Zen in the Vernacular

Peter Coyote

Language: English

Description:

• Shows how Zen offers a creative problem-solving mechanism and moral guide ideal for the stresses and problems of daily life
• Shares the author's secular, vernacular interpretations of the Four Noble Truths, the Three Treasures, the Eightfold Path, and other fundamental Buddhist ideas
During the nearly 3,000 years since the Buddha lived, his teachings have spread widely around the globe. In each culture where Buddhism was introduced, the Buddha's teachings have been pruned and modified to harmonize with local customs, laws, and cultures. We can refer to these modifications as "gift wrapping," translating the gifts of Buddha's teachings in ways sensible to particular cultures in particular times. This gift-wrapping explains why Indian, Tibetan, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and Indonesian Buddhism have significant differences.
In this engaging guide to Zen Buddhism, award-winning actor, narrator, and Zen Buddhist priest Peter Coyote helps us peer beneath the...