The Compass of Zen

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Summary: This is all you need to know
Review: Having read "Dropping Ashes on the Buddha" for years and letting it sit with me for years, this book was like a key opening a door to my mind and letting in a stream of light. This is all the book you will ever need. Sure, you can study theories, stats, and philosophies for decades but in the end, zen master SS will cut to the bone and explain how simple everything is. And you will wonder why in the world you have been making it so difficult.
This book covers all the angles. It gives you history, examples and the rest. But mostly, it gives you a compass to make sure that you are on the right track. After reading a chapter or three on a regular basis, you will succumb to the basic simpleness of the message and it will start to slowly dawn on you. Little by little, how simple things can really be, if you just "Don't know".

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Summary: The Compass of Zen is Superb!
Review: I have read many books on Zen Buddhism, but have never read a book that cut to the bone as did Compass. The introduction alone, was outstanding!
I live in Orlando and have had such a hard time finding a temple or group for Zen. Then i found out about Master Seung Sahn, not knowing the Korean way of Zen, I of course wanted to "Check out" the teacher i would be working with. I am so impressed by his books and methods of teaching that I have no reservations going with his school.
An Excellent book for a novice or and experienced practioner.

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Summary: Very good beginners introduction.
Review: I must confess, it was with some relief that after years of practice I read this book to find a supposedly Enlightened man whos ability to describe the process of Enlightenmment is less than my own. Sadly this also means it fails to resolve some of my deeper questions about the contradictory nature of different levels of Zen practice, e.g. stillness and change. However to somebody baffled by Zen who wanted a comprehensive introduction to its means, this book could be a brilliant purchase.

As for my "contradiction": Zen teaches no dependance on anything, not even Zen nor meditation should be relied upon, yet master Sahn epitmises Zen practice as "don't know" mind, or the practice of trying to always keep a mind "clear like space", i.e. the mind that abides nowhere. However, I not only doubt Mr Sahn's ability to do just that, it seems to directly contradict the Zen principle of dependance on no thing.

"The Unenlightened depend upon many things,
The wise depend on none"

Like many people, I would like to put any Enlightened man to the test by putting them to work at a MacDonalds checkout for six months!

Rating:
Summary: the compass of zen
Review: It is a hilarious book. It is written in easy and funny English and gives me a profound message to guide how l have to live in this complicated world. Seung Shan Sunim ephasizes many times that you must understand yourself first, and then use the enlightment to teach suffering all human beings. all suffering comes from your mind and your attachment to names and forms. Zen praictice is a techinque to clear your mind and to detach all names amd forms that we are attached and hindered to find your true self. the correct zen practice helps you empty your mind and leads you see who you are, where you came from, and where you are going, which there is no time and space. Time and space are created by your delusional mind, which you don't understand you and your situation are the same and one. The Great Love and The Great Compassion are the main message to practice zen. it is for something that you want, but someting for saving all suffering human beings. you must throw away "I". The I samll "I" cause you to attach names and forms. Seung Sahan Sunim's teaching is beyound religion,Buddism, but humanistic message, which guides me to think about my original questions for my existence.

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Summary: Informative, clear teaching about Buddhism and being human.
Review: Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn clearly and often times humorously explains the many different schools of Buddhist teachings. This book could possibly open you up to a way of living you might only wish for. Having read some of the stories gathered through teaching at his Kwan Um School of Zen, I have been able to live my life in a much saner way. I highly recommend this book, not only to those interested in Buddhism or meditation, but as fellow human beings coping with the present world.

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Summary: A lot of medicine - don't let it become a disease
Review: Many of Zen Master Seung Sahn's western students are now fully authorized teachers in their own right, and it is interesting to note that they do not necessarily recommend this book to Zen students.

Not that COMPASS OF ZEN is not wonderful. The original outline, handwritten by Zen Master Seung Sahn for use by his students, touches on the central points of Buddhist teaching and practice. An eminent roshi once examined it and confirmed that this is all a student need study.

Yet Zen Master Seung Sahn always points the reader back to practice, practice, practice. This practical orientation is present in every one of these assembled talks. ZMSS clearly has a solid understanding of Buddhist sutras as well as non-literary Zen insight, and presents it in a clear, direct, straightforward teaching style. The book is also full of wonderful Korean stories and the Zen Master's own humor. Consistently, he will undercut the scholarly approach to Zen and exhort the listener to return to everyday life practice ("just do it") and a sincere vow to help all beings.

So, a thick book isn't necessary. At some public talks in America, when asked about this or that point in the book, Seung Sahn Sunim has even said, "Maybe book make mistake. Throw book away."

Rating:
Summary: FIND YOUR WAY HOME
Review: So much has been said and written about buddhism one sometimes feel unsure about where to go next along the path. Smaller Vehicle (Hinayana), Greater Vehicle (Mahayana), Zen Vehicle (Chan), which one to take to the other shore? Why buddhism? What is Karma? What is true Practice? What is Buddha Nature? What are Theoritical Zen, Tathagatha Zen and Patriarchal Zen? What is our Original Face? What can I do? So many questions...
This book will explain in a clear and comprehensive manner the three main buddhist traditions and the points they lead to. The writing style is sometimes quite scholarly, sometimes humourous, never boring. Get correct answers about buddhism today; GET THIS COMPASS, FIND YOUR WAY HOME!

