{"product_id":"the-circle-of-the-way-isbn-9781611805789","title":"The Circle of the Way","description":"\u003cb\u003eA comprehensive, accessible guide to the fascinating history of Zen Buddhism--including important figures, schools, foundational texts, practices, and politics.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eZen Buddhism has a storied history--Bodhidharma sitting in meditation in a cave for nine years; a would-be disciple cutting off his own arm to get the master's attention; the proliferating schools and intense Dharma combat of the Tang and Song Dynasties; Zen nuns and laypeople holding their own against patriarchal lineages; the appearance of new masters in the Zen schools of Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and later the Western world. In \u003ci\u003eThe Circle of the Way\u003c\/i\u003e, Zen practitioner and popular religion writer Barbara O'Brien brings clarity to this huge swath of history by charting a middle way between Zen's traditional lore and the findings of modern historical scholarship. In a clear and often funny style, O'Brien parses fact from fiction while always attending to the greatest interest of contemporary practitioners--the development of Zen doctrine and practice as a living tradition across cultures and centuries.“A comprehensive history of Zen Buddhism written by and for Zen practitioners in an inviting, accessible style. It features many of the classic, sometimes hilarious stories that make the Zen tradition so rich.”—Dale S. Wright, author of \u003ci\u003eWhat Is Buddhist Enlightenment?\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePhilosophical Meditations on Zen Buddhism\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003eand co-editor of a series of five books on Zen history\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Whenever I want a succinct, trustworthy, well-researched exploration of a Buddhist topic, I go to Barbara O’Brien’s work. In this wonderful offering, we receive a much-needed history of how Zen came to be what it is today. In her deft way, O’Brien balances traditional narratives with historical scholarship, telling a story that one trusts immediately to be thoroughgoing. \u003ci\u003eThe Circle of the Way \u003c\/i\u003eis another example of O’Brien’s great gift for synthesis and scholarship, and a tremendous gift to everyone interested in the Zen way.”—Bonnie Myotai Treace, founding teacher at Hermitage Heart Zen and author of \u003ci\u003eWinter Moon: A Season of Zen Teachings\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Barbara O’Brien’s wide-ranging account of Zen history is conveyed with a master storyteller’s ability to keep the forest from getting lost in a myriad of trees. Wearing her scholarship lightly, she blends just the right amount of skepticism about her hagiographic sources with a deep appreciation for the Dharma.”—Barry Magid, author of \u003ci\u003eNothing Is Hidden \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eEnding the Pursuit of Happiness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003eThe Circle of the Way\u003c\/i\u003e is a wonderful addition to a Zen library. This book manages to educate without lecturing, to address controversy without attack, and to cover an old topic in a refreshing and humorous way. An amazingly clear explanation of what parts of the history have previously been accepted but should be questioned, as well as those that have now been verified.”—Grace Schireson, author of \u003ci\u003eZen Women \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eNaked in the Zendo\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “Finally! A clear and concise introduction to Zen Buddhism.\u003ci\u003e The Circle of the Way\u003c\/i\u003e fills a long-standing need for a simple, straightforward explanation of where Zen comes from, what the foundational teachings are, and how they coalesce as a school of Buddhism. O’Brien loves the subject but never lets it take itself so seriously as to miss the lively mix of Zen’s internal contradictions and its profound teachings. This is a wonderful book.”—James Ishmael Ford, author of \u003ci\u003eIntroduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons\u003c\/i\u003eBARBARA O'BRIEN has been practicing Zen Buddhism since the 1980s. She works as a journalist, reporting primarily on religion in America. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eRethinking Religion: Finding a Place for Religion in a Modern, Tolerant, Progressive, Peaceful and Science-affirming World\u003c\/i\u003e and has written about Buddhism for many outlets including About.com, \u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTricycle\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eLion's Roar\u003c\/i\u003e. She blogs about whatever is on her mind at her personal blog, \u003ci\u003eThe Mahablog\u003c\/i\u003e (mahablog.com).","brand":"Shambhala","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46303438438629,"sku":"NP9781611805789","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781611805789.jpg?v=1767738695","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-circle-of-the-way-isbn-9781611805789","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}