Master Ma's Ordinary Mind: The Sayings of Zen Master Mazu Daoyi

by Fumio Yamada, John Bellando (Translator), Andy Ferguson (Supplement by)

Overview

“Ordinary Mind is itself the Way,” said Mazu Daoyi. See what this master has to say—and discover the extraordinary nature of your own “ordinary” life.

In Master Ma’s Ordinary Mind, you will learn the true nature of enlightenment from one of Zen’s great teachers. Master Mazu’s teachings help us to see how our own “ordinary mind,” just as it is, also functions as the mind of enlightenment—the very expression of buddhanature. 

Master Mazu’s classic sayings, with all their timeless insight, are here presented and unpacked for beginner and advanced practitioners alike. Each chapter offers John Bellando’s crystal-clear translation of one of Mazu’s classic dialogues and then follows it with Dr. Fumio Yamada’s gentle, encouraging commentary. Together, they guide us through the many layers of meaning in these koans, showing us what Mazu can mean for us today.

Includes an appendix on Mazu's life by Andy Ferguson, author of Zen's Chinese Heritage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781614293057
Publisher:	Wisdom Publications MA
Publication date:	04/11/2017
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Dr. Fumio Yamada was born in Fukui, Japan, in 1959. He graduated from Tohoku University with a PhD in literature and currently works as a professor of Chinese Classics at Hirosaki University. He is also a designated lineage holder of Kinpu-ryu, Hirosaki’s unique school ofshakuhachi (the Zen flute), which is one of Japan’s cultural treasures.

He is the author of more than ten publications in Japanese, with topics ranging from Dogen Zenji to Lao Tzu, Confucius, Sun Tzu, The Gateless Gate, and other classical Chinese and Japanese texts. He lives in Aomori, Japan.

John “Nick” Bellando was born in New Jersey and currently lives in Hirosaki, Japan, with his wife Mutsumi and daughter May. He holds a BS in Biblical studies and an MA in Japanese education / Chinese literature from Hirosaki University, where he studied under Dr. Yamada. He writes, translates, and makes shakuhachi (Zen flutes). He lives in Aomori, Japan

Table of Contents

Translator's Preface ix

Author's Preface xi

Part I Ordinary Life Is the Way

1 The Salt and Miso Are Not Lacking 3

2 Keep Yourself Unstained 7

3 On a Beautiful Moonlit Evening 13

4 Lift High Your Eyes! 17

5 How Natural 21

6 To Give Up Your Life 23

7 Sudden! 25

8 Tending Cattle 29

9 Is the Lake Full? 33

Part II Don't just Sit There!

10 Whip the Cart, or Whip the Ox? 39

11 Who's Sitting, and Why? 45

12 Messing with a Zazen Zealot 51

13 Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't: So What Do You Do? 53

14 What Are You Seeking? 57

15 How Can I Become One with the Way? 59

16 Long and Short 61

Part III Always Be Your True Self, Independent and Free

17 "Virtuous Priest-" 67

18 "Lecture Master-" 71

19 Call and Response 75

20 Can You Drink the River Dry? 79

21 Forget Bodhidharma, What about You? 83

22 Your Own Treasure 85

23 A Swift Kick 89

24 Withdraw Your Legs 93

25 What If I Pretend to Be Enlightened? 97

26 A Letter with a Circle 101

Part IV Your Mind Is Buddha

27 I'll Do It My Way, Thanks 107

28 To Stop Children's Crying 111

29 Why Does a Boat Float in Water? 117

30 I Want To, But Is It Okay? 119

31 Someone's Listening! 121

32 I Don't Feel Like It 125

33 That's a Slippery Road! 129

34 Feeling Down 133

35 How Many Deer Can You Shoot with a Single Arrow? 137

36 What Does It Mean to Attain the Way? 141

Conclusion 145

Appendix 1 The Life and Teachings of Master Mazu Andy Ferguson 147

Appendix 2 Lineage of Zen Patriarchs in China Mentioned in This Book 151

Index of Names 153

About the Author and Translator 155