Zen Heaven and Hell: A Contemplative Anthology

By Tai Sheridan

Zen Heaven and Hell is a contemplative anthology of ancient Buddhist teachings. Celestial Sutras contains four Buddhist sutras transformed into accessible modern images. Buddha Speaks transforms the Dhammapada, the 423 sayings of Buddha, into twenty-five sections and presents them in easy-to-understand terms. Zen Heaven and Hell

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tai Sheridan
• Release date: Jan 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798989900220

Tai Sheridan

Zen Contemplative and fiction writer Tai Sheridan's books transform Zen Meditation and Buddhist Philosophy into practical wisdom. His poetic style and street language encourage spiritual inquiry and awakening. Tai's teachings shed light on the Buddha you are.Tai Sheridan was born in 1948 and raised in Southern California. He attended U.C. Berkeley in the sixties, earning a degree in Anthropology and a life based on counter-culture values. A doctorate in Professional Psychology led to careers as a therapist and organizational consultant. He also raised four children in the San Fransisco Bay area.Tai practiced Zen for fifty years with the Berkeley, San Francisco, and Dharma Eye Zen Centers. After his ordination, he pursued the path of a teacher-writer. He authored The Buddha in Blue Jeans series based on his Zen experience, and he also transformed Buddhist classics into contemplative poetry.Tai's home studio in Port Townsend looks out at Whidbey Island and the Cascades. He enjoys walking beaches, writing fiction, and sitting quietly at dawn.

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Introduction

The concept of Heaven and Hell, along with everything between them, refers to Buddhism's six realms and stages of consciousness. This is depicted as a Wheel of Life Mandala in Buddhist iconography. Tibetan monks use Wheel of Life Mandala scrolls to teach Buddhism, while Zen incorporates the mandala into its teachings and discussions. The content of the mandala represents the core of Buddhist enlightenment and wisdom.

The Sutras are the teachings of Buddha, but they can be lengthy and written in an outdated style. They are often recited as prayers and chants in a shortened version. In my book, Celestial Sutras, I have rephrased them into modern language to make them easier to understand. The teachings revolve around having a unified mind and a compassionate heart.

The Dhammapada is a text that dates back to ancient times and contains the teachings of Buddha. In my book Buddha Speaks, I have logically categorized its 423 aphorisms to make them easier to understand. I have also removed outdated beliefs, assumptions, and language while attempting to preserve the original meanings as much as possible. By using modern language, I hope to have enhanced the readability of the text.

The purpose of these three books is to make ancient wisdom and meanings easily understandable to readers. Buddha encouraged his teachers to use the language commonly understood by the people rather than the high church Sanskrit that was dominant during his time. I hope my translations have successfully conveyed these teachings to a wider audience.

Tai Sheridan

Port Townsend

2024

Celestial Sutras

The Heart of Zen

by Tai Sheridan

Dedication

To the rhythm and beat of things

Nor do I hear in my imagination the parts successively, I hear them all at once. What a delight this is! All this inventing, this producing, takes place in a pleasing, lively dream.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Introduction

The Buddhist sutras are lengthy discourses attributed to the Buddha. The chants condense their wisdom. They journey through the mountains and valleys of human experience: living and dying, love and loss, anguish and peace.

The Lotus Sutra is about the compassionate Bodhisattva path.

The Diamond Sutra is a short and dense treatise on non-dual wisdom.

The Heart Wisdom Sutra expresses the balance of form and