Mu Soeng, a former Zen monk and teacher, is the scholar-in-residence at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He is the author of many books on Buddhism, including Trust in Mind and The Diamond Sutra. He lives in Barre, Massachusetts.
"Composed of 32 short chapters, the Diamond Sutra is nonetheless
one of the monumental scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism. The great
Sixth Patriarch of Zen, Huineng is said to have achieved
enlightenment after hearing a single line of this sutra. We can't
promise sudden enlightenment, but we can tell you that Mu Soeng's
version is one of the best. A former Zen monk, Mu Soeng takes us
back in an extensive introduction to the beginnings of Buddhist
sutras and traces their development up to the appearance of the
Diamond Sutra in the third or fourth century. He also details why
Zen Buddhists in particular are attracted to it. The Diamond Sutra
is intended as an antidote to suffering, which is achieved through
wisdom. It tells us that realizing the emptiness of all things is
the key step on this path and that its articulation comes,
paradoxically, in the bodhisattva ideal of saving all sentient
beings. Paradox is at the heart of this classic sutra, and in
extensive commentaries Mu Soeng unravels the paradoxes while
explaining the challenging vocabulary. For an authoritative version
of the Diamond Sutra, you can't do better, and notice the fluid
language:
So you should view all of the fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in the stream; A flash
of lightning in a summer cloud; A flickering lamp,
a phantom, and a dream."-- "Amazon.com Delivers Eastern
Religion"
"Mu Soeng's commentary on the Diamond Sutra is a combination
Buddhist history lesson, philosophical investigation, and thorough
contemporary reading of this core Mahayana text... Mu Soeng applies
both scholarship and years of dharma training to his analysis...
[A] fresh and inspiring exposition of core Mahayana
philosophy..."-- "Inquiring Mind"
"Mu Soeng's interpretation of the Diamond Sutra is an attempt to
present traditional Buddhist insights, as found in one of the
fundamental scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism, in a modern or
post-modern form appropriate for contemporary practitioners and
others interested in making ancient wisdom relevant and vital for
today. Together with a translation based largely on Conze's
rendition of a Sanskrit text, Mu Soeng, a Zen practitioner,
presents his detailed running commentary, which fuses traditional
Buddhist lore with the contemporary approaches of quantum physics
and deconstructionist literary theory. Accompanied by a lengthy
introduction, Mu Soeng's work, which is in some ways reminiscent of
the insightful commentaries of Thich Nhat Hanh, should be of great
interest to all those who seek modern and post-modern relevance in
ancient Buddhist thought."--Jonathan Silk, Yale University
"This book is a job well done. Mu Soeng clearly illuminates the
fascinating world of ancient Buddhist thought and skillfully guides
us through its historical evolution. For the first time, I began to
understand this important history. And his insightful commentary on
the Diamond Sutra makes accessible to us all the transforming
wisdom of this profound text. I highly recommend this book for all
those wishing an in-depth exploration of the enlightened
mind."--Joseph Goldstein, author of A Heart Full of Peace and
Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom
"What a pleasure to read this lyrical rendering of the Diamond
Sutra. Providing a full historical and cultural context for this
great teaching inspires an understanding of its contemporary
relevance, while the clarity of Mu Soeng's prose makes
sophisticated Buddhist scholarship available to all interested
readers."--Sylvia Boorstein, author of It's Easier Than You Think
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