Best zen spirituality books according to redditors
We found 303 Reddit comments discussing the best zen spirituality books. We ranked the 103 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 303 Reddit comments discussing the best zen spirituality books. We ranked the 103 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
In The Diamond Sutra: The Pefection of Wisdom, Red Pine (Bill Porter) translated each chapter, provided his own commentary, and quoted other commentaries.
Chapter 12: ... wherever but one four-line gatha of this dharma teaching is spoken or explained, that place is like a stupa in the world of devas, humans, and asuras.
[Red Pine:] This teaching is the true body of the Buddha, and wherever even a single gatha of this teaching is spoken or explained that place shall be venerated as if it contained the relics of a buddha. In fact, these words do contain the relics of a buddha.
---
Chapter 15: ... Moreover, Subhuti, wherever this sutra is explained, that place shall be honored. Whether in the realm of devas, humans, or asuras, that place shall be honored with prostrations and circumambulations. That place shall be like a stupa.
[Red Pine:] Much of this last section repeats what is said in Chapter Twelve, where the Buddha says that any place a gatha from this sutra is recited is like a relic stupa that contains the remains of a buddha. Hence, it is honored by those beings capable of understanding its significance: devas, humans, and asuras.... Once again, the Buddha reminds us that this teaching does not come from buddhas, rather buddhas come from this teaching. For this teaching is the diamond body, the dharma-kaya, the body of truth, which buddhas realize and teach to others.
... Asanga says, “Those who uphold this teaching sanctify the place it’s found, break though all obstructions, reach all knowledge quickly.” Vasubandhu comments, “Those who uphold this teaching ‘wear enlightenment upon their shoulders.’ Hence, wherever they are that place is honored with incense and flowers.”
Oh, no need to apologize anyway. There's just a lot of... backstory.
You'll need to couple source material like the below with the above historical scholarship if you want to come to a full understanding.
As for some primary sources:
Tang dynasty teachers who were students of Mazu (one of the most influential Zen teachers ever)
Dazhu (although, relevant)
Huangbo
Baizhang (this text is prohibitively expensive on Amazon, so look in local libraries.)
Song dynasty teachers
Yuanwu (1, 2)
Hongzhi (1, 2) (note, take Taigen dan Leighton's introduction to Cultivating the Empty Field with a grain of salt, as he's a shitty scholar. He basically just misrepresents Hongzhi and Dahui's relationship. See Schlutter's How Zen Became Zen for more details.)
Song dynasty kanhua Chan teachers (kanhua is the main approach to Zen in both Rinzai and Seon)
Dahui (Yuanwu's student)
Wumen
A Japanese Zen teacher
Bankei (1, 2)
A Korean Zen teacher
Daehaeng (1, 2, 3)
___
Note that this leaves out huge swathes of the literature, including all of the literature associated with the East Mountain teaching, the Northern school, the Oxhead school, Soto, most of Rinzai, Obaku, most of Seon, etc. Of course, some people with more fixed and essentialist ideas of what "Zen" is object to the idea that some of these other schools/lineages are actually "Zen". Use your own head. (I'm not saying they're necessarily wrong; I'm just saying that once you feel comfortable with the basics, start to think critically about Zen and your own study of it, including e.g. how you would decide which teachings to follow, and why.)
There's no roster of "Zen masters^TM " anywhere, so the above is a bit of a random mix of my own choosing.
While reading, note what people say and ask yourself questions -- where do they agree? Where do they disagree? If they disagree, should that be reconciled or not, and why?
Some more pointed questions to ask for each book: What can one do to reach awakening? What ways to reach awakening are preferred over others? What practices and doctrines are criticized? Is there any cultivation necessary at any point along the path? If yes, what is to be cultivated? If the teacher is talking about the teachings of earlier masters, are those teachers being represented accurately, or are extrinsic frameworks being laid onto them to fit the later teacher's presentation of Zen? If you had to sum up the teacher's teaching in a slogan, what would it be?
Really, the main thing is that you can think critically about what you're reading, but the above reading list and approach would give you a really solid foundation for the things people tend to talk about on this forum.
