Zen Master Joshu (778-897)was one of the foremost Chinese Zen Masters of Ancient China. Many of some of the best known koans today originated with Zen Master Joshu (including: "Does a dog have Buddha nature?"). His importance as a teacher can be measured by just how many of his sayings are contained within very important Zen koan books. Five of the koans contained within the Gateless Gate are Joshu's, as well as twelve of the some 100 are his within The Blue Cliff Record. Even though Joshu's life seems to be the "embodiement of the Zen ideal", it was his actual ability to express the nature of an enlightened mind in a pithy and succint fashion-that is what truly made his teachings so influential. His sayings have been preserved in the Zen literature as timeless and potent as expressions of the actual experience of enlightenment. If you are interested on reading some of Zen Master Joshu's sayings more extensivelly, purchase The Recorder Sayings of Zen Master Joshu translated and Introduced by James Green. Always in stock at Amazon.com!
