The Sutra of Hui-Neng: Grand Master of Zen (Shambhala Dragon Editions)

Rating:
Summary: Fishhook Zen
Review: Actually toward the end of his teaching career, Hui Neng had learned to read and write fairly well (which is when he wrote this Sutra). Now on to the translation at hand. Thomas Cleary has a plethora of books on all sorts of Oriental wisdom ranging from samurai literature to important Zen texts; his contributions to all of us here in the West are incalculable and, by in large, he always does a relatively good job at making translations which we can all come up with the money for. So he's doing us all an incredible service, along with Shambhala publications, whom also deserves credit for taking upon the task of providing us with literature that is both accurate and affordable.

Being that I own the Price & Wong translation which was referred to in another review (an updated version) also, likewise published by Shambhala along with The Diamond Sutra in one book, I must say that actually that work had more appeal to me. You know I am no sutra scholar, and perhaps I have a bit of partiality here due to Wong's work being my first introduction to this monumental text. So my two cents: both translations are superb, and you probably can't go wrong with either one of them. Sure this sutra is at times somewhat ambiguous (as is the Diamond sutra), but that's just Zen at it's best. This is not a practice of pill popping, or "swallowing like fish." We must chew our food, there is no spoon feeding in our way. Refer to this book (or Wong's) often, pour over it as much as you can. Sure the book spends a few days here and there on the shelf collecting dust. At least it does at my house. It might even make you get a little disgusted with all of the confusing speech used. But give it a chance and remain open, then truth cannot help but be present in each word...

Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: The Imperfection of a Perfect Sutra
Review: Hui-Neng has been known as one of the fathers of Zen and his sutra shows why. Absolutely splendid, if you put down this sutra I question your health. Meant for the person with a background in Zen, but not a bad starter if you approach it with an open mind and neither approve nor dissaprove of a word in it.

Rating:
Summary: the life of the master
Review: In the world of Buddhism only the words of the Buddha and the life of Hui-neng are sutras. If thats not a good enough reason to get this then get it because Hui-Neng was a beautiful man and a great teacher. an illiterate woodcutter he became enlightened by just hearing a phrase from the Diamond sutra. he later worked in a monestary hidden away because the master knew if others knew of his great achievement they'd probally kill him but aventuallly he not only became the 6th patriarch but a great teacher and one of Zen's most beloved ancesters.

Rating:
Summary: not the words of an illitterate kitchen-boy
Review: this is an amazing sutra, well worth reading, but keep in mind that hui-neng was not a harvard educated man with a enormous vocabulary. my guess is that hui-neng spoke using much more simple words than are employed in this translation. this sutra is not about snooty, rich person vocabulary, but rather that a dishwasher can become enlightened (it is of course "about" many other things as well). this should not be forgotten upon reading this wonderful sutra.