The Complete Book of Zen Paperback – June 1, 2010

The best overview info on zen & buddhism in general. I always discard dogma & theology & favor the mystic in all cases. I studied Vajrayana under Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche (Rimpie). But after getting 1/2 way into Zen, I realized the fist koan, (given to Mahakasyapa by Sakyamuni Sihartha Gautama) is my all time best. Yet I found no Golden Kumbhala flower upon Web search. But any flower will do. You'll find this first zen koan on page 71 of Zen. The first line, spoken to Mahakasyapa as Sidhartha holds up the flower: 'Here is the eye of true teaching.'

I bought this book to complement my Chi Kung practice and to deepen my knowledge of Zen and its many dimensions and definitions. I found it surprisingly easy to read and navigate. It definitely enlightened me on the topic and of course it's written by my Sigung, Grandmaster Wong. A must-have book for anyone practicing Shaolin arts - Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong, Shaolin Kung Fu.

Slowly reading this book, it helps with those of us who are searching for balance in life.

Definitely complete. It is a long, but surprisingly well-written, history of Buddhism.

Wong Kiew Kit is a master at making the arcane accessible. Thrilled with this book.

Great

"What is the sound of one hand clapping?"Many have heard the question, few know its deepest significance. The Complete Book of Zen provides a roadmap for those willing to look for answers for themselves.Wong Kiew Kit has distilled a lifetime of teaching and training practice into this magnificent work. As a Shaolin Grandmaster, Wong Kiew Kit is rarely placed to speak on Zen, because Zen (known as Ch'an in Chinese) was one of the three treasures of the Shaolin Arts, the other two being Shaolin Qigong and Shaolin Kungfu. It is Wong Kiew Kit's mastery of all three treasures which elevates this book above the great mass of Zen literature out there.These missing aspects of the energetic and the martial also inform the reason as to the comparative lack of results of many modern meditators. Where is the transcendence?Bodhidharma, the legendary founder of Zen, held that the body was as important as the mind in spiritual cultivation, and his successors at the Shaolin Temple continued this legacy with their integration of martial arts into meditation. Unfortunately today many people attempt deep meditation without first having cleared and energised their meridian system through Qigong or internal Kungfu; with the result that the transcendental fruits are often blocked to them. It is for this reason that The Complete Book of Zen is so necessary and important.Discover:- the meaning of famous Zen stories- the intuitive logic (neither paradox nor nonsense) of Koans- the moral and ethical basis of Zen- the origins of Zen in India, the history of Zen in China and its transmission to Vietnam and Japan- the energetic and martial components of Zen- the practical and transcendental aspects of meditation- the highest attainment of Zen masters of the past- the link between Zen and other religious and mystical traditions- both the practical daily life aspect for the nonreligious or those of other religions, and the religious aspect including recitation of sutras and mantras for BuddhistsAll in all this book is, as I said, a roadmap for those wishing to explore their highest attainment in this life.I write unapologetically as an inner-chamber disciple of Sifu Wong's. Because I am in a position to personally validate all of the content, including that scoffed at by other reviewers. So-called "incurable" diseases can be overcome by Qigong and Zen, and perceptions beyond the mundane are possible through meditation, as any practitioner of genuine arts will know; and have been documented down through the ages in sources including Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist amongst others.I am not aware of nonduality being so comprehensibly explained in any other work, so I must give this book the maximum endorsement. It is one of those rare books that can quench the spiritual thirst.

This book offers an exceptional introduction and orientation to Zen as a lifestyle. The author takes the reader through the very basic fundamentals and uses easy to understand explanations that keep even those readers that are completely new to Zen enthralled. The book introduces many ideologies and thoughts that are enlightening in themselves, and reflect well on the subject matter. This book is definitely a must read for any persons that are curious about Zen, or for those serious about starting their Zen lifestyle. Truly an enjoyable and thoroughly thought out book.