ABOUT THE BOOK:
Zen Buddhism reveals the inner most dimension of our being and existence. The real being is Buddha–nature (Bodhi-Chitta). It is a Satori. Satori is pathless. The quantum question which was raised by Socrates in 3rd century B.C. in form of Know Thy Self is being repeated again today by Nobel laureate scientists like Einstein, Heisenberg, Erwin Schrodinger and other in all most in the same linguistic and philosophical form “what we are”. “Where from we have come”. This is the question.
Zen’s answer this quantum question is “We are all awakened being” “We are all Buddhas”. All the mystical schools and traditions have revealed this truth by their seers and saints. God of mysticism is not a person, it is a principle. God is a myth and metaphor.
Zen Buddhism is a mysticism. It is an esoteric technique to rid the man from the snares of false subjectivities and to take him to the enlightenment (Satori). Zen is not a philosophy. It is not a religion. It is a spirituality. It is a pathless path. Zen is a song of silence. Zen is a happy and harmonious blending of science and spirituality.
This edition of Zen Buddhism has been revised and I have added a new chapter as Prologue.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Prof. Lalan Prasad Singh sspent about two decades as a mendicant in search of truth and salvation. He was awarded D. Litt. Degree from Ranchi University, Ranchi in 1972. He retired as a professor of Philosophy from Magadh University, Bodh Gaya in January 1996 and in February of the same year he became Senior Fellow of the Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Government of India for three years. In 2000 A.D. Professor Singh was awarded Fellowship of Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla for three years. He became a visiting Research Professor in 2004 at the Catholic University of America, Washington D.C. He was also awarded Indo-French Cultural Fellowship in 1994. During his sojourn at Paris, he delivered lectures at the Department of Philosophy, Soubourn University IV, Paris. He also addressed the students and staff members of Nihon and Toyo University, Tokyo in 2006. He delivered a special lecture at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Thailand in 2013. He presented several papers at the National and International Conferences and Seminars such World Philosophical Congress 1975, International Congress of Orientalists, Mexico City 1976, First Sanskrit Symposia, Mexico City 1982, World Sanskrit Congress, Lieden, Holland, International Conferences at East China Normal University, Shanghai, Xiaotong University, Xi'an in December 2013. He also presented papers at the School of the Social Sciences and the Humanities, East China Normal University and at the School of Social Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China in 2014. He chaired many International sessions. Twenty one Research Scholars worked under his supervision and were awarded Ph.D. degrees. He has written many books of high academic value, published several papers at the National and International proceedings and Journals of high academic repute. Prof. Singh is a distinguished professor of philosophy and a social activist.
B.M. Sirisena is a great Buddhist scholar and dedicated monk. His religious name is Ven. Dhammika. He did his Ph.D. from Magadh University, Bodh-Gaya under Professor L.P. Singh. He became an english teacher in Japan. |
