Product Description
Robert Kennedy is one of three Jesuits in the world who answer to both the title 'Father' and 'Roshi', or venerable Zen teacher. In 1991, after ten years of practising Zen meditation, he was installed as a Zen teacher at the recommendation of his teacher, Glassman Roshi, and of Glassman Roshi's teacher, Maezumi Roshi. Today, he directs a dozen groups of people from many religious persuasions - even atheists and agnostics - who sit weekly in Zen meditation throughout the greater New York metropolitan area. This book is specifically addressed to the Christian practitioners of Zen meditation or those who are curious about it. It is structured around the ten well-known ox-herding pictures that have been a consistent source of inspiration to Zen students for centuries. Each picture represents a specific Zen insight into life, and these insights, says Kennedy, are not only fully compatible with Christianity but can help Christians achieve the spiritual goals enshrined in a Christian classic.For example, The Cloud of Unknowing: to be silent and attentive, to be wholly present to life, to be able to separate one's true self from one's false self, the self-seeking part of the personality that so often brings one pain. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

And Not Just For Christians.
This is a small, but very wise and compassionate book.It is difficult to keep from reading it at a sitting, but even then it invites rereading perhaps many times, not just to try to penetrate the obscurity that necessarily cloaks all things Zen, but to rise to the challenges each chapter sets one's personal growth.The Catholic Church has discovered at Vatican II the working of the Spirit and the presence of the good beyond its borders and even the possibility that members ofthat Church might learn from those without.Who better to help that task along than Robert Kennedy who is both Catholic priest and Zen Roshi.In this book Kennedy comments on the ten traditional Zen ox-herding pictures, an allegory of the search for the true self. He illustrates their meanings with koans and stories of the Zen masters, but even more extensively with a wealth of modern poetry and literature.This is a guide for the searcher more than a theology for the theorist. The gifts he has in mind are: commitment to practice, transcending our latest theologies in an attitude of unknowing, self-reliance, accepting impermanence and constant change, self-mastery that is really vibrant living, experiencing the absolute incarnated in the relative, the coorigination of all things, finding the absolute within, being transformed into it, and compassionate service to others.These are Zen gifts Kennedy explains and commends principally to those Christians drawn by temperament toZen practice.But he writes in such a way that I think the book suitable for people of any and even of no particular faith, who yet feel some calling to the way of Zen.The book is written with elegance, grace, generosity and compassion.But if one pays too much attention to Kennedy's message, that compassion can be the compassion of ten firm strokes from the Roshi's keisaku (stick) that strike at our sloth, illusions, dependency, mediocrity, and self-centeredness.I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Product Description
Road rage. Domestic violence. Professionally angry TV and radio commentators. We’re a society that is swimming in anger, always about to snap. Leonard Scheff, a trial attorney, once used anger to fuel his court persona, until he came to realize just how poisonous anger is. That and his intense study of Buddhism and meditation changed him. His transformation can be summarized in a simple parable: Imagine you are circling a crowded parking lot when, just as you spot a space, another driver races ahead and takes it. Easy to imagine the rage. But now imagine that instead of another driver, a cow has lumbered into that parking space and settled down. The anger dissolves into bemusement. What really changed? You—your perspective.

Using simple Buddhist principles and applying them in a way that is easy for non-Buddhists to understand and put into practice, Scheff and Edmiston have created an interactive book that helps readers change perspective, step by step, so that they can replace the anger in their lives with a newfound happiness. Based on the successful anger management program Scheff created, The Cow in the Parking Lot shows how anger is based on unmet demands, and introduces the four most common types—Important and Reasonable (you want love from your partner); Reasonable but Unimportant (you didn’t get that seat in the restaurant window); Irrational (you want respect from a stranger); and the Impossible (you want someone to fix everything wrong in your life).

Scheff and Edmiston show how, once we identify our real unmet demands we can dissolve the anger; how, once we understand our "buttons," we can change what happens when they’re pushed. He shows how to laugh at ourselves—a powerful early step in changing angry behavior. By the end, as the reader continues to observe and fill in the exercises honestly, it won’t matter who takes that parking space—only you can make yourself angry.


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Customer Reviews (8)

A powerful survey of what provokes anger and how to turn it aside
The Cow in the Parking Lot: A Zen Approach to Overcoming Anger offers one of the best titles available on anger management. It's packed with insights and techniques that advocate getting calm instead of angry, and comes form a trial attorney who used anger to fuel his fiery courtroom presence. Buddhist wisdom permeates a powerful survey of what provokes anger and how to turn it aside.

awareness
I think the book could have been more effective without the glorifying of the Dalai Lama. As a practicing American Buddhist, I am saddened by the constant slandering of China by his Holiness and his followers. I do wish all of them well.But I also believe in the Separation of Church and State for the Tibetan people, which is what they have today. I do not wish to be governed by a religious leader in my state of California nor do I wish that for the people in the province of Tibet. I wish that the followers of his Holiness will achieve clarity on this and can begin separating the Dalai Lama's teachings from his political ambitions.

This book is perfect for anyone who wants to be happier
Have you ever read a book which affected you so profoundly that you wanted to tell even complete strangers about it?

This is how I am feeling right now in regards to "The Cow in the Parking Lot: A Zen Approach to Overcoming Anger" by Leonard Scheff and Susan Edmiston. It is a phenomenal book. When you see it and read the summary you may think it isn't a necessary read in your life. This is because the emphasis is on dealing with anger. However, I have found there is far more involved in this book than just anger management.

This book is about total awareness of self.

You are at the opening of a new shopping center on the edge of town. You have been looking for a parking space for ten minutes. At last, right in front of you, the back-up lights come on. You turn on your turn signal and wait. From the other direction a jeep pulls into the space. Not only that, but when you honk, the driver gets out, smirks, and gives you the finger. Are you angry? You bet you are. Perhaps angry enough to want to ram his car. Now change the scene ever so slightly. Instead of a brash jeep driver, a cow comes from the other direction and settles into the space. When you honk, she looks up and moos. Are you angry? Probably not. Most people are amused.

I think what is most important to understand right off the bat while reading or listening to this book is what you personally mean when you say you are angry. For most people, myself included, anger is just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, I say I am angry and sometimes I mean I am hurt or I am disappointed; it's just that I am expressing it as anger because that seems to happen easier.

"To live is to embrace each moment of life as if it were the first, the last and all moments of life."


Read more on [...]: The Cow in the Parking Lot #followfriday | Scrink | Bring Me Up

A Cow in the Parking Lot
I have read this book twice and I like everything it had to say. This is a small, easy read, book on controlling and understranding your anger and the anger of others. I wish I had read it long ago. EXCELLENT!!!!! Kathryn Stocking-Koza , Windsor ,Massachusetts

A Cow in the Parking Lot
A very wonderful book that I had no intension of ever reading. It was purchased for someone close to me that had issues with anger. After reading it, It was highly suggested I read it as well. It is a very easy and straight forward read and a real eye opener, even if you do not feel you have anger issues. Anger is a human emotion that everyone has and it gives a few very differnt and easy perspectives regarding the subject. I'd reccomend it to anyone. Its up there with my favorites now, right next to The Four Agreements, bu Don Miguel Ruiz.I am getting a copy of Cow for everyone I know. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (12)

my favorite book on Buddhism
Trying to follow a path in Buddhism has been hard for me.I've been practicing at a Bay Area meditation center.Learning about watching self-talk and not buying into it; having more spaciousness around inner and outer events, in general; cultivating self-compassion and other positive mind-states; choosing actions that will bring a sense of peace/happiness rather than pain; meditating to heal the effects of trauma on the pre-frontal cortex (the integrating region of the brain, providing our highest potentialities as humans) -- these are some phrases to describe things happening at this Bay Area meditation center that have helped me to balance my life and cultivate more ego strength and ego intention.I am sure people enjoy being around me more now; I am not Linus with the dirt cloud over my head.

That said, I have continued to search far and wide for teachers that I feel are an ideological match for my own deepest passions.As a family scapegoat and someone who has played scapegoat in work scenarios and in a Buddhist community, I think I've lived very close to the world of shadow, and to my dreams and other non-ego experience.Magid's book speaks to shadows of Buddhist practice so well.I have been in spiritual communities, where I feel people are working to be kind and spiritual and generous, and there is much to be said about these efforts.But I also feel things are getting pushed down in the process.And that people don't talk about shadowy things so much.And I have been in communities where I felt like the goal of practice was to actually purge shadow.The community where I remember that experience most was the community I got scapegoated in.And I have spoken with fellow practitioners, when we were sharing deep aspects of our practices, where they would confide about aspects of themselves that were the most difficult to deal with, and I tried to tell them that they might accept that part of themselves, and one repeated response has been that, no, they read somewhere that they could finally heal/purge that part once and for all.

I don't see teachers in my neck of the woods who are addressing these issues as their main emphasis, like Magid does, and like Pema Chodron does.Another path to cultivating compassion is to, over years, accept our wholeness more and more, to include our vulnerabilities, wounds, limits, flaws, anger, unsalient aspects, conflict, tension.It seems to me that this would make an awakened individual, who has wisdom, tolerance and compassion.Magid's book speaks to my own longings and names what has been stirring and at odds in me and maps a path of practice that leads us to our wholeness.It is the needle in a haystack that I have been looking for.

A couple of times when I was reading his book, much to my surprise, I had a deep experience of my own wholeness, which was, as it was, like a symphony.

Very down to earth Zen
Excellent down-to-earth approach to Zen practice. Magid blends Buddhist wisdom with modern intelligence and psychoanalytic insights to reveal the heart of the Dharma. As the title suggests, Magid reminds us that Buddha nature isn't a potential/capacity for Awakening, or some mystical third eye experience, but rather who and what we are. The hard part isn't actualizing this, but accepting it. Embracing the moment with all of its imperfections. Magid honors Charlotte Joko Beck, his teacher, and the entire Ordinary Mind school with this book. I highly recommend it!

