Zen Sand: The Book of Capping Phrases for Koan Practice (Nanzan Library of Asian Religion and Culture, 24)

ISBN: 0824835077

Author: Hori, Victor Sogen

Condition: New

Zen Sand is a classic collection of verses aimed at aiding practitioners of kan meditation to negotiate the difficult relationship between insight and language. As such it represents a major contribution to both Western Zen practice and English-language Zen scholarship.In Japan the traditional Rinzai Zen kan curriculum includes the use of jakugo, or "capping phrases." Once a monk has successfully replied to a kan, the Zen master orders the search for a classical verse to express the monks insight into the kan. Special collections of these jakugo were compiled as handbooks to aid in that search. Until now, Zen students in the West, lacking this important resource, have been severely limited in carrying out this practice. Zen Sand combines and translates two standard jakugo handbooks and opens the way for incorporating this important tradition fully into Western Zen practice.For the scholar, Zen Sand provides a detailed description of the jakugo practice and its place in the overall kan curriculum, as well as a brief history of the Zen phrase book. This volume also contributes to the understanding of East Asian culture in a broader sense.