Cultivating the Empty Field: The Silent Illumination of Zen Master Hongzhi

Cultivating the Empty Field is a modern translation of the core of Chinese Ch'an master Hongzhi's Extensive Record.

First to articulate the meditation method known to contemporary Zen practitioners as shikantaza ("just sitting") Chinese Zen master Hongzhi is one of the most influential poets in all of Zen literature. This translation of Hongzhi's poetry, the only such volume available in English, treats readers to his profound wisdom and beautiful literary gift. In addition to dozens of Hongshi's religious poems, translator Daniel Leighton offers an extended introduction, placing the master's work in its historical context, as well as lineage charts and other information about the Chinese influence on Japanese Soto Zen.

Both spiritual literature and meditation instruction, Cultivating the Empty Field is sure to inspire and delight.

• Being-Time: A Practitioner's Guide to Dogen's Shobogenzo Uji
• The Method of No-Method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination
• The Mountains and Waters Sutra: A Practitioner's Guide to Dogen's "Sansuikyo"
• Realizing Genjokoan: The Key to Dogen's Shobogenzo
• Just This Is It: Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness
• Hsin-Hsin Ming: Verses on the Faith-Mind
• Moon In a Dewdrop: Writings of Zen Master Dogen
• The Zen Teaching of Huang Po: On the Transmission of Mind
• The Light That Shines through Infinity: Zen and the Energy of Life
• The Awakening Body: Somatic Meditation for Discovering Our Deepest Life