Buddhism can be daunting to the casual Western reader—daunting in its antiquity, the strangeness and profusion of its names, and the complexity of some of its concepts . . . Red Pine eases the path to the Lankavatara Sutra with plentiful notes, explanations, and study questions, as well as his plainspoken translation. Through his work, seekers may get closer to the notions of perception and experience of perception the sutra teaches. — Library Journal

Including new translations of nine texts from the first thousand years of Zen, this collection of sacred Buddhist texts with refreshed commentary is made to be carried with you.

Dating from the middle of the second century BC to the middle of the ninth century AD, Zen Roots includes the Heart, the Diamond, and the Platform sutras, selections from the Vimalakirti and Lankavatara sutras, Bodhidharma’s Principles & Practice, Sengcan’s Trusting the Mind, Yongjia’s Song of Enlightenment, and Huangbo’s Transmission of the Mind.

These translations are accompanied by introductions and enough notes to explain what needs explaining but not so many as to get in the way. Sized for toting with you, this collection is the perfect companion for travel, to introduce to the higher elevations, or just to read in the backyard.