🙏
>Thanks for sharing your wisdom
You as well.
By the way, perhaps you may find benefit in learning the word kenshō, and as one last suggestion, perhaps you might enjoy someone like Huangbo, perhaps something like this.
Whereas this sub might perhaps tend towards a sort of rational, perhaps masculine, analysis based approach, some of the Zen adepts such as Huangbo might tend towards a more ... poetic or heart based, pithy approach, and maybe you would delight in it, if you’re inclined to check it out.
If you’re put off by too much dogma, he might be perfect ;)
Best wishes, as always.
Ewk mixes legitimate Zen content with his own personal opinions without seeming to do so. He gives his opinion left and right while criticizing everyone else as if he were the ultimate authority on "what is zen and what is not, what you ought and ought not to do".
Ewk, in that sense, is nothing more than a wannabe cult leader stealing the voice of dead guys to pass off his opinions to the rubes coming here for Zen and seeking a figure of authority. To him, everybody that disagrees does so in bad faith, knowing they're lying.
Furthermore, ewk cannot make the distinction between religious worship, prayer and meditation.
Most of Ewk's comments go this way:
His attitude in his own words
> It is also interesting to note that [Alan Watts'] understanding evolves over the course of his life which is another tribute to his honesty. Not many people revisit their old conclusions, let alone their old works of nonfiction, and publicly declare their error. It is unlikely that I will, for example.
(From his book)
> I've been...serving smackdowns on this forum for five years", "I wanted to fight everybody about everything and so I did. I usually won. I have a gift inherited from my maternal grandfather through my mother for character assassination," "You do however give me lots of opportunities to show how tough and rapier witted I am
Some quotes
> Alt_troll claims he has a point... can't make the claim in an AMA though.
> Next up: Religious troll quotes single line from Huckleberry Finn, insists Twain supported slavery.
> You aren't a "Zen practitioner". You are a Dogen Buddhist. You've been a Dogen Buddhist since day one. You just haven't been honest about it.
> Pwning religious trolls in this forum for the last six years.
> Religious troll still super upset that ewk pwnd him out of business.
> Try /r/stoners. I think your observations might sound more accurate over there.
> The OP uses alt accounts because he doesn't have the courage to AMA. The OP doesn't have the courage to AMA because he knows his beliefs aren't anything to do with Zen.
> Temicco frequently lies, omits facts, and refuses to address Zen teachings that contradict his claims about Zen teachings.
(All from last week)
Ewk is just a glorified internet troll and a bully, that somehow managed to seem mystical to newcomers on this forum.
Top review of his book on amazon
> The author's flawed premise is that Bodhidharma, the Buddhist monk who is considered the father of Zen, was NOT actually a Buddhist. This astounding claim is not based on some newly discovered biography of Bodhidharma or diligent, exhaustive, original scholarship; rather, the author just decided it himself. Of course, even the most cursory examination of Bodhidharma's teachings would reveal that Bodhidharma (the First Patriarch of Zen) instructed Huike (his successor and the Second Patriarch of Zen) that he could rely solely upon the Lankavatara Sutra to gain enlightenment. This seems like an odd thing to do for someone who - the author claims - was not spreading the dharma (the instructions of the Buddha) since the Lankavatara is a major text of Mahayana Buddhism, which summarizes all the major points of Mahayana doctrine, and which, as a direct result of Bodhidharma's teaching is a seminal text of Zen Buddhism. The author fails to explain how this could have come to be, or address the matter at all, since he is obviously completely unaware of Bodhidharma's actual teachings or writings. Such writings include Bodhidharma's most famous work, his treatise on the "Two Entrances and Four Practices", which is largely a collection of advice on meditation techniques. The depth of the author's ignorance is further revealed by his remarkable assertion that Bodhidharma did not meditate. What Bodhidharma was doing silently gazing at a cave wall for nine years, the author does not tell us. He does tell us that meditation is not Zen, deliberately oblivious to the etymology of the term itself. The author's many untenable claims clearly stem from his lack of study, as he repeatedly admits that he actually hasn't studied much, and his citations consist only of links to videos on youtube and scant online sources. Notably, the author lambastes the inconvenience of "authority".
