by Frank Bryce McCluskey (Author)
Hakuin's Song in Praise of Zazen was composed hundreds of year ago. It is chanted in Zen temples all over the world. In 35 lines and 295 words, this chant contains all of the wisdom and paradoxes of Buddhism. Hakuin believed that we are all already Buddhas and we are already in Nirvana, only we don't know it. Hakuin says we are like a child of rich birth wandering poor on this earth. The chant tells us the reasons why we do not experience Nirvana and shows us that path that leads us to insight. This work is written so that both beginners and experienced practitioners may benefit from it. This monograph examines the history, use and structure of the chant. The author has spent more than half a century studying Buddhist texts and this work is the fruit of his work.