What is this? Ancient questions for modern minds presents talks given by Martine and Stephen Batchelor during a Son (Chan/Zen) retreat in England in 2016.
Leading us through the practice of radical questioning at the heart of this Korean Buddhist tradition, the authors show how anyone at all can benefit from this form of radical inquiry today.
These talks demonstrate clearly how a practice with origins in China a thousand years ago can meld with insights from the natural sciences, classical and modern western philosophy, Romantic poetry, and early Buddhism.
The reader can use this book as a companion in facing the challenge of living a fully human life in our complex contemporary world, or as a practice manual, or both.
Preface xi
Entering the retreat 1
The basis of meditation 7
Questioning and responding 17
What is this? 33
The three symbols of awakening 41
Effortless effort 53
Good snowflakes: they don’t fall anywhere else 63
I don’t know 77
Emptiness 87
Courage and questioning 101
The four great vows 109
Waiting and listening 125
The path of compassion 135
Practice in daily life 151
Notes 156
References 158
About Gaia House 161
About Tuwhiri 162