Tepid rehash
This book is a tepid rehash of many other books on the intersection between Buddhism and psychology. It is written in a faux humble prose style. If you've never read aboutZen I suppose some of the teaching stories might be appealing. The best part about the book, frankly, is the title and the cover design.

good fresh perspective
This book has some wonderfully clear analyses of what happens in Buddhist and particularly Zen practice. I've read numerous books on practice over the years and to my mind this covers some areas I haven't seen covered like this before: on the play of the ordinary and the special in our lives and practice, understanding how so many teachers abuse their positions, how Zen is evolving in the West.

Apart from his psychoanalytic background, Magid brings in his knowledge of Western philosophers and this gives parts of the book an intellectual flavor which may not appeal to everyone.

Given that much of the book is clear and grounded with fresh perspectives, it was a surprise to see Magid sum up the First Noble Truth as "Life is Suffering". This is an unfortunate mistake, particularly for a book published in 2008. Many Buddhist teachers in recent years have been trying to counter the myth that this is what the Buddha said. It is simply not found in the (Theravada) suttas. One big mistake like that casts a bit of a shadow on the book but because some of the other material is so good, it still gets four stars from me.

I wouldn't recommend it to students new to meditation (I've taught Buddhist meditation for over a decade) but it would be on my recommended list of books for people who've been practicing a few years.

Kind of Depressing
This is a gem of a book, but it is brutally frank and honest.There are no sugar-coated solutions to the difficulty of being alive, no place to hide, no true refuge.Thus, this is definitely the best Zen book I've ever read.His experience as a psychoanalyst was fascinating, too, and gave me a new appreciation of this much maligned profession.

But the sad fact is that the author busts our illusions and delusions.He ferrets out our "secret practice" which is always goal-oriented, usually towards some comforting end or safe harbor at the end.I find that this existential truth is a little too hard to bear and it frightens, annoys and saddens me.

But the climax of the book is when the author says that the gentle kiss of moment by moment attention is the one thing that alleviate this (my paraphrase.)This is what we can do, what we can count on, what will comfort us.I think the secret practice is the desire to be comforted once and for all time, usually way down at the end of the road, usually heaven.I know I certain harbor this secret dream and illusion.But heaven is right here, right now.Even Christ said as much, but we all keep chasing after the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.How about that for a great metaphor?!?!?Forget the beautiful rainbow in the sky!I want to find that d*mn pot of gold, which will endure forever.The rainbow is ephemeral, I want solid gold.Wow, the human condition is a tricky one.OccasionallyI just have to turn away from all this and eat potato chips and watch "I Love Lucy."The intensity of the truth is just too much to bear!

But thank you to the author!!!Thank you, thank you, thank you. ... Read more

Product Description
The hermit-monk Ryokan, long beloved in Japan both for his poetry and for his character, belongs in the tradition of the great Zen eccentrics of China and Japan. His reclusive life and celebration of nature and the natural life also bring to mind his younger American contemporary, Thoreau. Ryokan's poetry is that of the mature Zen master, its deceptive simplicity revealing an art that surpasses artifice. Although Ryokan was born in eighteenth-century Japan, his extraordinary poems, capturing in a few luminous phrases both the beauty and the pathos of human life, reach far beyond time and place to touch the springs of humanity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Can't put it down
This is a fantastic book of Ryokan poems that is hard to put down. These poems have a feeling to them of coming from a true Master of the Buddha's teachings. The translator helps by staying away from analyis and interpretation and lets Ryokan speak for himself to us through the words. You feel his joy and his sadness as well as his love of solitary forest life and meditation. There is nothing but a wonderful little book of Ryokan translations that lovers of Zen or Zen poetry will turn to again and again.

A Celebration of Solitude with Tones of Lonliness
Ryokan renounced the "world" and became a Buddhist monk, and then hermit. He lived in a tiny hut in a rural area and walked to nearby villages to beg for food. He did this all of his adult life and lived into his 80s.

His poetry is pure and centered on his ascetic existence. The translation reads easily and has some explanations when necessary for unfamiliar words.

The overriding impression is of a man in love with solitude but also lonely. There are some poems filled with emotion, yet by and large the writing is spare and disciplined and will satisfy you if you like haiku and related forms.

His own poetry and reports about him depict him as an enlightened practitioner of his religion, able to be completely in the moment, sensual and undistracted. Also, a bit absentminded -- leaving a friend waiting while he became distracted by the moon for an hour or more.

I will include one poem of his which I feel captures the spirit or tone of his work:

THE BAMBOO grove in front of my hut!
Every day I see it a thousand times
Yet never tire of it.

I have been eager to read this book for some time, hearing that it was perhaps the greatest example of a literary monk living out the wabi sabi ideal. I think it may well be, but I was surprised by a few things.

Animals occur in his poems, but they feel indistinct, like part of a lovely background for solitude, or to represent a mood. They are not celebrated in and of themselves, like Issa might do. People -- playing with children and drinking with farmers, seem more real and important to this self-proclaimed recluse.

The wabi existence (cold, hard, and hungry) certainly looses it's romantic blush in these poems. the dominant sense I get is not blissful immersion in silence and solitude but rather cold lonely disappointment. Loneliness and coldness are especially well captured.

both the translator and the woman who preserved and first compiled much of his work wanted to "Make known his spirit and way of life." I think what they are referring to is his acceptance of impermanence and his spirituality centered on sabi -- the lovely lonely mood or melancholy feeling we have when we see a thing for what it is. Direct awareness of reality in all its unvarnished and surprising facets.

The wind gives me/ Enough fallen leaves/ To make a fire
Zen Master Ryokan!
Like a fool, like a dunce
Body and mind completely dropped off!

This is another great translation of Ryokan by John Stevens. So many in their reviews have shown their respect and love for Ryokan who "is replete with MUSHIN, the mind without calculation or pretense, and MUJO, the sense of impermanence of all things".
Ryokan (1758? -1831) was a Japanese poet, Zen buddhist and one of the greatest calligraphers of all time in East Asia. In his early twenties he became the disciple of top Soto Zen Roshi Kokusen and trained diligently as a Zen monk. When Kokusen died in 1791, Ryokan left on a long pilgrimage, wandering all over Japan. In his early 40s he drifted back to his native place and spent the rest of his life in mountain hermitages. Near the end of his life he fell in love with a beautiful young nun Teishin who was by his side when he died at age 73. His hermitage Gogo-an on Mount Kigami still stands.

One Robe, One Bowl contains translation of his 100 chinese and 103 Japanese poems(101 Waka and 2 Haiku). Many of his poems are without titles and doesn't give us a reference to the time and place they were written. Ryokan frequently broke the rules of poetry composition. His poems are simple, direct and very poignant. His poetry is about love of nature, local children, rice wine and living a simple life. His beloved Teishin compiled the first edition of Ryokan's poems, titled Hachisu no Tsuyu ("Dew drops on a Lotus Leaf") four years after his death, which has also been brilliantly translated by John Stevens.
Both these books are a must read. Ryokan's poems refresh you, make you look aroundand under your feet. You notice everything from sun to clouds, birds and insects, trees, wind and rain, and his great love - Moon. I highly recommend reading them in a natural spot, where there are trees, flowers, flowing water and birds. You will find yourself drifting in and out of his poems and nature and back. Almost surreal.

Once you have read them again and again, add to your collection Ryokan's favorite poet, the Chinese sage Han Shan (Cold Mountain), also available on Amazon.

Are my poems poems?
Ryokan, One Robe, One Bowl: The Zen Poetry of Ryokan (Weatherhill, 1977)

"Who says my poems are poems?
My poems are not poems.
When you know that my poems are not poems,
Then we can speak of poetry."

Ryokan, nineteenth-century Japanese Zen poet and monk, was either somewhat addled (an hypothesis which his eccentricity lends itself to) or was acutely aware that some of what he wrote simply didn't qualify as poetry. Most of it, however, did; his haiku, waka, and other traditional forms are often exquisitely rendered images of his life as a hermit, a beggar, and a man lonely even while those in the town in which he begged for rice loved him dearly. Often, his work is short, to the point, and lovely, showing the reverence for both nature and language that the best Japanese poets seem to feel as naturally as you or I breathe:

"Down in the village
the din of flute and drum;
here deep in the mountain
everywhere the song of the pines."

But, every once in a while, as with the piece that opens this review, he simply ignores everything he knows (and we know) about poetry and jots down a thought or a koan broken into short lines. Thankfully, there are far fewer of these than there are actual poems in this collection, and so it's worth your time; be prepared for a slight inconsistency in quality, though. ***

Wonderful poetry
I bought this book because I was giving a talk on Ryokan and his poetry.It was wonderful to be able to share his poems with others and to have this treasure of a book for myself as well.His poetry is so simple and yet so profound and has universal appeal whether or not one has a background in Zen. ... Read more

Product Description
"How Zen Became Zen" takes a novel approach to understanding one of the most crucial developments in Zen Buddhism: the dispute over the nature of enlightenment that erupted within the Chinese Chan (Zen) school in the twelfth century. The famous Linji (Rinzai) Chan master Dahui Zonggao (1089-1163) railed against "heretical silent illumination Chan" and strongly advocated kanhua (koan) meditation as an antidote.In this fascinating study, Morten Schlutter shows that Dahui's target was the Caodong (Soto) Chan tradition that had been revived and reinvented in the early twelfth century, and that silent meditation was an approach to practice and enlightenment that originated within this "new" Chan tradition. Schlutter has written a refreshingly accessible account of the intricacies of the dispute, which is still reverberating through modern Zen in both Asia and the West. Dahui and his opponents' arguments for their respective positions come across in this book in as earnest and relevant a manner as they must have seemed almost nine hundred years ago.Although much of the book is devoted to illuminating the doctrinal and soteriological issues behind the enlightenment dispute, Schlutter makes the case that the dispute must be understood in the context of government policies toward Buddhism, economic factors, and social changes.He analyzes the remarkable ascent of Chan during the first centuries of the Song dynasty, when it became the dominant form of elite monastic Buddhism, and demonstrates that secular educated elites came to control the critical transmission from master to disciple ("procreation" as Schlutter terms it) in the Chan School. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Masterpiece of Modern Zen Scholarship --- AAAA++++
How Zen Became Zen: The Dispute over Enlightenment and the Formation of Chan Buddhism in Song-Dynasty China

by Morten Schlutter

Studies in East Asian Buddhism, No. 22
Published in association with the Kuroda Institute

In this masterpiece of modern Zen scholarship, Morten Schlutter presents a vastly important and astonishingly thorough account of the historical evidence of How Zen became Zen. While a number of studies in recent decades have revealed that the "traditional history" of Zen's (Chan's) "Golden Age" in Tang era China was actually retrospectively created in the Song Dynasty, Morten Schlutter's "How Zen became Zen" is the first book to offer a thorough explanation, complete with a detailed analysis on how and why this occurred.

