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With a Foreword by John McRae, this volume represents a newly revised and greatly expanded edition of Heinrich Dumoulin’s acclaimed history of Zen Buddhism which was first published over 30 years ago. It has been updated to take into account the wealth of historical research that has gone on in the intervening years, insuring its place as a standard reference work in the field. This volume treats Zen from its roots in ancient Indian Buddhism and Yoga to its flowering in China under the influence of Taoism and Confucian thought. Dumoulin not only introduces the imposing personalities of Zen Buddhism, among them Shakyamuni, Hui-neng, and Lin-chi, but also discusses the various expressions of Zen in the art and culture of India and China.
The luminous heart of Zen, “not founded on words and letters”, shines through these pages, and Dumoulin never fails to remind us of those core religious ideas which transcend history and shape the life of the spirit.
About the Author(s)
Heinrich Dumoulin
Born in 1905, Heinrich Dumoulin was one of the world's foremost Zen scholars. Works previously translated into English include Buddhism in the Modern World, Zen Enlightenment, Zen Buddhism: A History; Volume 1 India and China and Zen Buddhism: A History; Volume 2 Japan.Father Dumoulin is the author of Zen Buddhism: A History; Volume 1 India and China and Zen Buddhism: A History; Volume 2 Japan.
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John R. McRae
John R. McRae is a Professor of East Asian Buddhism and the author of Seeing Through Zen and The Northern School and the Formation of Early Ch'an Buddhism (Studies in East Asian Buddhism, No 3). He has taught at both Indiana and Cornell Universities, and is currently a lecturer at Komazawa University in Tokyo. Professor McRae wrote the introduction for Zen Buddhism: A History; India and China Volume I.
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Reviews
- Zen Buddhism: A History India And China is a new edition of volume 1 of the classic two- volume history by Heinrich Dumoulin (1905-1995), one of the world’s most renowned Zen scholars. Covering the emergence of Zen through India and China, the new edition also includes additional notes by James W. Heisig of the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture; a new introduction by John R. McRae of Indiana University exploring recent developments in the study of Zen; and the complete original text. An excellent, thoroughly researched, in-depth history especially recommended for advanced students and scholars of Buddhism and religious history.
Bookwatch
- The publication of these books set a landmark in the study of the history of Zen Buddhism…It is the consummation of the life-long work of one of the world’s leading scholars of Zen Buddhism.
Tadanori Yamashita, The Journal of Asian Studies
- Heinrich Dumoulin, the foremost exponent of the history of Zen Buddhism to the West, wrote his first history of Zen in German in 1959. Despite the flood of research on Zen Buddhism, it is clear that only the barest outlines have been revealed. It is evident that the task of writing a comprehensive history of Zen through the ages is Herculean.No major library or Student of Zen History can afford to be without these volumes, for they are a product of immense scholarship, summing up much of the mountain of Studies of Zen. Dumoulin’s volumes will provide initial guidance for many researchers in the future and will no doubt be seen as one of the pioneering classic in English in the field.
Japanese Journal of Religious Studies
- This scholarly tome gives a thorough account of the rise and development of Zen Buddhism in India and China. This erudite and meticulous account by Heinrich Dumoulin is not for the faint hearted! It is, however, an excellent work of scholarship, and indispensible for anyone wishing to develop their knowledge of Zen history.
AboutBuddhism.com
- …a necessary addition to any library and will certainly replace its earlier edition as the standard work in the field.
Choice
- Dumoulin’s work (Zen Buddhism: A History) chronicles the history of Zen from its origins in India, its further development and dissemination throughout China, and finally, and most extensively, to its roots and expansion in Japan.
Ian Patton, The Edmonton Buddhist Priory
