Towards Wholeness: Translations and Commentaries

The Venerable Myokyo-ni wrote several books that describe Zen practice in an accessible and clear-minded way. She stressed that Zen was part of Buddhism, as all schools were true to the same core principles: “Many schools; one way.” Before her travels to Japan, she had undergone Jungian analysis, and spoke of Buddhist practice as a way of transforming the psyche and bending the heart towards compassion and wholeness. Towards Wholeness collects nineteen essays by Venerable Myokyo-ni which explore her thoughts on Zen Buddhism and its place in daily life. It includes her well-known analysis of the Bull-Herding Series, as well as pieces on Jung, meditation, Zen practice and study. Essays such as The Quest for Wholeness, The Need for Transformation and Going Beyond provide further examples of Myokyo-ni’s incisive and insightful thinking, always rigorous but often deeply compassionate.