His main criticism of Buddhism generally, and Zen Buddhism in particular, is his belief that they are "dogmatic". By dogmatic the author must mean that Buddhists take it seriously when people try to mold the Buddha's profound and exhaustive teachings into their own pet views, as this author has done with his "zen" revolution. He is ignorant of even the most fundamental tenants of Buddhism, including the FIRST Noble Truth (Right View), which not only prohibits dogma, but even attachment to "correct" views, in favor of a detached form of cognition. The profound nature of this teaching is hopelessly lost on the author, who is too caught up in expounding his own dogma of nonsense in order to inflate his own sense of self -- an effort completely at odds with everything Buddhism teaches.
Bullshit asymetry principle
Read Huangbo. Approach him like a house on fire.
https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Huang-Po-Transmission/dp/0802150926
I have found meditation to be extremely helpful, but I don't schedule it or anything. I use it to get in touch with how I'm feeling. The best way is with some chill music, and a quiet environment.
This book helped me a lot:
http://www.amazon.com/Buddha-Blue-Jeans-Extremely-Sitting-ebook/dp/B005ZZ2T2C
Ever read Joshu or Huangbo?
I only suggest those because I'm reading Joshu again right now, and Huangbo is a BAD MOTHERFUCKER.
https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Huang-Po-Transmission/dp/0802150926
https://www.amazon.com/Recorded-Sayings-Zen-Master-Joshu/dp/157062870X
Pretty much sums up what we should be aiming for. I first heard this one in Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.
>What is meditation?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation
My point is there is no single definition. You have to ask the question in the context of something.
>What does Shakyamuni has to say about it?
I don't think the word "meditation" existed in his time. You'd have to use something more specific.
>What does Bodhidharma has to say about it?
>>MANY roads lead to the Path 1, but basically there are only two: reason and practice. To enter by reason means to realize the essence through instruction and to believe that all living things share the same true nature, which isn’t apparent because it’s shrouded by sensation and delusion. Those who turn from delusion back to reality, who meditate on walls 2, the absence of self and other, the oneness of mortal and sage, and who remain unmoved even by scriptures are in complete and unspoken agreement with reason. Without moving, without effort, they enter, we say, by reason.
>>Footnote 2: Walls. After he arrived in China, Bodhidharma spent nine years in meditation facing the rock wall of a cave near Shaolin Temple. Bodhidharma’s walls of emptiness connect all opposites, including self and other, mortal and sage.
Outline of Practice, from The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, This appears to be the only text that scholars agree is likely from Bodhidharma and this is the only section in the text that uses "meditation" or "meditate". There are three additional texts in the book, some of which include "meditate" or "meditation", but scholars think they were likely written posthumously and attributed to him later.
>What later zen masters have to say about it?
Depends on who you include in your list of "Zen masters". Depending on how broad or narrow you make your list it could range from meditation is the only way to get enlightened all the way to meditation might hinder your ability to becoming enlightened (or perhaps make it impossible), and anything in between. Or even something outside of that scope.
>What do you have to say about it. Do you practise it? How you do it?
Meditation seems to be a critical component to integrating any kind of "enlightenment experience" into life in the "real world", but that statement also depends of your view of "enlightenment experiences" or your experience with "enlightenment experiences".
Yes, I do practice.
I sit in half/full lotus on a meditation cushion with a meditation mat underneath. Both knees touching the mat for stability. I close my eyes and sit there. Sometimes for a minute. Sometimes for an hour.
I do not believe meditation is a requirement for "enlightenment" nor do I believe regular meditation is a requirement for maintaining one's "enlightened state". That said, the odds seem to be stacked towards meditation being useful for "enlightenment" as well as being useful for maintaining an "enlightened state".