By gathering together all of the various groundbreaking discoveries of Zen scholarship in recent decades, augmented by an extensive range of previously ignored source materials and weaving it together with his own profound insight and knowledge, Schulutter offers a rich tapestry that is both meticulous and accessible.

In a meticulous, step by step presentation, Schlutter offers the reader all of the recent discoveries and reveals the wide range of influencing factors. Drawing on a vast array of original sources, Schlutter leaves no rock unturned. By exploring sources from competing `schools' to governmental policies, from monastic institutions, to Chinese literati, from recently unearthed texts in Northern China to epithets of Zen masters, readers are shown how and why Chinese Buddhism culminated in the astonishingly original and distinctive form of Buddhism known as "Zen" (Chan).

This book is essential reading (as well as reference) for all serious Zen students/practitioners.

From the Flaps:

How Zen Became Zen takes a novel approach to understanding one of the most crucial developments in Zen Buddhism: the dispute over the nature of enlightenment that erupted within the Chinese Chan (Zen) school in the twelfth century. The famous Linji (Rinzai) Chan master Dahui Zonggao (1089-1163) railed against "heretical silent illumination Chan" and strongly advocated kanhua (koan) meditation as an antidote. In this fascinating study, Morten Schlütter shows that Dahui's target was the Caodong (Soto) Chan tradition that had been revived and reinvented in the early twelfth century, and that silent meditation was an approach to practice and enlightenment that originated within this "new" Chan tradition. Schlütter has written a refreshingly accessible account of the intricacies of the dispute, which is still reverberating through modern Zen in both Asia and the West. Dahui and his opponents' arguments for their respective positions come across in this book in as earnest and relevant a manner as they must have seemed almost nine hundred years ago.

Although much of the book is devoted to illuminating the doctrinal and soteriological issues behind the enlightenment dispute, Schlütter makes the case that the dispute must be understood in the context of government policies toward Buddhism, economic factors, and social changes. He analyzes the remarkable ascent of Chan during the first centuries of the Song dynasty, when it became the dominant form of elite monastic Buddhism, and demonstrates that secular educated elites came to control the critical transmission from master to disciple ("procreation" as Schlütter terms it) in the Chan School.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. Chan Buddhism in the Song: Some Background
2. The Chan School and the Song State
3. Procreation and Patronage in the Song Chan School
4. A New Chan Tradition: The Reinvention of the Caodong Lineage in the Song
5. A Dog Has No Buddha-Nature: Kanhua Chan and Dahui Zonggao's Attacks on Silent Illumination
6. The Caodong Tradition as the Target of Attacks by the Linji Tradition
7. Silent Illumination and the Caodong Tradition
Conclusion
Notes
Caodong Lineage
Linji Lineage
Glossary
Bibliography
Index


... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Informative yet Inaccurate
"Fighting without weapons first became...when itinerant monks were often attacked and robbed...because the monks' vows...a form of weaponless fighting initially developed in China...later split into Karate, judo, Tai-Chi, etc.....The itinerant monks carried all this knowledge from China to Japan, where, spreading out from the region of Okinawa...Karate and Judo became more popular there, while Tai-Chi remained specifically Chinese....[Tai-Chi] has been called "standing Zen"; but when all is said and done, it is just a dance, a sort of gymnastic without the true spirit of Zen" (p. 39-40)

I think anyone who has more than basic knowledge about the history of these martial arts can tell that the above "facts" stated in the book are highly inaccurate, to say the least. Other statements, like the last one quoted above, probably do not stem from deep personal knowledge and experience. Specifically about Tai Chi, while not being a practitioner myself I am at least humble enough not to make such broad accusations. Maybe such a claim is true for many practitioners or so called masters of Tai Chi, but I know both the head of my Karate style (Okinawan, 10th Dan, and a zen practitioner for many years) and direct Sensei (Japanese, 6th Dan) hold some martial artists who are also Tai Chi masters in high regards.

I think the two main problems with the book for people like me (i.e. martial artists who want to expend knowledge of the art and the interconnections between it, zen, the everyday life, and growing as a person) are (a) that the book was not carefully edited and (b) that the writer, which makes a lot of very specific statements about martial arts, is *not* a master in martial arts but a Zen master. According to the details given in the book it appears Zen master TD himself definitely had a personal background in martial arts (specifically "old style" Judo) and long time connections with highly ranked martial artists, but that is not the same. Thus, I found some Zen terminology new to me, and the discussion about it and its connection to martial arts informative, but I would suggest taking statements and "facts" regarding martial arts (like the ones quoted above) with a grain of salt. Personally, these problems turned my enthusiasm down and I ended up turning to other books on my list, never finishing this one.

There are no better books on Zen in English
This is the THE BOOK for anyone interested in Zen.Period.

I can't stop reading this book.It has been in my personal effects for going on 20 years...rarely more than a few feet from where I sleep.I AM NOT KIDDING.

This is the real deal.

I've read a bunch of books on Zen, and similar philosophical/new agey kind of stuff (you know, Deepak Chopra, et al.)I've read Suzuki (both), I've read Watts, and most of the rest.Most of that stuff is very verbose, or poorly translated, or written by a poor user of English, or otherwise cludgy and difficult to read.Not this book.This book is like a May walk through a garden with butterflies and chirping birds and a light breeze on your face.

Not only is it a "walk in the park" but it is immensely deep too.How the author accomplished that is beyond me...but it is undeniable proof that he is a true master and that whatever he is doing works.See what I mean?

Now, I don't know much about Martial Arts, per se, and this book doesn't teach you diddly about any specific one.In fact, the title is misleading I believe...or maybe not misleading, but I honestly think that it is keeping a great number of readers away from it, which is unfortunate.

So what I'm saying is: don't buy this to learn Karate.Buy this to live life.To do anything.

Every human being on Earth should read this book.

Zen is life itself...every breath, every step, and yes.....each one could be your last.Samurai, or not, we all face the same existence.

I consider this book my personal bible.

Martial Arts for the True Warrior
This is a great book, especially for those who wish to live the life of warriorship. There is much, much more to the martial arts than what is taught in the majority of today's politically correct, sports focused dojos. This book delves into the deeper philosophy behind the martial arts. As the author states, "you must live intensely, wholeheartedly, without reserve - as if you might die in the next instant."

I found this book bursting with wisdom that is helpful to those who are on the path of Bushido. Don't just read it, but read it, meditate on it, and apply it. It is a great book and a good use of your time.

Bohdi Sanders, author of Warrior Wisdom: Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior

Martial Philosophy at It's Finest
A true master, the zen monk Deshimaru in approximately 100 pages is capable elaborating on the differences between the practice of martial sport and martial art. That these ideas can take a full lifetime to explore make this a classical book on the subject.

A truly masterful achievement, as this book has synthesized for me what has taken great lengths to learn from multiple sources and has also introduced many abstract concepts into terms that a non-Zen practicing Budoka can understand. Unlike many other books approaching this subject, you need not become a "Japanophile" or create a super-ego to relate.

This book is naturally compatible with genuine materials on the martial mindset from Tukuan Soho, Miyamoto Musashi and Morihei Ueshiba, true masters who also wrote short but deeply meaningful books on the subject of martial practice. So this book becomes an organic extension of these other masterpieces: The book of 5 rings (Musashi Miyamoto), The Unfettered Mind (Tukuan Soho) and The Art of Peace (Ueshiba). All highly recommended.

The martial mindset has nothing to do with sports-minded competition. Modern "martial arts" are most of the time a form of sanctioned violence taught to self-appointed vigilante's. When such idiots confront a situation where emotional breakdowns occur due to overwhelming odds or unfamiliar setups, the results are enlightenment the hard way!

The distinction evident from this book is the understanding that when the practice of martial art encompasses a realistic acceptance of life or death with a conditioned acceptance of death through the practice of zen, true courage becomes possible.

Other concepts elaborated are the elusive subject of ki and the practical method of practicing zen as it relates to breathing. In this respect, the master Deshimaru ties the tradition of zen to the Buddhist and Hindu practice of Vipassana meditation as it relates to enlightenment. However, whereas the typical descriptions focus on the metaphysical, this book spares you the mystical nonesense and through a simple experiment of following clear directions, the concepts become very real for the reader.

This book is an excellent accompanying text to any internal martial arts practice as it does not condone a passive acceptance of ideas or practices, but rather encourages the reader to ascend to a higher calling through worthy reflection, genuine rigorous practice and acceptance of inherent truths about the nature of leadership, combat, life, death and worldliness. The material has great reverance for tradition in terms of principle, not ritual. A must have for the modern budoka seeking a mature approach to Martial Arts.

