The Method of No-method: The Chan Practice of Silent Illumination

Here is a spiritual practice that is simple enough for anyone to learn, yet rich enough to be worked with for a lifetime. The traditional Chan (Chinese Zen) practice called Silent Illumination begins with simply putting aside all thoughts except the awareness of oneself ‘just sitting’. The practice is so simple in execution that it has sometimes been called the ‘method of no-method’, yet to master it, the practitioner must first grasp the method in order to learn how to let go of it. When fully penetrated, this radical form of emptying one’s busy mind-stream leads to perception of the vast ocean of pure awareness.Silent Illumination is closely related to the Japanese Zen practice called shikantaza, and Master Sheng Yen’s teachings on it will be of great value to Zen students as well as to Buddhist practitioners of all the traditions. The book, based on talks the author gave during retreats, begins with instruction in Silent Illumination practice with detailed discussion of method, approach, and how to deal with difficulties that arise. Master Sheng Yen then proceeds to provide commentary on a well known Chan text that illuminates the practice and the philosophy behind it.