Because of the Rain

This selection of Korean Zen poems, spanning twelve centuries, distils the essence of Korean Buddhism. The poets range from Great Master Wonhyo (617-686), the founder of Korean Buddhism, to Choeui Eusoon (1786-1866), a hermit-monk whose poems address the monk's primary goal of seeking enlightenment. Although the age of traditional Buddhism ended in Korea by the early twentieth century when the country was exposed to the relentless flow of Western culture, the poets writing in Korea today have a deep respect for those who went before them and incorporate Buddhist lore into their work, thus enabling the Zen poets to continue to contribute to the development of Korean literature.