Synopses & Reviews
A timeless collection of Zen Buddhist koans by the author of Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, with interpretations by three Zen mastersKoans are the metaphorical narratives and intellectually unsolvable problem-riddles that verbalize fundamental Zen views on life and no-life, the nature of the self, and the relationship of the self to the world. Though widely recognized (“What is the sound of one hand clapping?”) most koans remain narrowly understood. These stories and sayings act as teaching tools for true insight and are presented as brief vignettes or a dialogue between a Zen master and his disciple.
In this audiobook edition of The Iron Flute, a comprehensive collection of the most important koans in Zen Buddhism is presented with insights from three Zen masters. The commentary offers profound guidance on the riddles of the koans and their larger application in everyday life. The tranquility of the program provides the perfect setting for a meditative appreciation of the koans. The audio format enhances the teachings by reaching the essence of Zen in a way a non-spoken presentation cannot.
The Iron Flute stands alone as the definitive work on koans. In it, Nyogen Senzaki, who was raised in a Tendai Buddhist monastery and was a student of the great Zen master Soen Shoku, has provided an essential pathway to the tenets and practice of Zen.
Synopsis
The Iron Flute, a classic koan collection with peerless commentaries by masters from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, speaks radiantly to the heart.
The Iron Flute was compiled by Genro, an outstanding Zen master of eighteenth-century Japan, who added his commentary to each koan in poetry and prose. Later, Genro's chief disciple, Fugai, annotated the work with his own interpretations.
Now, in this edition, Nyogen Senzaki-a Japanese Zen master peerless in his ability to speak directly to the modern American heart-clarifies the meaning of both koan and commentary alike. Well versed in contemporary Western psychology and Philosophy, Senzaki is able to amplify the power of every word. Each koan becomes a lucid encapsulation of the essence of Zen, and The Iron Flute becomes an instrument that generously sounds the clear tones of enlightenment.
Nyogen's translation and commentaries effortlessly dissolve the barriers of language, culture, and even time, allowing The Iron Flute to uplift each of us with the same music that was heard by masters centuries ago, during the Golden Age of Zen.
About the Author
Nyogen Senzaki was one of the first Zen masters to come to the United States from Japan. He has authored the Zen classics
Like a Dream, Like a Fantasy, Buddhism and
Zen (co-authored with Ruth McCandless), and the bestselling
Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.Ruth Strout McCandless was a student of Senzaki and his collaborator in translating a series of Buddhist texts over many years.