Philosophical Meditations on Zen Buddhism

Cambridge Studies in Religious Traditions

by Dale S. Wright

This book is the first to engage Zen Buddhism philosophically on crucial issues from a perspective that is informed by the traditions of Western philosophy and religion. It focuses on one renowned Zen master, Huang Po, whose recorded sayings exemplify the spirit of the "golden age" of Zen in medieval China, and on the transmission of these writings to the West. While deeply sympathetic to the Zen tradition, it raises serious questions about the kinds of claims that can be made on its behalf.

Genres: Buddhism, Religion

244 pages, Paperback

First published October 29, 1998

Reviews

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book with several ideas worth considering. It also goes a long way to putting many mainstream western interpretations of zen in their proper romantic and modern contexts as well as explaining why we should approach said interpretations with caution, both from the standpoint of contemporary thinking and from that within the historical Zen tradition itself.

[Will Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in a more classical and practical style rather than the typical romantic and oratory style of most Zen literature. This spoke to me naturalistically. Demystifying. Illuminated my book clubs reading of The Zen Teaching of Huang Po: On the Transmission of Mind.