every night he had terrifying visions. Demons would appear out of the dark and make obscene gestures at him. After a month of this, the visions turned into visions of delight. Sometimes Buddha would come and teach him a sutra. Sometimes Bodhisattvas would appear in gorgeous clothing and tell him that he would go to heaven. Sometimes he would keel over from exhaustion and Kwan Se Um Bosal would gently wake him up. By the end of eighty days, his body was strong. His flesh had turned green from the pine needles. One day, a week before the retreat was to finish, Soen-sa was walking outside, chanting and keeping rhythm with his moktak. Suddenly, two boys, eleven or twelve years old, appeared on either side of him and bowed. They were wearing many-colored robes, and their faces were of an unearthly beauty. Seung Sahn was very surprised. His mind felt powerful and perfectly clear, so how could these demons have materialized? He walked ahead on the narrow mountain path, and the two boys followed him, walking right through the boulders on either side of the path. They walked together

FIND YOUR WAY HOME

So much has been said and written about buddhism one sometimes feel unsure about where to go next along the path. Smaller Vehicle (Hinayana), Greater Vehicle (Mahayana), Zen Vehicle (Chan), which one to take to the other shore? Why buddhism? What is Karma? What is true Practice? What is Buddha Nature? What are Theoritical Zen, Tathagatha Zen and Patriarchal Zen? What is our Original Face? What can I do? So many questions...This book will explain in a clear and comprehensive manner the three main buddhist traditions and the points they lead to. The writing style is sometimes quite scholarly, sometimes humourous, never boring. Get correct answers about buddhism today; GET THIS COMPASS, FIND YOUR WAY HOME!

Insightful, simple yet full of clarity and Wisdom

Zen master Seung Sahn is not a man of lecture, he could be your friend, or your brother. Representing the history, categorization and background of the different flavors of Buddhism in such a simple yet insightful way, Seung Sahn is able to cut through the usage of scholar terminology and present the Wisdom in a clear-cut readable approach. Laughter and enjoying his life and dedication to Buddhism with a Korean background, he explains insights like Non-Self, Impermanence, Impurity, etc.. in an easy to understand way - using examples and stories from the ancient Masters as well.Like Zen Master Seung Sahn would say: Don't think about buying it, Just do it!

the compass of zen

It is a hilarious book. It is written in easy and funny English and gives me a profound message to guide how l have to live in this complicated world. Seung Shan Sunim ephasizes many times that you must understand yourself first, and then use the enlightment to teach suffering all human beings. all suffering comes from your mind and your attachment to names and forms. Zen praictice is a techinque to clear your mind and to detach all names amd forms that we are attached and hindered to find your true self. the correct zen practice helps you empty your mind and leads you see who you are, where you came from, and where you are going, which there is no time and space. Time and space are created by your delusional mind, which you don't understand you and your situation are the same and one. The Great Love and The Great Compassion are the main message to practice zen. it is for something that you want, but someting for saving all suffering human beings. you must throw away "I". The I samll "I" cause you to attach names and forms. Seung Sahan Sunim's teaching is beyound religion,Buddism, but humanistic message, which guides me to think about my original questions for my existence.

Don't look further

You can look for many books from the great masters of the past for the real thing, not the chewing of some "modern commentator". Don't look further! Zen master Seung Sahn has also the real flavour, but a contemporary one, teaching with examples from your(and his) every day life, in this world, now, often with great sense of humour... Not to forget a very clear writing over the differents schools of the Buddhism, from Hinayana to Zen.