The Zen Teaching of Huang Po on the Transmission of Mind

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Seriously Essential - Rated
A true Ch'an Master encompasses the entirety of the Dharma, and Huang Po skillfully and expediently directs the mind back to mind, to allow the individual to experience for herself the luminosity and marvel of one's inherent Buddha-nature, as a living well-spring of joy and energy and so embody the Buddha's revelations. Whilst not for the beginner maybe, Blofeld's translation stands head and shoulders over what passes for Zen in todays new-age supermarket and it will not do the novice any harm to use this work as a point of reference as she develops herself along the path.

The Zen Teaching of Huang Po - Rated
This is one of two books that somebody lent me some 35 years ago as an introduction to Buddhism. While I found the other book Walpola Rahula's What The Buddha Taught accesible and informative Blofeld's Zen Teaching of Huang Po was incomprehensible. Luckily I was able to to go back and get tutorials from a man who turned out to be an amazing teacher.

I'm still reading it, there's no end to the depths of understanding that can be found in this book. It does require patience and you might find the books of Wei Wu Wei (Terence Gray) helpful. You might try All Else is Bondage as a starting point. Or the Douglas Harding book 'On Having No Head'.

"Our original Buddha-Nature is, in highest truth, devoid of any atom of objectivity. It is void, omnipresent, silent, pure; it is glorious and mysterious peaceful joy - and that is all." from chapter 8, page 35.

If you are seriously interested in Zen you will find this book an esssential companion.

A penetrating insight into Zen Buddhism by an early master - Rated
The teachings of Huang Po bear re-reading many, many times. So compressed and dense is this work that it is impossible to absorb the full import of Huang Po's insights at first pass. I've read it at least a dozen times and continue to discover new insights. This is one of three books I'd want on a desert island.

Don't be put off by its compression.

This book was translated by John Blofield in the 1950s and appears to remain the only English translation. I'd love to know what happened to Blofield, who apparently was living in Thailand at the time he translated the work.

Unquestionably a classic - Rated
Huang Po (d. 850) is perhaps one of Zen Buddhism's most brilliant Zen masters. This translation by John Blofeld of Huang Po's dialogues brings to light Zen Buddhism's most esoteric theme which concerns Buddha Mind. Different than the Western concept of Mind, Huang Po reveals the transcendent nature of Buddha Mind which traditional Zen Buddhists believe is the source of all things. This book is a must for anyone wishing to put their foot into the waters of Zen Buddhism. It is a classic in every since of the word. It always seems to say more than print is capable of expressing.