Popular collections like the Gateless Gate or Blue Cliff Records have accumulated pointers, verses, puctuating phrases, and reams of commentary. This collection lays the cases bare, and points to the heart of the exchange in plain language. This is a valuable book for Zen practitioners of any tradition.

In a Zen monastery, a designated week of intensive practice (Sesshin) can be unswervingly intimidating. The monks dread the long disciplined hours sitting and the seemingly relentless interviews with the Zen Master. Knowing the sorry state of affairs of the Buddhist practice in the surrounding temples, Hakuin decided to shoot for the moon. He wanted his students to tackle the most exhalted collection of koans, The Record of Kido Chigu. But before he could approach such lofty ideals, the monks needed to be inspired to seek such high standards of themselves. Hakuin gave the lectures included in this book in an informal manner, without all the bows and drums of a formal lecture. I can almost picture a roomful of baldheaded young men crowded around the tall chair of their master. Hakuin is leaning over the monks at his feet, spilling his heart, gently gesturing to make his points clear. This is what he was saying.

This book takes on the inner workings of Bodhisattvas, and helps us find them inside ourselves. Indeed, it is through the outer workings, that you can truly know the inner intent. By exploring seven prominent Bodhisattvas, you and I can find leadership by examples. All we have to do is find our own strengths and work without thinking of ourselves. Trying to be a Bodhisattva is vanity, it is something that you should naturally uncover through practice.

Looking around in today’s world for the kind of example the Buddha’s disciples had is fruitless. Despite this, Taigen Daniel Leighton pulls into focus the aspects of Bodhisattvahood inherent in us all, and shows type specific examples for us to model. The selections from our lifetime create recognizable patterns that we can emulate. Complete with seven examples and tons of orientation material, this selection is a great way to dig a little deeper into the Buddhist paramita practice.

For a collection of direction finders, this short book blows the dust off of the old fashioned collections. Draped in American garb, these pointers resonate with the clarity and honesty of the traditional koan rocords. Getting into American heads is difficult enough, I am glad there is now some more direction.

The book covers much more history and context than actual Gospel, but that is expected because the book of Thomas is short and lacks narrative. The Gospel of Thomas is the equivalent of the Jesus Roku. The sayings and doings of Jesus strike a Buddhist mind in an oddly familiar way. He is stressing that his followers must do more than listen and understand. It must be practiced, not memorized. It can be lived, not just admired and worshipped. You can be as Jesus is.

As controversial and heretical as that sounds, I don’t disagree. In Christian terminology, we are all born in Gods’ image, but it took the example of Jesus to shake us back to that realization. In Thomas’s followers estimation, Jesus was not special. He was flesh and blood like everyone else, but saw how to manifest God’s grace personally. Heaven and Hell are right here when they are seen to be products of mind and are transcended.