“Clouds float by, water flows on; in movement there is no grasping, in Chan there is no settling.” The thirty-six poems selected by Venerable Master Hsing Yun in Cloud and Water capture this essential Chan (Zen) spirit of living in the moment, and being open to immediate experience. Passed down over centuries by celebrated Chan masters, these poems are at once profound in their literary simplicity and direct in their worldly relevance. Not only do they address some of the essential features of Chan Buddhist practice, but they also offer practical wisdom for dealing with the day to day challenges of life.

In addition to their own spiritual and philosophical appeal, the poems are accompanied by Venerable Master Hsing Yun’s lucid and insightful commentaries, which draw from the author’s lifetime experience and knowledge as a Chan practitioner and spiritual leader of a world-wide Buddhist community. The commentaries often rely on lively anecdotes, references to Buddhist scriptures and other verses to convey the full meaning of the poems. Together, the selection and the author’s commentaries offer both the Chan practitioner and the general reader many illuminating and effective ways to apply Buddhism’s universal wisdom to our daily lives.