xiv, 200 pages : 24 cm; Surveying mountain landscapes --Contesting with irregular rivals --Encountering supernatural forces --Wielding symbols of authority and transmission --Confessional experiences.; "With the growing popularity of Zen Buddhism in the West, virtually everyone knows, or thinks they know, what a koan is: a brief and baffling question or statement that cannot be solved by the logical mind and which, after sustained concentration, can lead to sudden enlightenment. But the truth about koans is both simpler - and more complicated - than this." "In Opening a Mountain, Steven Heine shows that koans, and the questions we associate with them - such as "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" - are embedded in larger narratives and belong to an ancient Buddhist tradition of "encounter dialogues"." "Offering a fresh approach to one of the most crucial elements of Zen Buddhism, Opening a Mountain is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the full story behind koans and the mysterious worlds they come from."--BOOK JACKET.; 

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