Original Nature

About the Book

Original Nature is the historic translation and commentary on the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Zen by America's first Zen Master, Sokei-an Sasaki (1882-1945). Finally available, 75 years after its completion, Sokei-an considered the Sixth Patriach's message an essential foundation for the transmission of Zen to America

"I think the Sixth Patriarch never dreamed that his record... would be explained to Westerners in New York... I feel that I am in a valley between huge mountains, and that the ancient simple minded woodcutters, fisherman, monks and nuns who are living in the mountains have come to the place where they always make their gatherings, and that I am one of them now..."

About the Author

Here for the first time, on it’s seventy-fifth anniversary is Original Nature, the historic Translation and Commentary on the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Zen by America’s first Zen Master, Sokei-an Sasaki. He considered its message an essential foundation for the transmission of Zen to America. NY Post Jan 11, 1938 “I think the Sixth Patriarch never dreamed that his record, and especially this chapter, would be explained to Westerners in New York. Reading this chapter, I feel that I am in a valley between huge mountains, and that the ancient simple-minded woodcutters, fisherman, monk and nuns who are living in the mountains have come to the place where they always make their gatherings, and that I am one of them now reading this chapter.” Sokei-an New York City, 1935