Some good insights not obvious to martial arts beginners
Deshimaru Roshi (Master Deshimaru) teaches a few lessons on Zen, and its connection to the tradition of martial arts in Japan. He explains that without cultivating the spirit, any martial arts is just a sport which could eventually deplete the body of energy. Instead, the samurai in medieval Japan were taught martial skill and civil education (caligraphy, history, music, etc.). Unfortunately, he says, the real spirit is going away even in Japan, let alone in the West. He shares some nice stories - he has a preference for cats, it seems :).Cultivating the mind through zazen practice is at least as important as practicing a martial art!
These being said, these book is not a practical manual - they are questions and answers from a public event in 1975 -probably Taisen Deshimaru has written better suited for that pupose. However, the martial arts beginners could use it to understand what every martial art grand master says: it's not at all about fighting! ... Read more

Product Description
Written in a warm and easily accessible style, the book appeals to anyone with an interest in meditation, Zen, or, as is often the case today, a combination of the two. Zen Meditation in Plain English emphasizes the importance of receiving good instruction and of finding groups to practice with, yet it lays out the necessary steps to practice Zen meditation on your own. The book includes easily followed exercises to help the reader along. An excellent, practical introduction, this book represents the culmination of the search for a clear and insightful path into the philosophy and practice of Zen meditationAmazon.com Review
The jolt of confidence you get when discussing a day's performance with a seasoned veteran can take any activity to a higher level. In his concise and informative Zen Meditation in Plain English, meditation veteran John Daishin Buksbazen gives detailed directions for each step of Zen-style meditation, from getting into the different postures and developing breath concentration, all the way up to intensive training periods. With only one short chapter on what the mind should be doing while "sitting" (as they say in Zen), his focus is on getting the fundamentals right. He also offers a rare introduction to the importance and mechanics of group practice and a well-selected "Frequently Asked Questions" section at the end. While Buksbazen repeatedly says that there is no substitute for a good teacher, until you find one, Zen Meditation in Plain English will do nicely. --Brian Bruya ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A good, but not great, guide to beginning meditation.
I thought this book was pretty good, and it addressed most concerns, but I felt it could have had a bit more meat on it. Here's a quick breakdown of the sections:

PART ONE: BUDDHAS
*Background
*The Story of Shakyamuni Buddha
*The Lineage
*Buddhas in America

PART TWO: SITTING
*The Problem and Its Solution
*The Nature of the Problem
*The Nature of the Solution
*The Practice
*Starting to Sit
*Laying the Foundations
*Some Rules of Thumb
*Sitting Supports
*Positioning the Body
*Positioning the Legs
*Positioning the Rest of the Body
*Zazen Checklist
*Breathing
*Breathing in Zazen
*The Mind in Zazen

PART THREE: COMMUNITY
*What is Community
*Group Practice
*An Intensive Period in a Zen Monastery
*Sesshin
*Realizing the Harmony

AFTERWARD, FAQ's, and APPENDIXES
----------------------------------------

As you can see, many different aspects of Zen and meditation are covered in this book. However, I feel like the book would benefit from offering more meditation instruction. For some reason the author decided to not include a picture of the half-lotus position. This is OK, but slightly annoying, and I would be bummed if I were a novice and had to rely on description alone. The author states on page 37 that starting by sitting about 15 or even 10 minutes a day is enough, but then on page 107 in the FAQ's the author states that even a few minutes a few times a week is OK. So which is it? As a beginner I would not appreciate this apparent contradiction.

The book is listed as 128 pages, but this only exaggerates the amount of material that is actually in this book. This number includes ABOUT THE AUTHOR and PUBLISHER pages, and a lot of other pages in the beginning of the book devoid of actual content. The text on each page is pretty big, and the spacing between the book's content is liberal. All I'm saying is that this could all be condensed into about 40 or 50 pages with all of the exact same material. There's really not a lot of material in this book, which is OK, but it's unfair to exaggerate the material with numbers.

I did find the FURTHER READING and stretching exercises included in the appendixes to be very helpful. That said, this is a pretty good beginner's meditation book, and I would recommend it, but I definitely think the book could have been better.

Great introduction to the basics of Zazen meditation
However, if you are looking for something with more depth (perhaps after you have read "Zen... In Plain English") would be Robert Aitken's "Taking the Path of Zen". A much richer book! But I still think Plain English is still worthy.

Simple, practical and straightforward
This is a very concise introduction to Zen meditation.It is particularly well suited to a beginner, particularly a Western beginner.The author is also credible with a background in both the Zen tradition and Western psychology.

Zen Meditation in Plain English
It is practical guide for beginners who are interested in
meditation.It shows the precise way to sit. The supplementary exercises written in the appendices are indeed very useful.It limbers up and allows one to sit longer.Secondly, it is written in simple English. Anyone who does not have a glossary of Buddhist Terminology can understand. Thirdly, it teaches one to be aware and mindful - sitting is just sitting;be it a "good" or "hard" sitting.

Destined to be a Classic
You can always pretty much guarantee that if Wisdom Books publishes the book, it's guaranteed to be concise and helpful to followers of the "Way" ; and so it is in this book.
This book is destined to become in the future a classic guide for beginner's of Zen meditation.In loving and uncomplicated prose, John Daishin Buksbazen uncovers the actual core of Zen: the straightforward practice of following our breath and in so doing awakening to our life as the Buddha.

Zen Meditation in Plain English offers a durable foundation for meditation, illuminating the significance of finding ourselves a good teacher practicing with a community of practitioners, while also giving us instruction on how to practice in the meantime on our own (or in addition to with others). John Daishan Buksbazen was another great student of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi, one of the most prolific Zen masters of modern times. Don't miss this book! It's a must have for any beginner. ... Read more

Product Description
An illustrated adaptation of thirteenth-century Zen Buddhist writings brings together more than one hundred Zen tales that illuminate the spirit and philosophy of Zen.Tour. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Fun, wise, beautiful
I've read and reread Zen Speaks!, and I learn or understand something new every time. I've loaned my copy to friends and recommended the book to friends who are far away, and everyone loves it.

The clever illustrations and clear text make classic Zen parables accessible and relevant. This book is a modern classic on Buddhism.

Don't Judge This Book By Its Cover
This book exists to make Zen more accessible to the general public.For those people that practice Zen, the essence of Zen can only be felt or only be understood but not through words or pictures.As one teaching of Zen would have it, you would appreciate how beautiful the moon is rather than the finger that points you to that moon.I have to admit that this book manages to clarify certain teachings that are also mentioned in other Zen books.I'm not saying that this comic book provides me with the absolute truth about certain Zen sayings but it does provide me with an insight.Everyone has their own ways of getting to the original thinking & if this book cuts the cake, so be it.If we think that this is merely a comic book, then, it is a delusion!Remember, don't judge a book by its cover.This book is profoundly serious.Highly recommended, light-hearted & enjoyable to read.

Delightful!
Hard to imagine that a cartoon could unfold the depths of Zen.Perhaps it is the fact the cartoons are brief yet encapsulate so much.Personally, I find it to be in the expressions of the characters in the drawings that tell the story.I really feel the smiles throughout the book and can almost see them winking along with that smile.

Never straying from the seriousness of Zen, this little gem really reveals the joy that lies underneath.A great way to get started; a great little reminder for those already underway.

Forget Those Heavy Books About Zen
Yes.
This is the ultimate guide to Zen.
TCC's great drawings and simple explanations brings you the Zen thinking to your home.

A must have for anyone interested in eastern culture.

Start Here
Just getting started on your desire to understand eastern philosophies?Have you stood at the bookstore for hours pouring over where to start and what to buy?

Any of this authors books are a wonderful place to start. The reason?Because these books are all about the title subject in a nutshell, easy to read as a comic book, the story lines and illustrations are wonderful, and after you read this as well as all the other books by Tsai, you will have a great, well rounded start on your path and will know what you want to study more deeply!

To add, when others ask you about your interest in eastern philosophy, you can get them started here as well, because these books are fun, consise,and you know they will enjoy them over and over again! ... Read more

Product Description
A veteran trader takes a Zen approach to the stock market, applying fundamental principles of Zen Buddhism in place of traditional economic thought and encouraging investors to put egos aside and listen to the marketplace in a tested method for success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Terrible!
This book is terrible! Everything the author said in the book could've have been gleaned from a self-help book about discipline in general and everything could've been summarized in a 1 page "cheat sheet"...

Don't waste your money.

What causes bad trades? The EGO.
What causes us to break the golden rules of trading?

1. Buy low, sell high.
2. Let profits run, cut losses quickly.
3. Add to a winner, not a loser.
4. Go with the trend.

This book shows how we break these rules out of the desire to be right. Our ego gets in the way. We should let the market dictate to us what to do based on its movement, not what we believe for what ever reason. If the market is on an up trend. Buy. Down trend. Sell.
The mistakes arise when we refuse to cut losses, waiting to prove we were right. Trade in the NOW, what is going on NOW, not on past trends or future predictions.

Read "Reminisces of a stock operator" to learn how a master traded this way, and "The power of NOW" to learn more about this spiritual path.

I wish you happy and profitable trading.(These rules have worked for me, 24% average return over the past 4 years).

It is the all-time 2nd best book for daytraders.
I train daytraders for a living, I make them read 2 books before they start:'Reminiscences of a Stock Operator' and this book 'Zen in the Markets.'I quote it almost daily when instructing traders - Trade what you see, not what you think.It is a very quick read.

It is NOT for long-term stock investors, anyone reading it for those purposes will be disappointed and give it a negative review about how it downplays fundamentals, charts, technical patterns, and such.Short-term (like 1-2 minute in a trade) daytraders and pit traders are the ones who swear by this book, as I do.I traded on the floor of the exchange and still make my living in the quick in-and-out daytrading world, and for people like me this book is a must have.

"Going higher?!?! Buy 'em !!-Lower?!? Sell 'em!!"
I really enjoyed this book.What he says is sooo clear and simple - yet he admits that HE can't always comply with his own rules!!The gist of his book is this...
Buy high - sell higher!! (and vice versa)
Stay in the moment..
Trade what you SEE - NOT what you think !!
All of the above requires the dismissal of EGO !!And that is far easier said than done.The book is a quick & enjoyableread and you can apply his principles immediately.

Is Haiku your thing?
Pink elephant or
white heron? Value is in
the understanding
of haiku and zen.

