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Thread: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

  1. #1

    ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Hi All,

    I would like to announce our next book selection for the Treeleaf "Beyond Words & Letters" Book Club (to follow our current reading, the wonderful 'Zen Seeds') ...

    The Book of Equanimity, Illuminating Classic Zen Koans, commentary by Gerry Shishin Wick.

    http://www.amazon.com/Book-Equanimity-I ... 0861713877

    http://www.wisdompubs.org/pages/display ... n=&image=1

    The Book of Equanimity (???, in Japanese the Sh?y?roku, sometimes called the Book of Serenity in English), is a collection of Koans gathered by the great exponent of Silent Illumination Chan Hongzhi Zhengjue (Wanshi Sh?gaku, 1091–1157), and is much prized in the Soto flavor of Zen. Shishin Wick is the current head of the White Plum Lineage, which usually mixes Kan'na (Koan Instrospection) Zen and Shikantaza ways, but in this case, he approaches each Koan with a gentle-not so gentle 'piercing in and out through the sacred core' Soto style. Shishin brings each Koan into living Practice and practical life, very much grounded in this day-to-day world, worlded in the Timeless Ground. Lovely.

    There are other translations available, by Thomas Cleary and others. However, even if you have one of those already, I ask you to find the edition by Rev. Wick, as the life-filled commentaries by him will be at the heart of our reflections.

    The Book of Equanimity is as central to koan practice in the Soto Zen tradition as the better-known 'Blue Cliff Record' is in the Rinzai tradition. ... At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Shishin Wick gave a series of talks on each of the hundred cases to Zen students in Colorado, and now with this new publication he offers his commentary and translation to a wider audience. Shishin Wick was trained as a physicist and oceanographer, and his scientific background comes through in his rigorous examination of each case. His poetic sensibility is also evident in the book, such as in his commentary on 'Joshu's Dog,' which describes the noble futility of the bodhisattva vow, by using the image of someone attempting to fill up a well with snow. He draws upon examples ranging from the scholarly (comparisons with other koan collections) to the everyday (a friend's paralyzed dachshund) to show the importance of The Book of Equanimity in the Zen tradition and its relevance to the lives of his students and readers.
    Public opinion often holds that Koans are not much cherished and Practiced in the Soto Way. That is not the case (little pun there). The way of handling and opening the Koans is a bit different in the Soto Way and the Ka'na Zazen of the Rinzai way (same, but different ... different, but just the same), something we will have a chance to experience in moving through-and-through these cherished "classic" Koans.

    Gassho, Jundo

  2. #2
    Yugen
    Guest

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    I've had the book for a bit in anticipation of the Book Club endeavor. Looking forward to the discussion....

    Gassho,
    Yugen

  3. #3

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    It's in the Kindle Store (Yes, my Christmas present from my wife :-)) for 9.99 US Dollars.
    Gassho
    Soen

  4. #4

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Will be ordering soon!

    Gassho,
    Dosho

  5. #5

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Order's placed, looking forward to it.

  6. #6

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Got it on Kindle, thanks for the tip Soen!

    Gassho,

    Dokan

  7. #7

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    I'm new here. when does the book club start?

  8. #8

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Looking forward to join the club! I'll get it for Kindle!

  9. #9

    Re: Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanim

    Quote Originally Posted by SonofRage
    I'm new here. when does the book club start?
    Should be no shorter than three weeks. Probably a bit more. We have three weeks left on Zen Seeds.

    Fugen would know best however!

    Gassho

    Dokan

    Sent from my I897 using Tapatalk

  10. #10

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Im in too. Got it on kindle

  11. #11

    Re: Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanim

    Quote Originally Posted by Dokan
    Quote Originally Posted by SonofRage
    I'm new here. when does the book club start?
    Should be no shorter than three weeks. Probably a bit more. We have three weeks left on Zen Seeds.

    Fugen would know best however!

    Gassho

    Dokan

    Sent from my I897 using Tapatalk
    It may be a bit longer, as we will allow a few weeks of space and silence before starting the new book ... plus some time for folks to find a copy.

    Gassho, Jundo

  12. #12

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    I'd like to participate

    Thanks
    -Neal

  13. #13

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Cool. I am looking forward to participating and studying with you all.

    -Sam

  14. #14

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    I've ordered the book (3 day delivery, not bad) and am looking forward to participating.

  15. #15

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Yup - I am in. A bit less costly then a Uni text wasn't it ?
    Not sure that I will be much of a Koan man though :idea:

    m

  16. #16

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Got it, most likely won't have the ability to follow along with the book club. But it should make for pleasant reading at sea.

  17. #17

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    So how will we do this; knock off one Koan/week? (Kidding) I feel that we are going to have no option but come out with something and make fools of my/ourselves - the objective maybe

    m

  18. #18

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    I think this is all a trick by Taigu. He gets us interested in this book, and we all wait for him, but the koan is in our waiting. :-)

  19. #19

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Quote Originally Posted by kirkmc
    ... the koan is in our waiting. :-)
    Yes. In Japanese and Chinese paintings, the empty space is as talkative as the ink. Can you hear?


  20. #20

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    ... that is a very beautiful painting - though the 'hearing' is not with my ears.

  21. #21

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    the empty space is as talkative as the ink. Can you hear?
    If that's the case, then I've been saying an awful lot over the past undefined time period :shock:

    I love the painting too, and am really looking forward to delving into the book. Koans always make me feel dumb, so maybe I'll learn just a whole lot!

    Gassho,

    Ann

  22. #22

    ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Quote Originally Posted by chessie
    Koans always make me feel dumb
    Lucky bastard...

    /Pontus

  23. #23

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Just grabbed it for nook!

  24. #24

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo
    Quote Originally Posted by kirkmc
    ... the koan is in our waiting. :-)
    Yes. In Japanese and Chinese paintings, the empty space is as talkative as the ink. Can you hear?
    Sound of one hand clapping?

  25. #25

    Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: Our Next Book Club Book! - Book of Equanimity

    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo
    Quote Originally Posted by kirkmc
    ... the koan is in our waiting. :-)
    Yes. In Japanese and Chinese paintings, the empty space is as talkative as the ink. Can you hear?
    Only in Japanese and chinese painting? :mrgreen: Now there is an interesting thread, .....negative space in art.

    Vermeer..

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