Everyone has to figure out what works for them.
explaining zen to a 5 year old could prove tough... explaining zen to a 9 month old, however, would be a piece of cake.
edit: also, http://www.amazon.com/What-Is-Zen-Alan-Watts/dp/1577311671
and, http://www.selfdefinition.org/zen/Alan%20Watts%20-%201957%20-%20The%20Way%20of%20Zen.pdf (you dirty pirate, you)
the dedication on that last one made me smile :)
getting into zen is like getting into western philosophy. just keep reading/practicing even if you don't understand and eventually things will start to click
Since you're embarking on a survey of religions, I recommend this:
First, read the first 5 books of the Old Testament in Bible - aka the Pentateuch - and if you can get a Jewish commentary on it, do so. They are their books, after all.
Then, read the first 5 books of the New Testament - the Gospels and Acts.
If you're still cooking at that point, then swing back and read Isiah (with Christian footnotes and commentary because this is where Jesus' coming is prophesied), then read Romans, because it's a good summation of Christian theology.
If you're still going after that, then read the rest of the OT and the NT.
Get a good translation - this is key. I prefer the Oxford Annotated NRSV. It'll have everything you need, except for the Jewish commentary on the OT. Consult a Rabbi about what would be best there.
In other recommendations, I suggest Introduction to Zen Buddhism by Daisetz T. Suzuki for Zen Buddhism. To me, it was the most clear attempt to describe it in a book.
Instant Zen.
The problem is that primary sources are almost invariably misunderstood or taken in a shallow perspective if one is not also receiving guidance and doing practice. When the teachings are put into perspective through direct experience, which happens through the correct application of effort and activity, then they can gradually be digested. But trying to get it from a book often enough has something of an opposite effect: the mind gets hung up on concepts and less able to perceive truth directly.
If you insist on reading, I implore you to avoid koan collections until you are actually trained in the practice and assigned the work by your teacher. Speculation about koans is the worst of the worst, a common hell-pit of Zen, which we see so often on these very forums. It not only creates a huge block for the one doing the speculating, it muddies the waters for countless others dipping their toes in. Speculation leads to false pride, posturing, and a house of cards that at some point will be torn down.
Two original texts that come to mind as basis for the study of Zen are The Zen Teaching Of Bodhidharma translated by Red Pine, and The Zen Teaching Of Huang Po translated by John Blofeld.
Bodhidharma was the First (Chinese) Patriarch of Zen. His teaching is quite foundational. The teaching of Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch, was quite formative and represented an evolution from Bodhidharma's view, but without commentary it tends to be less accessible than that of the later Master Huang Po. By Huang Po's time, Zen had already evolved a great deal, and had split into factions with their own perspectives, training, and method.
Note that the Huang Po translator, Blofeld, sometimes gets the concept wrong, because he himself hadn't achieved that depth of training and insight. The translation suffers from shallow view at times; but someone experienced in right practice can trace the words back to their original intent and make sense of the translation.
Other primary sources from the Golden Age Of Zen include the aforementioned Hui Neng, Pai Chang, Hui Hai, and Ta Hui. Very evolved teachings can be found with Chinul in Korea and, sometimes considered the peak, Dogen in Japan. Several others along the way left their distinctive mark, such as Hakuin.
To distinguish between the teachings and understand them in a way that is useful for practice and life, first, receiving teaching and making gradual progress in practice are essential; second, understanding the difference between the three types of Zen (Patriarchal/Ancestral, Doctrinal, and Tathagata) would be very helpful. This is where the western-white-people commentators come in, bridging the gap between a view that is by nature beyond words, and the mind of the common person seeking to understand -- including the rigid or naive conceptualization of those who haven't yet made much progress in practice.
Please take to heart that a minute of practice is better than ten hours of reading, and that "one time seeing is better than a thousand times hearing". We shake our heads at those who try to get something beyond words by pursuing words.
Be aware of r/Buddhism as a resource. I recommend avoiding r/zen, which has devolved into a shitty mire of confusion, speculation, and posturing.
I'm in a similar situation and after having looked around a bit I've put these two books on my Christmas list. (My family still celebrates the holiday and I look at it more as a time for giving and being with Family.)