I learned how to
write haiku.
Lines of seven
syllables interspersed
with lines of five.

Poetic licence allowed


If you are an afficianado of the above skills you may appreciate the book. It is one of the slimmest volumes you will find ( < 90 pages; 99% white space) . Great for poets, meditators and zen aphorists. Questionable for trading.

Toppel qualifies himself in the preface by saying "quality of thought, not quantity of paper is presented here." Which would be fine if it were true.

The book starts with a dedication "to those whose warrior souls have been perfected and to those of us who are still trying". Reading this in zen spirit you should see immediately that Toppel is no master. Not of zen and not of trading.His starting premise is to include himself as a "tryer" and he underlines this a number of times in the book. Here is the irony: it is difficult to pump yourself up when you are selling a book on egoless trading.

The major weakness in the book is that it assumes there is only one way to trade. The Toppel-go-with-the-flow-zen-Samurai-way. This may be true for day-trading in the pits (where Toppel has experience) and in highly leveraged derivatives markets,but in the stock market (at least) I can attest to there being more than one path up the mountain."The trend is our friend" mantra is all very true, but the real zen part is to be able to recognise our friends. Unfortunately all Mr Toppel offers in this domain is a quick check to see if we can count from 27 to 29 ( If the current tick is above the last tick the movement is up, if the current tick is below the last tick the movement is down). As I said, this may work for a samurai in the pits but it's not much help on a PC in Pennsylvanea.

According to Toppel, here are the only rules that matter :

1. Buy low, sell high.
2. Let profits run, cut losses quickly.
3.Add to a winning position, not a loser.
4. Go with the Trend.


The book is really about how to get ourselves to submit to these rules.

If you want a cursory introduction to Chicago zen, this book is probably it. And Toppel isdefinitely a zen/samurai evangelist. There is even a short glossarywith a number of terms that I couldn't even find mentioned in the book( eg Ai -harmony,Bushido -The conduct code for Samurai,Mushin - pure consciousness of no thought, Satori - pure enlightenment,sensei - a learned teacher).

For me, Satori came on the final page:

" The Warning
Those who know
do not talk.
Those who talk
do not know".

There were quite a few gems like this.

I would have given it 4 or 5 stars if it was just called Zen Trader (and had only blank pages).
... Read more

Product Description
The basic approach of oriental medicine is to emphasize natural powers of self-cure and to evolve a therapy that is entirely in harmony with the entire organism of the patient. Shiatsu is one of the oriental medical disciplines that have made great progress in such therapy.
The common conception that shiatsu is no more than the application of strong digital pressure on single points on the body misrepresents the truth. Shiatsu is based on a full oriental medical system, which explains the human body in terms of a network of meridians through which flows an energy called Ki in Japanese. If the flow of Ki through the meridians is smooth, the person is healthy. If the flow becomes sluggish, the person falls ill. The nature of the flow is analyzed on the basis of the Chinese conception of the duality Yin and Yang into two states called Kyo and Jitsu. In the Kyo state, the flow of Ki is sluggish, and the body functions are dulled. In the Jitsu state, the flow is too rapid, and the body functions are overactive. A therapy that fails to take these states into consideration can only further retard the activity of sluggish functions and further stimulate hyperactive ones. In short, such therapy can produce no beneficial effect at all.
The way to restore the proper balance to the system of Ki energy is the subject of Zen Shiatsu, the first book on the topic ever published in the English language. In this richly illustrated work, the author thoroughly covers to-nification-sedation, meridian shiatsu (Zen shiatsu). In addition to the services he performs as a therapist, he has devoted many years of study and much effort to developing new shiatsu ideas. Zen Shiatsu is the result of all these efforts. The inclusion of a chapter on self-shiatsu makes this an unusual and valuable book from the standpoint of people interested in home remedies.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Zen Shiatsu book review
Excellent condition. Very good price.Only one crease in cover and book looked new.

zen shiatsy
I love the book it took awhile to get to me but it was much worth the wait

true understanding
this book is written by a true master of shiatsu.masunaga has taken his life work and written a concise book that serves not only as an introduction to shiatsu, but also has techniques for the advanced practitioner.mainly a book of techniques and diagnosis.

This is a modern classic
I cannot rate this book highly enough. It is an invaluable resource for professional Shiatsu practitioners or beginners. Masunaga takes you immediately into the world of Oriental Medicine with clear, concisedescriptions of the theories that make OM a powerful healing force in theworld today.

There are literally hundreds of photos, detailing hisparticular Shiatsu style, that will allow anyone to understand how to applythe techniques described. He also has a fine section on energetic diagnosisto assist with understanding when to apply Shiatsu and which techniques touse.

An additional section provides a series of Shiatsu stretches withmanipulations to do for yourself. These are simple and effective. Learnthem and use for your own well-being.

If you only buy one book onShiatsu, let it be this one. It has been around for over 20 years and isstill the one that I recommend to my patients for home helth care. I alsouse it when teaching graduate studentsat the Seven Gates Institute. ... Read more

Product Description
"Trustworthy and delightful guide Kim Boykin will demystify and deepen your understanding of both the traditions she practices. Animated and illuminative Zen for Christians beckons toward a practicing and practical faith at the intersection of two great traditions. A gem!"
—James W. Fowler, author, Stages of Faith

In Zen for Christians, author Kim Boykin—who has personally experienced the gifts of Buddhism in her own Christian faith and has taught this subject in a variety of settings—offers Christians a way to incorporate Zen practices into their lives without compromising their beliefs and faith.

Zen for Christians assumes curiosity but no knowledge as it walks readers through specific concepts of Zen philosophy—such as suffering, attachment, and enlightenment—and explains each in a simple, lively way. Sections between chapters gently guide readers through Zen mediation practices, explaining the basics in a clear, engaging way. One key chapter places Christian and Zen teachings side by side to help Christian readers not only understand Zen but appreciate what it has to offer them.

Zen for Christians illustrates how Zen practice can be particularly useful for Christians who want to enrich their faith by incorporating contemplative practices. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Zen for Christians
I liked this for it's simplicity. It went in to the reasons why they can work together in plain language. I learned more about both than I knew before and it clarified the differences between the 2, ie Christianity is a religion and Zen is not.
I loaned it to my preacher to help me define where I am without an argument.

A Practical Guide
I was plesantly surprised by the easy that this book explains the zen buddists beliefs.I was able to understand nearly everything the first time through.

It gets the job done.... sort of
If you are interested in zen meditation, and have no experience ,this is a good start, but there are many nonchristian meditation books out there that do a better job.If you want an analysis of christian and zen beliefs this does a decent job, but is very redundant at times and is mostly an account of the author's personal experiences.All in all the book is just OK, not good and not bad.

A partial reconciliation
While it is true that one could practice, say, yoga, and practice it well and fairly near completeness and still be a Christian, it is a bit of a stretch to fully immerse oneself in Zen Buddhism and remain a Christian. Or vice-versa.

This is not and cannot be immediately apparent to casual and beginning practitioners of either Christianity or Zen. Certainly however it should be clear to Kim Boykin. And, after a fashion, I think it is. What she has done is reduce Zen to something close to a non-spiritual practice, a "Zen for health," if you will, in particular Zen for mental and emotional health, and in that way make Zen compatible with Christianity.

As Boykin points out, the central tenet of Christianity, that of salvation, is similar to the Buddhist tenet of right behavior. In Christianity all have sinned, but if we accept Christ, who died for our sins, as our savior we will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In Buddhism we are not "unsaved" or in a state of mortal sin, rather we are in a state of pain and suffering, some of it psychological. We overcome that state through Right Living, Right Behavior--the famous Eightfold Path. (See especially page 91.)

Boykin goes into the differences and similarities in her third chapter, "Zen Teachings and Christian Teachings." Basically she resolves all apparent conflicts by stating that "Zen teachings are not doctrines." This is precisely, exactly correct. Indeed, the central spirit in Zen is to laugh at all doctrines, to find enlightenment through "killing the Buddha" and "no thought," which are ways to get away from the limitations of the so-called rational mind. Typically a Zen koan presents the student with a logical paradox and demands an answer, an answer that can only be found by transcending the rational mind and all doctrines. So, by this method Boykin can accept any facet of Christianity including the most literal and fundamental and find no conflict with Zen.

So be it.

However, there is no "God" in Buddhism. Consequently for God to have a "son" can only be understood in a symbolic sense. The acceptance of Christ as a personal savior, again can only be done in a symbolic sense. To go even deeper into Buddhist "theology," if you will, or "psychology" (which I think is the best way to understand these things, at least in the beginning) it is necessary to realize that for the Buddhist we do not even exist in the same way we do in Christianity. In Buddhism the self is an illusion. In Christianity the self is very real and transcends death. Furthermore, there is no concept of karma or reincarnation in Christian theology. Boykin does not discuss either idea, possibly because neither idea is logically compatible with Christianity.

What Boykin does well here is to show how Zen meditation can enrich one's life, how "being here now" and other Zen practices can lead to a fuller spiritual experience, as they have for her. From a Christian point of view, prayer is the most powerful meditation. From another point of view, prayer is simply one type of meditation. Prayer and meditation are both practices, or techniques, if you will, for finding God or nirvana--which to some people amounts to the same thing. Zazen ("just sitting," i.e., sitting meditation) is certainly a practice that would be compatible with any religion.

So what Zen for Christians is about is using Zen techniques to further one's Christianity. This is fine, but theological speaking, Zen and Christianity are different ways to God and cannot be held as truths simultaneously without some strenuous mental gymnastics. (Or actually in the impish spirit of Zen, they can be held simultaneously in the mind with the greatest of ease!) A striking example of this discordance can be seen on page 40 where Boykin recites a prayer learned from Karl Rahner. It ends with the words, "I am powerless, blind, dead, but you are mighty, light, and life and have conquered me long ago with the deadly impotence of your Son." Prayer is surrender to a power greater than oneself. But words like "the deadly impotence of your Son" have no meaning in Zen.

