Zhu XI's Reading of the Analects: Canon, Commentary, and the Classical Tradition

To me this is an ideal approach to Zhu Xi's (13th century) Analects commentary. A translation without the translator's explanations would be incomprehensible to a non sinologist like myself. Gardner has chosen 95 key sayings of the Analects with Zhu Xi's commentary, and also that of He Yan (3rd century) that is perhaps closer to Confucius. Although Zhu Xi criticises Buddhism, the inward turn that had become important in Neo-Confucianism emphasizes a form of meditation that probably had an indirect Buddhist influence, which makes it that more interesting.