If anyone here as any specific praise or criticism of either of these books as starters I would love to hear it. I'm also reading electronic copies of Mindfulness in Plain English and Zen and the Brain.
In order:
The first one is very neutral, and very good. In the other ones I assume that you have an inclination for Zen (which might or might not be the case).
If paying shipping doesn't bother you, check out used books on Amazon. Lots of people would rather pass a book along to the next reader than throw it away, and some people sell books just for the tiny profit they can make on Amazon's shipping fee, so there are a lot of used books that go for basically free + shipping. Here are some good deals:
Those aren't books of instruction, ewk. They are popular collections of certain people's enlightenment encounters.
Is Red Pine's translation of Bodhidharma not a direct teaching? Are letters of practice instructions from Foyan, Yuanwu, and Hongzhi not direct teachings? I suppose that Takuan Soho's instructions to Munenori on maintaining no-mind in daily life doesn't count either?
Why is it better for novices to dive deep into stories about Gutei's finger or think about whether the flag moves or not than it is to read directly from Huangpo? Isn't that like asking a baby to chew a piece of meat?
Book blurb from the Amazon listing:
>Buddhism is not Zen.
>Mindfulness is not Zen.
>Zazen meditation is not Zen.
>
>Zen is a name that began with Bodhidharma and includes the Zen Patriarchs of China and the Masters that followed him, such as Huang Po and Joshu and the others in the Mumonkan, and even Tung Shan. They taught no practices, no means and no attainment. As Joshu said, “We are all Patriarchs now that Bodhidharma has come.”
>
>The Zen conversation is characterized by several memes, one of which is the Four Statements of Zen. These memes have largely been abandoned by those who claim to be Zen Buddhists today. Other memes include Negation (no teaching, no attainment, no wisdom), Zen Dialogue or Dharma Combat, Conceptual Thought, and of course Sudden Enlightenment. The Sudden Enlightenment meme is one of the most ignored memes in Zen.
>
>The majority of those claiming to teach Zen Buddhism are preaching the Buddhist religion. They preach a path to inner peace, they preach mindfulness, and they put their faith in a practice called zazen sitting meditation. They claim this is Zen. What Zen Masters taught any of this?
>
>In contrast, even a brief review of the Zen Masters that we all agree are the beginning of the lineage, Huang Po, Joshu, Mumon, these old men teach no sitting meditation, no inner peace, and only a sudden enlightenment that does not rely on any means and cannot be attained through any effort.
>
>This book contrasts the writings of the old Zen Masters with those today who claim to be Zen Buddhists, but are not Zen.
Buddhist Polyamorist here, and you are using some of the principles in a way that is problematic.
You said ordination vows. Are you literally going to give up your entire life and become a Buddhist monk? If not, you are talking about refuge vows. Again, refuge vows do not have to do with taking on anyone else's suffering.
(Note: I visited the Wikipedia page on the Noble Eightfold Path to check what they were telling people and I'm pretty disappointed with their interpretation. Buddhism in practice is an oral tradition with no authoritative texts and is highly contextual. From that perspective, referencing historical records of early Buddhism as the source for for defining each of the spokes in the eightfold path is inaccurate. It's like saying that people in today's society still widely believes Thor and Odin as deities rather than as fictional characters.)
I'm going to go with that the others said about not having enough info to really give more tactical advice. I think I've touched on the Buddhist dharma here, but feel free to ask more questions and I'll try to get back to them.
Also, read the book I mentioned to get more clarity.
And here's an episode of my favorite podcast Poly in the Cities on Buddhism and Polyamory.