More in concert with the spirit of Zen would be the 46th Psalm as quoted on the next page: "Be still, and know that I am God." However, the use of the word "God" and the sense that "God" would actually demand something of someone is foreign to Zen. In Zen one does not speak of God partly because traditionally the Buddha turned aside all such questions. (It takes some study to understand why he did.) But theologically speaking, to mention God would be to immediately identify God in some manner, and that would be meaningless since what stands for God in Buddhism is beyond any human designation--indeed beyond human comprehension. On the other hand, in Christianity God is made personal. Moreover, in fundamentalist Christianity, humans are said to be made in the image of God.

Boykin's style is engaging and her recollection of her Zen training and how she came to the Catholic Church make for interesting reading. I had the sense that one of the commonalities shared by Zen and Christianity that Boykin discovered, perhaps in a subconscious way, is in the practices of Zen and the rituals of the Catholic Church. Although they are very different in structure and event, they serve some of the same purposes, that of helping the aspirant find spirituality. And of course the monastic tradition in Zen has some similarities with that of the Catholic Church.

Bottom line: While this is a good introduction to Zen, if you want to read about how Zen and Christianity can and cannot be reconciled, I recommend Thomas Merton or Alan Watts.

Great Book
Zen for Christians is a fantastic book for those wishing to learn more on the basics of zen meditation.This is a step by step guide to getting the most out of your meditation.I would recommend this book to any christian who is hesitant about the merger of another religion.It really is simply a christians guide to better meditation and not a guide to merge any religions. ... Read more

Product Description
There’s a secret to spiritual practice, and it’s surprisingly simple: learn to be present with attention. Do that, and the whole world becomes your teacher, you wake up to the sacredness of every aspect of existence, and compassion for others arises without even thinking about it. In Zen Heart, Bayda provides a wealth of practical advice for making difficult experiences a valued part of the path and for making mindfulness a daily habit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A clear path towards compassion
Zen Heart organizes and presents steps to mindfulness. It is not so much a how to book as it is a clear statement of an active path towards mindfulness. Bayda captures the heart of awareness and intention. I'm giving this book to a number of friends and family for Christmas. I find the book grounding and soothing as it brings me back to a consistent practice of mindfulness.

Letting the World Be Your Teacher
This delightful book by a San Diego-based teacher of Zen meditation emphasizes an important aspect of life that is not restricted to spiritual development. It is that we all need to be better at being present, but more than that, being present with attention. The idea is that if we fully embrace all the experiences that we encounter - even the painful ones - with clarity and objectivity, then they all become opportunities for learning and for growth. Although the concept is easy to understand, it is not necessarily easy to achieve. But as with so many things, regular practice helps enormously.

I am sure that the author is quite correct when he says that our natural drive to avoid pain can lead us to either deny or try to fix unpleasant experiences, rather than try to reside in the experience without attaching thoughts, emotions and judgments to them. Any experienced health care provider will have seen many people who have either stuffed unpleasant experiences or attempted to suppress them with medications, alcohol or other displacement activities. This is not a call for some kind of masochistic rumination on the hurts in our lives, but instead a practical way to uncouple them from the physical and emotional baggage that they can create if not dealt with. As an example he suggests that learning to "stay with" experiences and asking the simple question, "What is this?" can be transformative. Apart from the author's experience, there is now a body of empirical research to show that he is quite correct.

The book is well written, practical and insightful. It provides us with precise tools for dealing with daily life through mindfulness, and it includes terrific chapters on how to uncover some deeply held beliefs of which we might not even be aware. For example feelings of unworthiness, that may lead to blame, anger, shame and even depression. He shows how we can become more aware of some of the things that drive us, and how we can transform fear and anger.

As he says, "When we have emotional distress, we are usually caught in our own self-imposed prison wall of anger, fear and confusion, but when our self-imposed prison walls come down, all that remains is the connectedness that we are." I would add that Ezra has given us an important set of tools for helping us to unlock our Innate Freedom.

Although this book is written by a Zen teacher, there are a great many things in the book that will be of great value to people who follow any faith, or none at all.


Highly recommended.

Richard G. Petty, MD, author of Healing, Meaning and Purpose: The Magical Power of the Emerging Laws of Life

Capturing the Essence
Zen Heart by Ezra Bayda is the most comprehensive book on practice that I have come across. By giving an in depth explanation on how to work with what gets in the away of living an awake heart based life, "the me phase", how to develop and expand awareness, "the being awareness phase", and finally go beyond our usual conditioned based existence and enter into the heart, the "being kindness phase", Ezra has created a manual that covers all of the essential aspects of a complete spiritual practice. I have known and been a student of Ezra's for the past 15 years. I have seen the all-inclusive nature of his personal practice repeatedly over this time period. I have continually found his teachings to penetrate through the habitual self centered sleep of a conditioned based existence. In Zen Heart, Ezra clearly captures the essence of who he is and what he has to offer as a gifted Zen teacher. I believe that if a sincere student spends time with this book and applies the teachings it will be a jewel in facilitating the process of going from an "I-as-a-Me" based existence into an "I-as-Awareness" one.

Simple and Direct
I have had a long time sitting practice.What I appreciate about Ezra's book, Zen Heart, is his clarity of the direction of practice - to see more clearly and being present.He points out where we can get caught in self cherishing thoughts,and how to loosen up that which binds and blinds us while keeping the heart open with kindness.

ZEN HEART GOES RIGHT TO THE HEART OF PRACTICE
THIS BOOK PROVIDES AN UNUSUAL MIX OF PRACTICE TOOLS AND INSPIRATION. EZRA BAYDA ENCOURAGES US TO KEEP WORKING TO OUR INDIVIDUAL POTENTAL BREATH BY BREATH.HE DOESN'T MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF ASPIRATION REQUIRED TO BRING AWARENESS TO EACH MOMENT, NOR DOES HE MINIMIZE OUR OWN UNIQUE POTENTIAL TO LIVE WITH AN OPEN HEART.THIS BOOK IS LAYED OUT IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS US TO TAKE ON THE WORK WITH CLEAR GUIDANCE ON HOW TO STRETCH OURSELVES A BIT MORE IN EVERY DAY TO SEE WITH MORE CLARITY WHAT WE ARE UP TO! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Feminist theory, not history
Someone just mentioned this book as a potential book to read in my Zen community. This is what I posted in response:

"I actually had problems with that book, to the point I had to just stop reading it. In my opinion, the author has a clear agenda and I disliked her constant dismissing of the stories of female teachers in the lineage as being too masculinized. I thought it belittled and did a disservice to what few women teachers in Zen history that we have stories about. As a woman who enjoys being female yet who is drawn to things or acting in ways that our culture stereotypes as male or masculine, I don't think that I am somehow not an authentic female because of it. I respect and admire the stories of the tough Zen women and "iron maidens" that have gotten passed down through the generations. While some of the author's research was compelling, it was lost in the constant criticism of these stories as not truly representing women. I, for one, relate to these stories! But by the author's account I don't really count as a real woman so that doesn't matter.

So I consider "Zen Women" to be more of a feminist polemic... more fit for a Women's Studies class about theories of gender constructions in narrative histories... than any sort of record or reverential account of our female Zen ancestors. I sort of like to imagine one of these "iron maidens" whacking Grace Schireson over the head with a kyosaku.

I far prefer Sallie Tisdale's book Women of the Way as a record of women's stories in the lineage. It includes early Indian Buddhist women ancestors but also includes many Chan and Zen female ancestors... without the annoying critical interpolations that bog down Zen Women."

So keep in mind what you're getting when you buy this book. If you want to be inspired by stories of female Zen ancestors, you may be disappointed, as I was. The author has no more respect for these women than the patriarchs who ignored and neglected their stories.

Insightful and answers many questions
Buddhism is, much like many world religions, male dominated. "Zen Women: Beyond Tea Ladies, Iron Maidens, and Macho masters" is an exploration of women in regards to the Buddhist faith. From early women who embraced Buddhism and how their adherence differed from the men, the early nuns of Buddhism, and how the women of today follow the faith, "Zen Women" is insightful and answers many questions, a top pick for any woman with an interest in Buddhism, or anyone with a general interest in the philosophy.

Changes more than just our view of history
Grace's work "Zen Women" is a very rich exploration of what women bring to - and take from - Zen Buddhist practice. Its stories and histories provoked several weeks of enthusiastic, engaged discussion from even the quietest readers in our Zendo's book club. Whatever combination of religious study, Zen practice, and interest in women's issues brings you to this book, the reading (and, if fortunate, discussion) of it will reward you.

In specific - This text includes lives of active & engaged compassion as part of Buddhist practice. A surprising side-effect for our Zendo was inspiration of organized charitable work as a natural outgrowth of practice. This will linger with us as a book that changed us for the better.

We need this history
I'm grateful to Grace Schireson for providing us with a much needed history of women in Zen. As a woman, mother, Zen teacher, psychologist, she brings a broad understanding to the neglected history of women in Zen, and how family life has been part of women's practice. I particularly appreciated the stories of specific women, like Rengetsu, the 19th-Century Japanese woman who became a Buddhist nun after her husband and children died, and who later supported herself selling pottery. Her celebrated and beautiful teapots were infused with her grief. In the same way, says Schireson, Zen women's practice has been deepened by their heartfelt connections to loved ones.

Fantastic!
An amazing book which chronicles the historical treatment of women in Zen. Time and again as we read this, the thought kept coming up - why haven't we ever heard these stories before!? Zen's history (and buddhism in general) is dominated by a male viewpoint and this text makes the stories of women masters and practitioners accessible in a way I haven't seen before.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to any student of Zen. It's informative and quite well written. ... Read more

Product Description
A Zen Center weekend in a book! The delightfully contemporary teacher and bestselling author of Everyday Zen shows how to make living itself a spiritual practice and how to discover that the extraordinary is really "nothing special." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Very pretty first chapter.
Very pretty first chapter, but becomes dryer afterward.Very gentle presentation.Each chapter is apparently a separate lesson, most of which are similar to a number of psychology tracts I've read.The ideas it presents are nicely compartmentalized for periodic one-subject-at-a-time reading.It did not read very well when I tried to just plow through it from cover to cover like I usually do for most books.It has been sort of organized on specific themes in each section, but sometimes it's hard to tell why some chapters were grouped together.Good use of analogy for the most part, but the analogies in some chapters are a bit strained, impairing understand more than helping.

