No Barrier: Unlocking the Zen Koan - A New Translation of the Zen Classic "Wumenguan" (Mumonkan)
A translation of a Chinese Zen classic called the "Wumenguan" from about A.D. 1200, this book will be popular with anyone seriously interested in Buddhism or Zen meditation. There are 48 koans (symbolic stories or sayings by Zen masters), followed by commentaries by later Zen masters and then an explanation by the author. Obviously, Zen koans aren't to be unlocked by simply reading a book; to remedy this, Cleary, who has studied them for 30 years and has a doctorate in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from Harvard, provides a helpful section on how to read and work with koans and the commentaries. Recommended for libraries with patron interest in the subject.- Del Cain, V.A. Medical Ctr. Lib., Bedford, Mass.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.