You can go to a buddhist community that has meditation as a practice and learn there. Also, there are a bunch of books that teach different kinds of meditations, and some of them go into detail on how to meditate. For instance, these ones:
[zen training] (https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Training-Philosophy-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1590302834/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535777895&sr=8-1&keywords=zen+training) , [the path to bodhidharma] (https://www.amazon.com/Path-Bodhidharma-Teachings-Library-Enlightenment/dp/0804832161/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535777933&sr=8-1&keywords=the+path+to+bodhidharma) , [everyday zen] (https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Zen-Love-Work-Plus/dp/0061285897/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535828798&sr=8-1&keywords=everyday+zen) , [nothing special] (https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Special-Charlotte-J-Beck/dp/0062511173/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535778035&sr=8-1&keywords=nothing+special) , [the three pillars of zen] (https://www.amazon.com/Three-Pillars-Zen-Teaching-Enlightenment/dp/0385260938/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536631531&sr=8-1&keywords=the+three+pillars+of+zen) and these ones which are free : [the 7th world of chan buddhism] (http://zbohy.zatma.org/common/downloads/SeventhWorldOfChanBuddhism.pdf) and [Mindfulness in Plain English] (http://www.vipassana.com/meditation/mindfulness_in_plain_english.php) all have instructions on how to do one or more types of meditations.
You can also find information on the web, like here: https://zmm.org/teachings-and-training/meditation-instructions/ and http://antaiji.org/archives/eng/okumura-zazen.shtml
Or on youtube, like here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLwVt6Wlqeg , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk7JRHNX19A , and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGzE6BQb1xY .
There's also the topics of recommended links and books of this subreddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Meditation/comments/2ixjf6/meddits_online_recommendations/ ; https://www.reddit.com/r/Meditation/comments/2ixjq7/meddits_book_recommendations/
This site has a bunch of information on how to do zazen: http://antaiji.org/en/新温泉町移住定住プロモーション-l-a-zenmonki-2/
And if you're looking for books with instructions on how to do zazen, there is:
https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Training-Philosophy-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1590302834/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=zen+training&qid=1549654890&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-Zen-Love-Work-Plus/dp/0061285897/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=charlotte+joko+beck&qid=1549654919&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Special-Charlotte-J-Beck/dp/0062511173/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=charlotte+joko+beck&qid=1549654919&sr=8-2
https://www.amazon.com/Path-Bodhidharma-Teachings-Library-Enlightenment/dp/0804832161/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=shodo+harada+roshi&qid=1549654938&sr=8-2
If you're doing zazen on your own, you don't have to necessarily do any kind of ritual before it, only if you choose to do so.
And just ignore the crazy people that compulsively post lies and bullshit on this subreddit.
Okay, I will tell you some things about me.
First, I ghosted everyone that knew me as a Blue Pill guy. Now, an inherent part of ghosting is being alone. When most people tell you they are independent, it's fucking bullshit. Emerson wrote a great deal on self-reliance.
Here is an essay by Emerson on the subject of self-reliance. It is both a great introduction to his views and how beautifully he writes.
http://www.emersoncentral.com/selfreliance.htm
Here is a collection of Emerson's essays. Ignore the 1 star review, which is for the Kindle version of the book, but heed it and buy the physical book instead of the Kindle version.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1598530844/
Emerson was friend and mentor to Thoreau, who wrote the following account of his two-year stay in a cabin near Walden Pond. One of Thoreau's goals was self-sufficiency.
http://www.amazon.com/Walden-A-Fully-Annotated-Edition/dp/0300104669
Here is some further reading.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0762415339/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1492777862/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0199291152/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0802150926/
You mention you are going to be a radiographer soon. Now, I have seen said on TRP that some here do not see the point in film, but I fucking love film. Now, there is one film in particular that I think relates to your situation incredibly. That is Ikiru by Akira Kurosawa.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikiru/
Ikiru is about a Japanese man who, near the end of his life, learns he has a terminal disease. He has, up to that point, wasted his whole life at his government job. Learning of his illness inspires in the main character a will to change, and seeing him undergo that inspires change in those around him. But, and this is another lesson to be learned from the film, we see that the main character's transformation has no lasting effect on those around him. Change has to come from within.
Another film seriously worth watching is Whiplash. I saw it mentioned in this subreddit in passing and am glad I did.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_jQycdQGo
If you want me to elaborate on the things that I didn't, ask. I have a lot more film recommendations, but cannot recommend any more books, as I do not read that much. I don't recommend any music as I would consider most of what I listen to to be blue pill.
