The Method of No-Method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination

Here is a spiritual practice uncomplicated enough for anyone to learn, yet rich enough to be worked with for a lifetime. The traditional Chan (Chinese Zen) practice called Silent Illumination begins with nothing more than putting aside all thoughts except the awareness of oneself "just sitting." It's so simple in execution that it has sometimes been called the "method of no-method"--yet simple as it is, the practice is subtle and profound, with the potential for ever subtler refinements as the practitioner moves toward mastery of it. When fully penetrated, this radical form of emptying one's busy mind-stream leads to perception of the vast ocean of pure awareness.

Author: Sheng Yen
Publisher: Shambhala
Published: 11/11/2008
Pages: 152
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.48lbs
Size: 8.34h x 5.50w x 0.52d
ISBN13: 9781590305751
ISBN10: 1590305752
BISAC Categories:
- Religion | Buddhism | General (see also Philosophy | Buddhist)

About the Author

Chan Master Sheng Yen (1930-2009) was a widely respected Taiwanese Chan (Chinese Zen) master who taught extensively in the West during the last thirty-one y ears of his life, with twenty-one centers throughout North America, as well as dozens of others throughout the world. He has co-led retreats with the Dalai Lama, and he is the author of numerous books in Chinese and English, including Song of Mind, The Method of No-Method, and his autobiography, Footprints in the Snow.