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Summary: Simple, Clear, and Hilariously Charming
Review: This book is for beginners and adepts alike, and not just for Zen students, either. The following is borrowed from The Kwan Um School of Zen's webpage: "Zen Master Seung Sahn was born in 1927 in Seun Choen, North Korea. His parents were both Christian, and later he was forced to do mandatory military service. In 1944, Seung Sahn joined the underground Korean independence movement. In no time he was caught by the Japanese police and barely, just barely escaped a deaths sentence. After his release from prison, he and two friends stole several thousand dollars from their parents and crossed the heavily-patrolled Manchurian border in an unsuccessful attempt to join the Free Korean Army. He later studied philosophy at Dong Guk Universoty-meanwhile the situation in Korea was getting worse by the day. He realized at once acedemics were not going to help him help people-nor would politics.

He decided to become a Buddhist monk and was ordained in October, 1948. Seung Sahn had already understood the sutras. The only thing left now would be practice, hard training. So ten days after his ordination as a monk, he went further up into the mountains and began a one-hundred-day retreat on Won Gak Mountain. He lived up there off of pine needles and rain water, and many times a day he took ice cold baths. For nearly 24 hours a day he would chant the Great Dharani of Original Mind Energy. Then the great doubts began to formulate-why is this needed? What use is going to all of these extremes? Why could he not, like a Japanese monk-go back to the town and maybe get married, and gradually come toward enlightenment? One night all the doubts became so vast he packed up and decided he would leave. The next day his mind was a bit clearer and so he stayed. In the following weeks he would repeat that process NINE times, pack/unpacj-pack/unpack. He was hallucinating a lot by now, about 50 days had passed. Every night he had terrifying visions. Demons would appear out of the dark and make obscene gestures at him.

After a month of this, the visions turned into visions of delight. Sometimes Buddha would come and teach him a sutra. Sometimes Bodhisattvas would appear in gorgeous clothing and tell him that he would go to heaven. Sometimes he would keel over from exhaustion and Kwan Se Um Bosal would gently wake him up. By the end of eighty days, his body was strong. His flesh had turned green from the pine needles. One day, a week before the retreat was to finish, Soen-sa was walking outside, chanting and keeping rhythm with his moktak. Suddenly, two boys, eleven or twelve years old, appeared on either side of him and bowed. They were wearing many-colored robes, and their faces were of an unearthly beauty. Seung Sahn was very surprised. His mind felt powerful and perfectly clear, so how could these demons have materialized? He walked ahead on the narrow mountain path, and the two boys followed him, walking right through the boulders on either side of the path. They walked together in silence for a half-hour, then, back at the altar, when Soen-sa got up from his bow, they were gone. This happened every day for a week. Finally it was the hundredth day.

Seung Sahn was was outside chanting and hitting the moktak. All at once his body disappeared, and he was in infinite space. From far away he could hear the moktak beating, and the sound of his own voice. He remained in this state for some time. When he returned to his body, he understood. The rocks, the river, everything he could see, everything he could hear, all this was his true self. All things are exactly as they are. The truth is just like this. Soen-sa slept very well that night."

This brief story gives you an idea of how intense this modern Zen Master's aspiration towards enlightenment had been. Following that retreat he studied with various Masters, all whom later confirmed his enlightenment. And so I believe in 1972, Seung Sahn brought the Dharma to the USA. He got a 2 bedroom apartment, worked at a laundromat-and had zazen in the apartment daily. people would be running about cooking up food, meditating, giving talks. This book is this man's legacy-just look into the matter more. Zen Master Seung Sahn started what is known as The Kwan Um School of Zen-with 160 + Zen Centers/temples worldwide. But I have given you a biographical take of the man, this book goes into the very marrow of practice-from Theoretical Zen, to Tathagata Zen-to patriarchal Zen-and yet they all are on the same cirlce! Enjoy this book, it's a must have for any practitioner-or even any spiritual voyager.

Rating:
Summary: Don't look further
Review: You can look for many books from the great masters of the past for the real thing, not the chewing of some "modern commentator". Don't look further! Zen master Seung Sahn has also the real flavour, but a contemporary one, teaching with examples from your(and his) every day life, in this world, now, often with great sense of humour... Not to forget a very clear writing over the differents schools of the Buddhism, from Hinayana to Zen.

Rating:
Summary: Insightful, simple yet full of clarity and Wisdom
Review: Zen master Seung Sahn is not a man of lecture, he could be your friend, or your brother. Representing the history, categorization and background of the different flavors of Buddhism in such a simple yet insightful way, Seung Sahn is able to cut through the usage of scholar terminology and present the Wisdom in a clear-cut readable approach. Laughter and enjoying his life and dedication to Buddhism with a Korean background, he explains insights like Non-Self, Impermanence, Impurity, etc.. in an easy to understand way - using examples and stories from the ancient Masters as well.

Like Zen Master Seung Sahn would say: Don't think about buying it, Just do it!