Zen Koan Collections

A list of koan collections from both the Soto and Rinzai traditions of Zen Buddhism, as well as books about koans.

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1	Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings by Paul Reps (Editor) 4.14 avg rating — 8,320 ratings score: 385, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Record of Linji by Línjì Yìxuán 4.28 avg rating — 239 ratings score: 360, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan by Robert Aitken (Translation) 4.50 avg rating — 105 ratings score: 276, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Book of Serenity: One Hundred Zen Dialogues by Thomas Cleary 4.17 avg rating — 60 ratings score: 194, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The Book of Equanimity: Illuminating Classic Zen Koans by Gerry Shishin Wick 4.15 avg rating — 41 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen's Three Hundred Koans by John Daido Loori 4.38 avg rating — 89 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Gateless Barrier: Zen Comments on the Mumonkan by Zenkei Shibayama 4.58 avg rating — 71 ratings score: 185, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record: Zen Comments by Hakuin and Tenkei by Thomas Cleary (Translation) 4.32 avg rating — 69 ratings score: 184, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Ten Gates: The Kong-An Teaching of Zen Master Seung Sahn by Seung Sahn 4.29 avg rating — 56 ratings score: 181, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Opening a Mountain: Koans of the Zen Masters by Steven Heine 3.23 avg rating — 13 ratings score: 178, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Sitting with Koans: Essential Writings on Zen Koan Introspection by John Daido Daido Loori (Editor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings score: 176, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi: A Translation of the Lin-Chi Lu by Línjì Yìxuán 4.28 avg rating — 239 ratings score: 167, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	The Record of Transmitting the Light: Zen Master Keizan's Denkoroku by Francis Harold Cook (Translation) 4.53 avg rating — 17 ratings score: 164, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The Gateless Gate: The Classic Book of Zen Koans by Wumen Huikai 4.21 avg rating — 786 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Zen's Chinese Heritage: The Masters and Their Teachings by Andy Ferguson 4.28 avg rating — 60 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	The True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen's Three Hundred Koans by John Daido Loori 4.38 avg rating — 89 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	The Blue Cliff Record by Yuanwu Keqin (Compiler) 4.36 avg rating — 274 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Two Zen Classics: The Gateless Gate and the Blue Cliff Records by Katsuki Sekida (Translator) 4.31 avg rating — 157 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Zen Master Raven: Sayings and Doings of a Wise Bird by Robert Aitken 4.05 avg rating — 129 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Gateless Gate by Wumen Huikai 4.21 avg rating — 786 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Entangling Vines: A Classic Collection of Zen Koans by Thomas Yuho Kirchner (Translation) 4.35 avg rating — 17 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Master Dogen's Shinji Shobogenzo by Gudo Wafu Nishijima 4.12 avg rating — 17 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	The Whole World is a Single Flower: 365 Kong-ans for Everyday Life with Questions and Commentary by Zen Master Seung Sahn and a Forword by Stephen Mitchell by Seung Sahn 4.26 avg rating — 54 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Roaring Stream by Nelson Foster (Editor) 4.25 avg rating — 20 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Dropping Ashes on the Buddha: The Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn by Seung Sahn 3.97 avg rating — 1,040 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	Zen Teaching of Instantaneous Awakening by Hui Hai 4.21 avg rating — 85 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Bring Me the Rhinoceros: And Other Zen Koans That Will Save Your Life by John Tarrant 4.15 avg rating — 554 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	The Iron Flute: 100 Zen Koans by Nyogen Senzaki 4.07 avg rating — 88 ratings score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Nothing Is Hidden: The Psychology of Zen Koans by Barry Magid (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 82 ratings score: 82, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Unlocking the Zen Koan: A New Translation of the Zen Classic Wumenguam by Wumen Huikai 4.10 avg rating — 48 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	The Book of Mu: Essential Writings on Zen's Most Important Koan by James Ishmael Ford (Editor) 4.28 avg rating — 90 ratings score: 80, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Straight to the Heart of Zen: Eleven Classic Koans and Their Innner Meanings by Philip Kapleau 3.86 avg rating — 28 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Transmission of Light: Zen in the Art of Enlightenment by Zen Master Keizan by Thomas Cleary (Translation) 4.27 avg rating — 41 ratings score: 75, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Dogen's Genjo Koan: Three Commentaries by Dōgen 4.51 avg rating — 65 ratings score: 72, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Realizing Genjokoan: The Key to Dogen's Shobogenzo by Shohaku Okumura 4.59 avg rating — 226 ratings score: 71, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Eloquent Silence: Nyogen Senzaki's Gateless Gate and Other Previously Unpublished Teachings and Letters by Nyogen Senzaki 4.60 avg rating — 15 ratings score: 70, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	The Hidden Lamp: Stories from Twenty-Five Centuries of Awakened Women by Florence Caplow (Editor) 4.37 avg rating — 224 ratings score: 69, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	Elegant Failure: A Guide to Zen Koans by Richard Shrobe 4.03 avg rating — 31 ratings score: 68, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma by Bodhidharma 4.34 avg rating — 1,641 ratings score: 67, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	The Zen Teaching of Huang Po: On the Transmission of Mind by Huang Po 4.44 avg rating — 801 ratings score: 66, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Original Teachings of Ch'an Buddhism by Chang Chung-yuan 4.19 avg rating — 32 ratings score: 65, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars