The Compass of Zen (Shambhala Dragon Editions)

World famous for a reason, buy it.

This is a comprehensive and yet accessible introduction to Zen practice, tradition, and teaching. Worth your time if you're a psychotherapist, yoga teacher/student, Buddhist practitioner, student of theology, clergy, or are simply curious about Zen.

Arrived quickly and condition was as described

This was assigned reading for me and I purhased it both in soft copy and Kindle. It is truly a gem. The author begins with some very basi Buddhist concepts and history and provides simple yet comprehensive comparisons of the Theravada, Mahayana, and Zen. His use of the term "Hinayana" for Theravada was difficult to get used to since the term has long been thought of as pejorative but you get the point. He progresses further into the depts of Zen practice with great skill. I am sure this will remain a treasured reference for me. Presented in a very understandable manner.

A student in a class I was teaching told me about this book. He's from Korea originally, and is part of a Zen group in, of all places, Oklahoma City.The author is a Zen master from Korea, and he writes with a direct, light-hearted style that is clear and not at all intimidating or overwhelming. I found myself very drawn to what he was offering.The book is a transcription of his many Dharma talks, so the text is sometimes a bit choppy. However, that doesn't detract from how well the book is put together. It will change the way you see the world and maybe how you live your life.

I’ve made Zen my way of life and have read dozens of book the subject, the Compass of Zen is the best intro to Zen teachings, concepts and philosophy that I have ever seen!

Having read "Dropping Ashes on the Buddha" for years and letting it sit with me for years, this book was like a key opening a door to my mind and letting in a stream of light. This is all the book you will ever need. Sure, you can study theories, stats, and philosophies for decades but in the end, zen master SS will cut to the bone and explain how simple everything is. And you will wonder why in the world you have been making it so difficult. This book covers all the angles. It gives you history, examples and the rest. But mostly, it gives you a compass to make sure that you are on the right track. After reading a chapter or three on a regular basis, you will succumb to the basic simpleness of the message and it will start to slowly dawn on you. Little by little, how simple things can really be, if you just "Don't know".

After having finished reading it, I've always felt grateful that I'd been given a chance to read this entire book.The reading part is relatively plain and easy but the meaning it conveys is deep and profound in many ways.Thank you, Master SS and Master HG.I've purchased a few of the same copies as gifts for my close family members and friends as well. :)

Few years ago i purchased and read this book, at the time it really annoyed me more that give me value for the reading and gave it away; but it was not the book the problem, it was my hectic rush rush busy 12 hours a day work pressure; a month ago came across a .pdf copy of this book and, read it again, every single word strikes a note in me; totally clear message, worth reading so much that i came here and purchased the book again; I would say , this is his best book; I also read other Zen masters, but he has a Zen way of making you see Zen.

You really don't need any other Buddhist book, for a comprehensive understanding of Buddhist teachings and purpose. This is simply the greatest "modern" explanation of Buddhism on the market. It is a treasure, a jewel. I might need to get a few more copies, because everyone who I lend it to wants to keep it. One friend said that it is their "bible." Zen Master Seung Sahn is a legend for a reason. I thought it would be hard to top his classic "Dropping Ashes on the Buddha," which I read in the late 80's -- this is not "better," because it is arranged differently, not so much as teacher-student dialogue as a kind of encyclopedia of all the different kinds of Buddhist/Zen teachings. But it definitely just explodes all of the minutiae of Buddhist teaching into granular view, and that's really helpful, in a different kind of way than "Dropping Ashes" even intended to do. Bravo!

This is one of the best book to understand the vast perspective of the various Buddhist's traditions. Starting from the origin and arriving to the modern tradition this is a real "compass" to help you not to get lost in the vast horizon of the Buddhist traditions.

Dae Soen Sa Nim has a wonderful way of teaching filled with stories some of which you would never of heard if you didn't read this book in your lifetime. I've read it at least 3 times now and I will continue to read it as long as I am interested in the Kwan Um School of Zen. What is this book about anyway!?

I would very strongly recommend this to anyone interested in buddhism. It is especially useful if you have come to buddhism through one of the other schools (e.g. Tibetan buddhism, Theraveda) and are wondering how all the different schools relate to eachother. Seung Sahn devotes large sections to Hinayana buddhism, Mahayana buddhism and demonstrates how they all point ultimately in the same direction - hence the compass.If you read this book, you should be able to use it as a compass to make sure you head in the right direction at all times and don't get sidetracked by the peculiarities of any one way of teaching.The only negative point I have about this book is the introduction (or possibly the foreword, I can't remember which at the moment); apparently written by Seung Sahn himself, it seems strangely out of character with the rest of this book and his other teachings. So I would skip the intro and jump into the book.I would also recommend his other books, and if you are particularly interested in Zen practice and teaching, then Dropping Ashes on the Buddha shows how the compass is used in practice, and is also a very fun read into the bargain.Update 10 years on:The Compass was really the last book I read on self-help, Buddhism, philosophy etc. Since then I haven't had any questions that weren't already answered. I have actually forgotten most of what is in the book, but it doesn't matter - my compass was set back then and it still points me in the right direction now.