The Iron Flute; 100 Zen Koans

A timeless collection of Zen Buddhist koans by the author of Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, with interpretations by three Zen masters

Koans are the metaphorical narratives and intellectually unsolvable problem-riddles that verbalize fundamental Zen views on life and no-life, the nature of the self, and the relationship of the self to the world. Though widely recognized (“What is the sound of one hand clapping?”) most koans remain narrowly understood. These stories and sayings act as teaching tools for true insight and are presented as brief vignettes or a dialogue between a Zen master and his disciple.

In this audiobook edition of The Iron Flute, a comprehensive collection of the most important koans in Zen Buddhism is presented with insights from three Zen masters. The commentary offers profound guidance on the riddles of the koans and their larger application in everyday life. The tranquility of the program provides the perfect setting for a meditative appreciation of the koans. The audio format enhances the teachings by reaching the essence of Zen in a way a non-spoken presentation cannot.

The Iron Flute stands alone as the definitive work on koans. In it, Nyogen Senzaki, who was raised in a Tendai Buddhist monastery and was a student of the great Zen master Soen Shoku, has provided an essential pathway to the tenets and practice of Zen.

Nyogen Senzaki was one of the first Zen masters to come to the United States from Japan. He has authored the Zen classics Like a Dream, Like a Fantasy, Buddhism and Zen (co-authored with Ruth McCandless), and the bestselling Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.

Ruth Strout McCandless was a student of Senzaki and his collaborator in translating a series of Buddhist texts over many years.