Drawing on his knowledge and long practice of Buddhism, the author reflects on four lines representing fundamental principles of the Zen or Ch'an school of Buddhism: A special transmission outside the scriptures, No dependence on words and letters, Direct pointing to the mind, and Seeing into one's own nature and realizing Buddhahood. He sets out to communicate the essence of each, and to indicate how its meaning can be applied to Western conditions.
About the Author
Sangharakshita was born Dennis Lingwood in South London, in 1925. Largely self-educated, he developed an interest in the cultures and philosophies of the East early on, and realized that he was a Buddhist at the age of sixteen.The Second World War took him, as a conscript, to India, where he stayed on to become the Buddhist monk Sangharakshita. After studying for some years under leading teachers from the major Buddhist traditions, he went on to teach and write extensively. He also played a key part in the revival of Buddhism in India, particularly through his work among followers of Dr B.R. Ambedkar.After twenty years in the East, he returned to England to establish the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in 1967, and the Western Buddhist Order in 1968 (now known as the Triratna Buddhist Community and the Triratna Buddhist Order respectively).Sangharakshita has always particularly emphasized the decisive significance of commitment in the spiritual life, the paramount value of spiritual friendship and community, the link between religion and art, and the need for a ‘new society’ supportive of spiritual aspirations and ideas.In recent years Sangharakshita has been handing on most of his responsibilities to his senior disciples in the Order. Based at the Adhisthana retreat centre in Herefordshire UK, he is now focusing on personal contact with people. For more, go towww.sangharakshita.org.A collection of 27 volumes will represent the definitive edition of his life’s work as a Buddhist writer and teacher. Find out more about The Complete Works of SangharakshitaA series of talks by Sangharakshita: ‘Launch of The Essential Sangharakshita and Living Ethically’.
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