An illuminating in-depth study of one of the most well-known and recited of all the Buddhist texts-by the renowned modern translator.
KAZUAKI TANAHASHI is the author, translator, and editor of numerous books, including Brush Mind; Sky Above, Great Wind; and several collections of the works of Eihei Dogen, including the monumental Treasury of the True Dharma Eye- Zen Master Dogen's Shobo Genzo. He is also a renowned calligraphic artist and teacher whose works have been exhibited throughout the world. He lives in Berkeley, California.
"Kazuaki Tanahashi’s Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the
Classic of Mahayana Buddhism delivers exactly what its subtitle
promises—and much more. Most books on the sutra provide expositions
of the by now well-known emptiness teachings (however much those
teachings continue to resist our understanding). But such
exposition, though lucidly present here, is the least of what this
book offers. In addition, it traces the history of the text, its
translation, and its dissemination throughout Asia and the West in
ancient and modern times, and it includes a discussion of important
and ground-breaking contemporary scholarship. It includes a
biography of Xuanzhang, the sutra’s most famous Chinese translator,
who famously journeyed to India to find it, as well as the
recounting of a contemporary pilgrimage to a Korean monastery to
see the oldest existing woodblock prints of the text. Its longest
section is a line-by-line comparison of versions of the text in
English and several Asian languages, full of useful nuance. In
short, this astonishing work of loving scholarship, written with
Kaz’s usual deft touch, is a must-have for any serious Dharma
student.”
—Zoketsu Norman Fischer, poet and Zen priest, author of Escape This
Crazy Life of Tears and Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on
the Practice of Lojong
"For all who love the Dharma, Kaz’s study of the Heart Sutra is a
true boon—it serves us as introduction, history, toolbox, and
treasure chest of teachings. It reads as a love story, a detective
story, and yet it is a stunning scholarly resource. As inspiration,
as reference, as deep study, this work is unsurpassable!”
—Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara, author of Most Intimate: A Zen Approach to
Life’s Challenges
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