.So begins "Trust in Mind," the beloved poem that has again and again welcomed generations to their practice of Zen Buddhism. Traditionally attributed to the third Chinese ancestor of Zen (Sencan, d. 606), it is often considered the first historical "Zen" document and remains an anchor of Zen Buddhist practice to this day.

Here, scholar and commentator Mu Soeng explores the poem's importance and impact in three sections: The Dharma of Trust in Mind, The Tao of Trust in Mind, and The Chan of Trust in Mind. Finally, a brilliant line-by-line commentary brings the elements of this ancient work completely to life for the modern reader.

Trust in Mind is the first book of its kind, looking at this very important Zen text from historical and cultural contexts, as well as from the practitioner's point of view. It is sure to interest readers of Mu Soeng and his fellow Buddhist contemporaries, as well as those with an interest in meditation and Eastern religions - most especially Zen practitioners, academics, philosophers, and scholars of Mind.

Praise & Reviews "Whenever I picked up this book to resume reading, I felt a little happier, a little freer, to be in the author's company. Here is a book in which a friend tells us how the beauty of words and the beauty beyond words rise up in him."—Paul Fleischman, MD "Trust in Mind is a wise and incisive investigation of a Zen text that has inspired Dharma students for over fifteen hundred years. It is a book that extends the boundaries of our understanding, regardless of the particular spiritual tradtion we practice. Mu Soeng is that rare author who unites sophisticated scholarship with the depth of his own meditative experience. This work is worthy of a careful read."—Joseph Goldstein, author of One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism "In Buddhadharma our realization is not just the fruit of study and understanding of the teachings; we bring these teachings to life with the practice of meditation. Mu Soeng, unique in being gifted and dedicated as both a scholar and practitioner, does a masterful job delivering such wisdom to us. His look at this renowned Zen text clearly merits study for meditators of all Buddhist schools. A beautiful text for inspiration and guidance for all practitioners."—Larry Rosenberg, founder of Cambridge Insight Meditation Center, and author of Breath by Breath "Mu Soeng's elegant commentary seamlessly marries the precision of the scholar with the heart of the practitioner. In his hands, the poem comes alive with meaning, addressing a challenging with which we all wrestle: how to live at ease in this complex and difficult world. This book will be a comfort and a refuge to many; it has already joined other spiritual classics as a permanent resident of my reading table."—Stephen Cope, author of "Yoga and the Quest for the True Self "In TRUST IN MIND, Mu Soeng provides a commentary on the poems 'Trust in Mind', attributed to the Zen ancestor, Sengcan. The first few of the poem's 146 lines are unforgettable: 'The Great Way is not difficult / for those who have no preferences. / When love and hate are both absent / everything becomes clear and undisguised. / Make the smallest distinction, however / and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.' Sengcan's arresting poem provides a springboard for Mu Soeng to introduce the basics of Buddhism and Taoism. An appendix juxtaposes ten different translations of the poem, allowing the reader to gain a sense of its various renderings into English."—Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly "Mu Soeng explores the philosophical and historical importance of the great sixth-century dharma poem 'Trust in Mind,' which expresses both the convergence of Taoism and Buddhism and the resulting Chinese Buddhist school of Ch'an, commonly known as Zen. Along with his own astute commentary, Mu Soeng offers us a number of different translations of the poem side by side. Both a mind training and a lesson in Buddhist history, TRUST IN MIND reveals the beauty and profundity of a dharma masterpiece."—Inquiring Mind "Words fail! This is an absolutely stunning work. I couldn't help but share a good bit of the poem [on which the book is focused] with my listeners, along with the highest recommendation."—Tim Smith, host of Megapolitan, WUSB 90.1 FM, Stony Brook NY.

Mu Soeng, Author Mu Soeng, a former Zen monk and teacher, is the scholar-in-residence at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He is the author of many books on Buddhism, including Trust in Mind and The Diamond Sutra. He lives in Barre, Massachusetts. Jan Chozen Bays, Foreword Jan Chozen Bays is the abbess of Great Vow Zen Monastery, and the author of Jizo Bodhisattva.