Don't let the title fool you; this book is very sepcial
This is the first book of Beck's that I read; it was excellent, perhaps the best I have read about Zen. Beck is one tough old lady with a no nonsense approach to Zen practice. I highly recommend this book to anyone--veteran or beginner. What I especially like about Beck's approach is how she demystifies Zen. Zen isn't about some lofty bliss state; it's about being right here right now. Her practice forces us to confront and then accept the hardest koans of all--life koans from our everyday experiences. Anger, frustration, grief, these are materials of Beck's Ordinary Mind Zen. I loved it!

first few chapters are bitchin
great gift book
pass it along!
if you're stagnating or wrapped up in your cocoon of pain, this book may help.
but maybe not.
and you know that.
but you keep reading books anyway.

Very useful book
I read this book more than a couple of years ago, but I still feel that I benefit from what I learned from it. It really increased my mindfulness and awareness of my own thoughts and behavior. I think that the benefits I got from the book have led me to a better place. I highly recommend it both for disciplined meditators and those who currently are neither disciplined nor meditators :)

Pretty darn special
When I purchased this book online about a year ago, I had no idea what a gift it would be. I was curious about Zen, but hadn't incorporated it into my life quite yet. I read pieces of the book here and there, and I soon realized there was something really incredible about it. It seemed like no matter what I was going through in life, reading only a few pages would "speak" to me incredibly. It feels like this book was written just for me, and I believe that chances are you will feel the same way when you read it for yourself. The book is so excellent that I decided to purchase it for my friend. Finally today I have finished this book, and I can't wait to read it again.

This book is very down to earth. Compassionate, but brutally honest. If you will open your mind and heart, this book will guide you in transforming your "small mind" into "big mind." I would say this book is equivalent to a Christian devotional. Definitely won't hurt to read one short chapter everyday. This book will continue giving, and perhaps you will too. :) ... Read more

Product Description
In No Beginning, No End, Zen master Jakusho Kwong-roshi shows us how to treasure the ordinary activities of our daily lives through an understanding of simple Buddhist practices and ideas. The author’s spontaneous, poetic, and pragmatic teachings—so reminiscent of his spiritual predecessor Shunryu Suzuki (Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind)—transport us on an exciting journey into the very heart of Zen and its meaningful traditions. Because Kwong-roshi can transmit the most intimate thing in the most accessible way, we learn how to ignite our own vitality, wisdom, and compassion and awaken a feeling of intimacy with the world. It is like having a conversation with our deepest and wisest self.

Jakusho Kwong-roshi was originally inspired to study Zen because of zenga, the ancient art of Zen calligraphy. Throughout this book he combines examples of his own unique style of calligraphy, with less-known stories from the Zen tradition, personal anecdotes—including moving and humorous stories of his training with Suzuki-roshi—and his own lucid and inspiring teachings. All of this comes together to create an intimate expression of the enlightening world of Zen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Fast Delivery and great product for being used.
This book came in a timely manner, had no sign of being used.It was a hard cover, which I didnt expect (BONUS) but didnt have the paper cover.

Great job!!

Excellent Book
I was real happy with this book and had a lot of "Ah-ha!" moments. I liked it so much I want to go to Sonoma Mountain and become a monk. I think it's great for anyone who wants to learn about Zen.

Wonderful!
I am so happy with the book that I received!It is out of print right now and has been very hard to find.The price that I paid was great, even cheaper then if it was in the store!I figured it would have some flaws, but when I received it in the mail it was in mint condition.I could not be happier with this purchase and recommend this supplier to anyone.

Rich, deep and authentic.
It's been a while since I first read the book, but looking back I can remember feeling how rich it was. I don't feel most books...but Roshi's teaching really touched me and seemed alive. I highly suggest that you read this book and if you like it you will probably love his audio series Breath Sweeps Mind...which I've listened to almost half a dozen times...it's fantastic.

If you ever find yourself around Northern California, do yourself a favor and visit the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center, it's a wonderful place to spend a day.

A Path With Heart
This warm little book by Jakusho Kwong-roshi of the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center is comprised of insightful, touching, affectionate and almost invariably humorous teisho collected by Kwong-roshi's students throughout the years.

Kwong, a disciple of Shunryu Suzuki (Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind) takes his master's teachings one (or more) steps beyond in NO BEGINNING, NO END. Each short essay is a lovely prose-poem.

The reader knows, just from perusing ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND that Suzuki was a truly enlightened master---so with Kwong. This book is greatly recommended just for its air of gentle bemusement, which is, after all, the intimate heart of Zen by definition. ... Read more

Product Description
Zen and the Art of Sleep offers a surprising discovery for insomniacs. The problem isn't sleep. The problem is trying to capture and control sleep. Readers new to Zen Buddhism are gently guided down this reflective path. Along the way, emotional baggage and misguided endeavors that feed insomnia fade away. Each chapter builds upon previous insights and ends with Zen Practice exercises that reveal awake and asleep to be part of the same moving stream. Unblocking that flow allows the inevitable bedtime moment of drowsiness, a moment not so different from any other, to proceed naturally and without effort. Illustrated by Zen artist Andy Lee. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Truly Understanding Sleep
So you have tried everything and can't seem to get to sleep.This book will change the way you approach sleep and that, in turn, will change your life.

Novel approach that will be useful for many.
I noticed early that telling people, "Try to sleep" caused a dramatic increase in measured muscle tension, preventing sleep."Trying" interferes with much we'd like to do. The author gently guides readers toward an understanding of oriental philosophy and his related approach to sleep.I'm pleased to see that the book was enjoyed and found useful by a physician well trained in more standard approaches.Those who aren't familiar with those approaches (which he lists) might benefit by also reading the Harvard book on sleep or one of the early books by Peter Hauri.Those with all that knowledge, and more, will still benefit from reading this slim, gentle book as it destroys some dominant, but false assumptions of our culture. Peter also observed the effect of telling people to "try" and developed a way around it, becoming a "personal researcher."My own book uses another method, refined by twenty years experience with patients and also suited to those who are excessively sleepy, such as narcoleptics.Book samples are available for review and comment.

A new approach to a cure for insomnia
Sleep, despite being something that so many do without effort, is something that eludes so many as well. "Zen and the Art of Sleep" is a guide to attaining a better night's sleep through the principles of Zen Buddhism. Stating that sleep is not something that can be controlled and as soon as one stops trying to do so, sleep should come much easier into their lives. A new approach to a cure for insomnia, "Zen and the Art of Sleep" is something to be considered.

Truly useful "compass" for the insomniac
This is a welcomed book for the insomniac, as well as for any one with an interest in sleep.I practiced "traditional" Sleep Medicine for 20 yrs (now retired), and recognize the need for more options to help people sleep.Inspite of knowing little about Zen, I found this book was quite readable and easy to follow.
The author suffered with insomnia for years, and pursued the traditional modalities and approaches with little success.He then took "up Zen" and found it useful in resolving his insomnia!Although the mention in the book that thinking itself interferes with sleep is well known, most of the approach to sleep and sleeplessness discussed is not something found in the Western-tradional Sleep Medicine or psychology literature."A Zen approach is about experiencing reality free from any distortions," "Zen is about removing all manner of interpretation in order to replace concepts with direct experience" and finally, "there is no right way: there is only how things are, which can rarely if ever be captured by a set of beliefs" sums up the points Mr. Chiles makes that I found most useful in differentiating his approach to the techniques I practiced for years with varying success (cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, relaxation methods).It would be confusing, and a disservice for me to try and further discuss what I "learned" from this book.Suffice to say that I have actually followed what is suggested and found it simple, highly useful, and effective, in helping with my occasssioanl bad night of sleep! Also, I would highly recommend this book to my patients if I were still practicing Sleep Medicine.
"Zen and the Art of Sleep is like a compass" (pg 20), I agree; this book is a very useful guide to help everyone sleep well.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Simple Zen
A wonderful book for someone who is confused about Zen and all it's hard to decipher mysterious meanings. Robert Linssen's unequivocal undertanding of Zen is well articulated in this book in an easy to digest format that is clear enough for any regular Joe to appreciate.

Best book on the subject and life-changing for me...
First read this book in 1976 and am still reading it.

Because I come from an Ivy League intellectual background I have found that the intellectual approach to Zen worked best for me.

When I first read it, almost 30 years ago, I had a major spiritual awakening. I "got it" while reading this book, in a moment I will never forget.

Now I read it from time to time just to enjoy it.

If you are an educated Westerner this is the best source of Zen for you. Read this book.

The best book on Zen I ever read
This is the most helpful, complete, and well-written book on Zen I have ever read. I first read it a couple of months ago, and I continually return to it to re-read chapters, gaining deeper levels of understanding.

A jewel in my life
Living Zen lives up to its title- a book 'alive' with 'presence and soul'.I would highly recommend this book to anyone curious to go beyond any particular religion or system.Linssen's ideas are not a nebulous form ofzen 'instruction'but rather a concrete expression of the connectionbetween physics, science, psychology, biology. This book is the most'complete' book I have ever read.

