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Cleary's version of the Blue Cliff Record (Chin. Pi Yen Lu. J. Hekiganroku)is the only translation giving the whole text, so it was surprising to find no review for it in the Amazon.com files. But then, the Blue Cliff Record' - undoubtedly the most sophisticated collection of Zen 'koan' (chin. kung-an) material, could hardly be reviewed in the linear sense at all, as one might approach ordinary literature. Those for whom such texts matter most in the West - viz. Buddhists using such material as part of their training, would hasten to add that minus Zen practice, the Blue Cliff Record is as good as a 'closed book.' Casual readers may find a certain itchy fascination in these pithy Zen sayings, but a true appreciation of them presupposes something akin to Zen practice. At any rate, to discover anything of value in this book, depends on what you bring to it. To take that position is not necessarily Zen 'snobbery.' That was how the authors of the Blue Cliff Record intended it to be 'savoured' - whether by monks or lay-Buddhists.
To peruse the contents of this text is more like picking at an onion, than surveying a flat surface, exploring several layers of meaning. Hence, it is at once simple - and complex, insofar as each of its individual cases (100 in all), with verses, commentaries etc., and meta-commentaries - are convoluted and inter-linked. What eventually became the 'Blue Cliff Record' had began life as Master Hsueh-t'ou's verses and comments. Yuan-wu, an eminent Sung master, eventually added introductory comments, verses and verse comments of his own. It is probably true to say that there is nothing else quite like it - in the rest of the world's literature.
Suzuki presented individual cases as a kind of 'taster.' As a pioneer, Shaw (1961) was daunted by the prospect of translating every layer of the text. Sekida's rendering (1971), presented along with the Mumonkan (Chin. Wu Men Kuan) omitted the final layer of verse/commentary, probably for fear of overwhelming the reader. Cleary has given us the complete text, with some fascinating supplementary material besides. This was a monumental achievement, which will probably remain the definitive version of this classic Zen text, for many long years to come.
It seems a vain undertaking, to try and summarise the Blue Cliff Record - in a book review. If you feel an affinity with the world of Zen - well, get a copy, let its paradoxical sayings, twists and turns penetrate your own being, and it will speak to you in its own, inimitable language. As Cleary notes, Hakuin Zenji stated that he still gained fresh insights from the Blue Cliff Record, even after lecturing on it for over thirty years.
Cleary provides a good introduction, touching on the background to the Ch'an/Zen tradition generally. Modestly (and thank goodness!), Cleary has not imposed himself upon the text proper. What you read is more or less what you find in the Chinese text, with the exception of minimalist notes,delicately added to explicate key terms, idioms etc, or clarify historical references, hinted at in the Chinese text. An interesting biographical section has been appended to the text, detailing the lives of eminent Ch'an/Zen Buddhists, whose words or sayings appear in the Blue Cliff Record.
A final word. Some readers may find it helpful to read this book alongside Sekida's 'Zen Training:Methods and Philosophy' or Miura/Fuller-Sasaki 'The Zen Koan' - which outline something of the practice associated with this material. I might add that Cleary's translation of highly relevant commentary-material,
- titled 'Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record' - comprising comments by Hakuin Zenji (1685-1768) and Tenkei Denson (1653-1726) is currently being offered at discount through Amazon. Tenkei Denson was a member of the Soto school, so it is fascinating to see how a Soto master approaches the B.C.R. Hakuin is known well enough today, but some of his descendants seem only too willing to attribute arbitrary study programmes to the Tokugawa master, which merely mislead Zen students and snare them in literary pretensions. Cleary's supplementary material - noted above, should clear away much of the confusion on this point. Taizan Maezumi Roshi has said of Cleary's work: " I firmly believe this translation is a milestone and will immensely benefit those who are sincerely engaged in the practice and the enlightenment of the Buddha way. "
