The Zen Teaching of Huang Po

On the Transmission of Mind

By: John Blofeld, P'ei Hsiu

Narrated by: Jim Wentland

This historical text from the direct teaching of the Zen master, Huang Po, allows the Western listener to gain an understanding of Zen from the original source, one of the key works in its teachings. It also offers deepening and often startling insights into the rich treasures of Eastern thought. On the Transmission of Mind.

©2021 Majestic (P)2021 Majestic

Great with reservations!

This book is a zen treasure for which I am very grateful to have as an audiobook. However, I have to mention 2 large issues that I’m really surprised the audio publishers allowed.

First, the poor pronunciation of Asian names and terms (also mentioned by another reviewer). Really?? No one checked on how to pronounce some of these before doing the recording? Groan!

Second, in the reading there is no break or identifier to tell you when the translator has inserted a footnote to explain or clarify a point. Like saying “Note” before reading a footnote would have been good. The narrator (who I don’t blame if he wasn’t told differently) goes from text to footnote with no heads-up, repeatedly. At one point, the Gospel of John is mentioned (in the translator’s footnote), but it sounds like Master Huang Po is quoting the Gospel!

Still grateful to have this, just wish the production values had been a bit higher.

Butchering of all non-English words.

The abysmal pronunciation of almost all the Chinese and Sanskrit words are hard to get past. This is a fine narrator who needs to not attempt things that aren’t in English.

absolutely incredible book.

great book. the reader was very distracting with the way it was read. odd inflections took away from the material landing.

Not for me

I find a lot of valuable insights in various books from various branches of Buddhism but to me this felt more pretentious and denigrating than logical. This is too extreme down a specific viewpoint for me to value. Everyone learns differently. For another, they may love this, but to me it is seemingly heartless and declarative rather than self-evident and applicable. To each their own! If this is Zen, then Zen is not skillful means for me!