A Zen Life of Bodhisattvas

"""Charmingly written. Reflecting on both traditional Bodhisattvas (such as Kannon) and non-traditional Bodhisattvas (like Bob Dylan or a couple of used car salesmen), Rafe challenges us to recognize the Bodhisattvas in our lives and our call to function as Bodhisattvas in the lives of others. A delight to read."" Rick McDaniel, author of Zen Conversations and Further Zen Conversations ""With stories, and exposition, and more stories, Rafe Martin guides us into the Bodhisattva way. He brings ancient dreams into our moment and our actual lives. I found myself pulled and invited into a place where the ancient worthies were revealed as my constant companions, and their stories the stories of my heart. This is a wonderful book and a worthy companion to A Zen Life of Buddha. It's a very, very good book, everyone! Buy a copy."" James Ishmael Ford Roshi, author of Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons ""An essential companion book to A Zen Life of Buddha, Rafe Martin's A Zen Life of Bodhisattvas fills a crucial gap in Buddhist teachings. It belongs, along with A Zen Life of Buddha, in everyone's library, to be read and inspired by over and over again!"" Mitra Bishop, Roshi, author of Deepening Zen: the Long Maturation ""With consummate skill, Rafe Martin makes the extraordinary ordinary, bringing the most unfathomably exalted beings into an everyday life of wisdom and compassion. A beautiful book that goes hand-in-hand with A Zen Life of Buddha."" Sunyana Graef Roshi, founding teacher and Abbot, Vermont Zen Center ""With contemporary language and deep experience Roshi Martin brings to life The Bodhisattva Vow, as it relates to present day practitioners of Buddhism."" Taigen Henderson Roshi, Abbot, Zen Centre of Toronto ""Rafe Martin illuminates the contexts and wisdom of old Buddhist stories in his new and wonderful book about Bodhisattvas."" Katherine Ratliffe, Zen teacher and Dharma Guide, Honolulu Diamond Sangha ""This book is a wonderful exploration of the powerful bodhisattva archetypes that can serve as templates and inspiration for our own practice. Rafe Martin has crafted an important book that is both profound and engrossingly readable."" Berry Crawford, Simplicity Zen ""Rafe Martin's writing is wonderful-marvelously clear and expressive. For me, most important of all is Rafe's emphasis on enlightenment as intimacy. This clear emphasis seems to me both unusual and important. I recommend this book unreservedly."" Stephen Slottow, author of The Americanization of Zen Chanting ""This lovely book by Rafe Martin is a guide to the pantheon of bodhisattvas, those great beings who are dedicated to the liberation of all beings and who tirelessly work among us to awaken our own wisdom and compassion. With Martin as our guide, you'll see how the path of Zen allows us to find and manifest, in ever more subtle and unselfconscious ways, the thousand helping hands of Avalokitesvara."" Hoag Holmgren, author of No Better Place: A New Zen Primer ""Rafe Martin's A Zen Life of Bodhisattvas, the companion volume to his A Zen Life of Buddha, is a wonderful book which I highly recommend."" Jay Rinsen Weik Roshi, Abbot, Zen Temple of Toledo. ""As an old dharma enthusiast, who was first inspired by Roshi Kapleau more than half a century ago, my heart and mind were touched and cheered by A Zen Life of Bodhisattvas. I immediately ordered 10 copies for our residents here at Great Vow Zen Monastery to read."" Hogen Bays Roshi, Co-Abbot Great Vow Zen Monastery"