A jewel in my life
Living Zen lives up to its title- a book 'alive' with 'presence and soul'.I would highly recommend this book to anyone curious to go beyond any particular religion or system.Linssen's ideas are not a nebulous form ofzen 'instruction'but rather a concrete expression of the connectionbetween physics, science, psychology, biology. This book is the most'complete' book I have ever read. ... Read more

Product Description
All that I am, I am because of my mind.
~ Paavo Nurmi, Olympic runner with nine gold medals in track & field

All runners strive to get in the ?zone,? but here they?ll learn to enter the ZEN ?zone?! By adopting Buddha?s mindful approach, you will discover you can run longer, faster, and harder. This book shows how to align body and mind for success on?and off?the track! Iron Man triathlete and philosophy professor Larry Shapiro coaches you to:

• Walk the talk: Get out and run
• Practice mindfulness: Train harder
• Visualize success: Race the Zen way
• Accept and let go: Cope peacefully with injuries and aging

Customer Reviews (3)

Zen and the Art of Running: The Path to Making Peace with Your Pace
//Zen and the Art of Running// is for new and veteran runners who embrace running as more than a hobby or fitness mechanism. Shapiro focuses on gradual changes in thinking rather than reliance on willpower alone. He encourages the identification of attachments people often apply to their beliefs and desires. For instance, rain and cold are not bad or evil, yet many runners attach the idea that rain and cold are bad and should always be avoided. Attachments should not run your life, pardon the pun. Shapiro applies Zen philosophy to help us see negative emotions we tend to blame on external events. The stress that running can place on relationships is examined with balanced perspectives. This reviewer found the most beneficial teaching to be that of finding the Middle Way, which is avoiding extremes because the mind and body do not perform at their best in extremes. Shapiro applies Zen to the various training regimens runners use to prepare for races. His expertise in running culture is evident. Shapiro does not claim that Zen offers miracles and he approaches injuries and aging from a pragmatic perspective. A little dry at times, but a worthy read.

Reviewed by Grady Jones

Run Out and Grab a Copy!
The author's discussion of mindfulness is one of the clearest explanations I've ever seen in any yoga or philosophy book I've encountered. I am not actually a runner, but his thoughts on dealing with adverse conditions such as rain apply to any adversity in life (try the new approach that rain is just rain, not good, not bad, just rain). Runners, of course, will find this book most useful, but readers who practice any sport or hobby will benefit greatly from the author's well written, clearcut advice.

Insightful and fun to read
If you are contemplating adding running to your life or if you are an experienced runner, this book has a lot to offer to provide motivation and enrich the experience.The insights and suggested activities apply directly to running and carry over to life.This isn't a book about "easy" paths to running or ways to make life less complicated, rather it explains the value of training and discipline from a refreshing Zen perspective.Larry Shapiro's writing style is light, humorous and direct. The examples are practical and easy to follow.Your approach to running will likely change after reading this book. It's a great gift for runners of all levels, and those that meditate or practice yoga and have an interest in running. ... Read more

Product Description
When Shunryu Suzuki Roshi's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind was published in 1972, it was enthusiastically embraced by Westerners eager for spiritual insight and knowledge of Zen. The book became the most successful treatise on Buddhism in English, selling more than one million copies to date. Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness is the first follow-up volume to Suzuki Roshi's important work. Like Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, it is a collection of lectures that reveal the insight, humor, and intimacy with Zen that made Suzuki Roshi so influential as a teacher.

The SandokaiÑa poem by the eighth-century Zen master Sekito Kisen (Ch. Shitou Xiqian)Ñis the subject of these lectures. Given in 1970 at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, the lectures are an example of a Zen teacher in his prime elucidating a venerated, ancient, and difficult work to his Western students. The poem addresses the question of how the oneness of things and the multiplicity of things coexist (or, as Suzuki Roshi expresses it, "things-as-it-is"). Included with the lectures are his students' questions and his direct answers to them, along with a meditation instruction. Suzuki Roshi's teachings are valuable not only for those with a general interest in Buddhism but also for students of Zen practice wanting an example of how a modern master in the Japanese Soto Zen tradition understands this core text today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Best Suzuki book yet!
Having read "Zen Mind..." and "Not Always So", I wanted more.This book is AWESOME delivering more of his wonderful teaching and interpreting the Sandokai!I LOVE THIS BOOK!

Great book but sophisticated
This was a great, well written, sophisticated book on Zen that has made a difference in my life.It is based on the "Sandokai" -- a poem orginally written by the 8th century chinese Zen master Sekito. But, although it is "written" by a Japanese monk talking of traditional teachings, it is highly readable and understandable.In addition, and most importantly, it speaks to the heart and the core of Zen.

However, it is probably not a for novice reader:"Zen Mind, Begginner's Mind", and "Not Always So" are excellent prerequsisites to this book.Although it is understandable, the ideas and teachings are rather advanced.The intro mentions that these teachings on the Sandokai are often the last that a Dharma teacher will undertake in his lifetime -- and this series of lectures was Suzuki's take on it shortly before he passed away.

It took me an entire summer to read -- and I would frequently have to read a chapter 3 or 4 times before I felt that I had absorbed the trur meaning of what he was trying to say.That is, the teachings it presents can be absorbed on many different levels from superficial to very deep.It is up to the reader how deep they are willing and able to go...

Teaching What Cannot Be Taught
This is a collection of talks about the Sandokai, an ancient Chinese poem that is regularly chanted in Zen circles.The poem itself is quite obscure when you first read it and the talks are similarly obscure at first.The rational mind finds it difficult to understand how you can, to take one of his examples, kill earwigs without violating the Buddhist precept against killing.Shunryu Suzuki uses such examples to try to help us move past our usual dualistic thinking.

And, somehow, it works.By the end of the book when the poem is repeated in Suzuki's translation, it makes sense.He has successfully lead us into a place of darkness, that is a place beyond intellectual understanding.

A book to be read slowly, in small doses, and to be contemplated, rather than analyzed and thought about.

I'm a northerner who prefers the southern school...
This is Shunryu Suzuki's commentary on the Sandokai. The Sandokai is a poem by Zen master Sekito Kisen on the inseparability of the relative and the absolute.

You will find this poem in many Zen and Buddhism books. I checked out 10 or 11 books from the library, and this poem was in... I think it was 4 of them. So it wouldnt be very hard to compare the different translations of the peom if one wished. They differ quite a bit. Although the core meaning is always the same.

This poem was written in response to the disagreement between the northern (more hinayana/gradual) and southern (more mahayana/instant) schools that started to distance themselve in the 7th century. Actually it started long before that and continues to this day. Also, the one school, by very nature contains the "other school." So while more and more people were sticking to one side or the other, the absolute teachings of Zen were suffering from this ignorance. Thats where the illuminating rays of Sekito Kisen's wisdom--in the form of the Sandokai--illuminate and expose a dualistic view that so easily creeps into Zen practice and jeopardizes it. Sekito shines his wisdom upon not just the troubles of the northern and southern schools, but on the perils of sticking to dualistic views in and of themselves.

While the actual poem is only a couple pages. It is powerful and very important to all of Buddhism. Suzuki gives a valuable commentary that takes the poem line for line. Each chapter takes 4, 5 or 6 lines of the poem. Suzuki explains and adds his own words of wisdom, experiences and views wich brings out the profound nature of these verses that might otherwise be to deep for most people. You cand read a line and think "yeah I see the meaning of that." Then Suzuki hits it from many angles and tells you not to stick to any point-of-view. Leaving you exposed to the futility of your quick tendency to grasp at things. You can tell Suzuki's understanding of this teaching comes from living experience.

While this book is full of valuable teachings, it suffers at times from being takin from lectures. I know Zen Mind, and Not Always So are also takin from lectures. But this being a commentary on a single poem and not just various lectures put together make it all the more noticeable.

Without the true voice (Suzuki Roshi) of this book around to help, the editors had to take the lectures and prune and shape them into this piece of literature. Editing plays a major role in making all the chapters cohesive. Resulting in a feeling at times of maybe losing some meaning and/or accent. But this isnt a major issue. Just worth noting. Otherwise this is a well presented book. The wisdom found here will be appreciated regardless of any difficulties inherent in a project of this nature.

The Sandokai has meaning far beyond the words used to write it. Suzuki Roshi gives us some very valuable commentary on this meaning "behind the words." If you are intersted in Zen, the Sandokai, or Suzuki Roshi you should read this book. If not, read it anyway.

Getting the Spirit of the Sandokai
To get a glimpse of Shunru through this text is very gratifying. He deftly communicates the paradoxical aspects of ji-the apparent-and ri-the unseen. The text takes the reader through subtle aspects of zen thinking mind, but without being overly analytical. When he hears himself getting too conceptual, he pulls away with humor and a very special humanness that communicates beyond words, which is actually the context of the Sandokai! I enjoy picking up Branching Streams and reading it for clarity and inspiration every day, and you will too. ... Read more

Product Description
The zen mind is the beginner’s mind, which sees everything as if for the first time. It is in this zen mind that realization comes. People sit for many years in meditation to find that suddenly in hearing something again for the first time, they’re lifted to a state of understanding that’s far beyond anything they’ve ever experienced.

This is why the sayings in this book were written. They’re not meant to teach, but rather to remind you of things you already know. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Zen Book
Soothing. Relaxing. Inspiring. Thought provoking in a way that takes us out of our daily rut to another level. I like to keep it on the bedside table to read and mull over to help me transition from a stressful day to peaceful sleep.

The Zen Book
I loved this book so much that I bought 20 more to give out as gifts.This book will help in so many ways.An inspirational book that I recommend you read a portion every day when you awake or go to bed.

Nice
My introduction to zen through this book was wonderful. I always like small stories rather than couple of pages to get the idea. It made me to think more to understand the impact of a story. It was a very good discipline and this books is really good to get the idea fast and use your thoughts later to improve it.

The ZEN Book
A list of short writings that are easily used during meditation.Very thought provoking.If you are struggling with keeping positive and growth thinking, then I highly recommend this book.

Simple Good Feeling Book
This book is perfect if you just need a pick me up. There are beautiful images and thought provoking stories. This isn't a deep and intellectual look into Zen Buddhism at all. It is a wonderful and uplifting book though. It's a thick book that reads fast, which is good, because you will want to read it again and again. ... Read more