Primary Zen Texts

These documents are central texts on the Zen Buddhist tradition.

• Affirming Faith In Mind The Great Way is not difficult for those who do not pick and choose.
• Chao-chou's Dog A monk asked Chao-chou, “Has the dog Buddha nature or not?”
• Dictionary of Zen and Buddhist Terms
• Faith and Fellowship Let us liberate ourselves from our chains of past revenge and sore bitterness
• Four Great Vows Great Vows For All
• Fukanzazengi Universally recommended instructions for zazen
• Glossary to the Diamond Sutra A glossary of terms found in the text of the Diamond Sutra
• How to Practice One way of meditation practice is consistently cutting off random, irrelevant thoughts, thereby protecting yourself from delusions.
• How to Sit (Zazen) Sitting zazen with our eyes focused on the hard wood floor, the polish reflects the falling snow outside the window
• Index to the Diamond Sutra Chapter index to the Diamond Sutra
• Lineage from "Transmission of Light"
• Regarding Our Faith

  Concerning studying, what Bodhisattvas throughout the Three Different Times have studied together is This particular mind.

• Repentance Gatha

  Suffering is not real in its nature,
  only arising when thought arises.

• Sandōkai Grasping at phenomena is the source of delusion; uniting with the absolute falls short of awakening
• The Dance of Affinity Students come to practice Zen Buddhism with questions, basically “Why?”
• The Diamond Cutter Sutra How should men and women who set out on the Bodhisattva Path progress, and how should they control their thoughts?
• The Four Noble Truths Life is suffering
• The Heart of the Prajna Paramita Sutra The title of The Heart Sutra appears to refer to the use of perfect wisdom (prajnaparamita) to cleanse error from the heart (hridaya).
• The Heart Sutra in Buddhist Sanskrit The title of The Heart Sutra appears to refer to the use of perfect wisdom (prajnaparamita) to cleanse error from the heart (hridaya).
• The Sound of One Hand What is the Sound of the Single Hand?
• Thousand Hands Sutra We bow to the great bodhisattva of compassion who hears the suffering sounds of the world
• Torei Zenji: Bodhisattva's Vow I am only a simple disciple, but I offer these respectful words…
• True Prayer: Why We Bow and Chant

  While everyone prays without rest,
  Standing or sitting, it’s always together.
  If you don’t believe this; watch it carefully!
  What is talking now all this time?

• Venerable Master Kyung-Ho's Inspirational Talk It is no small thing for a man to become a Bhiku. A man does not become a Bhiku to eat and dress well. Rather, he wants to be free from life and death by accomplishing Buddhahood