Hmm yes, the comparison you made is between a collection of discourses from Master Huangbo and a collection of Koans and stories. I can recommend really any more discourse oriented Chan teachings ranging from Master Foyan's "Instant Zen" to the recorded sayings of Master Linji. The Recorded sayings of Master Linji also include some interactions and stories, but also some clear discourses from the Master... the same with the Recorded sayings of Master Zhaozhou, which is mostly interactions and some discourses. Another one that you might find interesting is "Ch’an Master Hui Hai- Zen Teaching of Instantaneous Awakening" or The Letters of Chan Master Dahui Pujue.... but really, reading those discourses and not doing the practice won't be very helpful... hence the 'clear discourses' are rather rare since you should penetrate it yourself directly and not have it chewed out by those old grandmothers
https://www.amazon.com/Not-Zen-Revolution-ewk-ebook/dp/B00D3UQ7II Free but on sale now for less than normal.
literally has your name in the title you liar.
What are you looking for? What the Buddha Taught is a general intro to Buddhism focused on the Sravakayana teachings while In Buddha's Words is a collection of Pali texts. They aren't of the same genre.
There generally won't be texts like in Buddha's Words for the Mahayana as Mahayana Sutras are often much longer then Pali ones though there are collections of various sutras formed into one like the Avatamsaka Sutra which you can find on the internet or Sutras with commentaries like the
Surangama Sutra:
http://promienie.net/images/dharma/books/sutras_surangama-sutra.pdf
Heart Sutra Commentary:
https://www.amazon.com/There-No-Suffering-Commentary-Heart/dp/1556433859/ref=la_B001JOMDEC_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1503124435&sr=1-2
Collection of Bodhidharma's texts:
https://www.amazon.com/Bodhidharma-Anthology-Earliest-Records-Lilienthal/dp/0520219724/ref=pd_sim_b_18
If you are looking for texts like What the Buddha Taught then there is:
Chan Teachings of Master Xu Yun: Considered the Greatest Master of the past century in China, similar to someone like Ajahn Chan
http://www.thezensite.com/ZenTeachings/Master_Hsu-Yun_Discourses_and_Dharma_Words.pdf
Buddhism of Wisdom of Faith: Comprehensive Teachings on Mainland Buddhism focused on Pureland
http://www.ymba.org/books/buddhism-wisdom-faith-pure-land-principles-and-practice
Master Yin Shun: Teachings in Chinese Buddhism, a general intro to Mahayana
http://www.buddhanet.net/chin_bud.htm
Some Free Ebooks on Mahayana Buddhism
http://chancenter.org/cmc/publications/free-literature/
This one maybe?
https://www.amazon.com/Dropping-Ashes-Buddha-Teachings-Master/dp/0802130526
> It is the habit of continuously entering this state of no-thought until it is automatic.
> There are no inhibitions.
This is almost exactly what the zen masters teach as far as dhyana practice (not enlightenment though, heh). I can quote you but you should just pick up DT Suzukis zen doctrine of no mind instead. All about the no-thought you experience. Also Watt's Way of Zen is very, very good.
Thanks for this. Right when I think I get it, somebody comes and shows me that I don't. Pushing me in the right direction. Letting go of wanting/not wanting to think is spot on. Super helpful. :)
Tangentially related... "Sex, Sin, and Zen" by Brad Warner explores the subject and Zen Buddhism.
The author is a really cool guy.
http://www.amazon.com/Sex-Sin-Zen-Exploration-Everything/dp/1577319109
An upvote is an abstract hug of sorts.
On a more serious note, if you are really interested in what I was trying to convey, instead of just for the sake of winning an online argument, then I would recommend reading some zen literature. Huang Po, for example. Just don't visit the subreddit, or they'll drive you mad. They drive anyone mad.
Go for it.
This is good too
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0520219724?pc_redir=1403765741&robot_redir=1
Broughton's [The Bodhidharma Anthology] ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0520219724?pc_redir=1404325243&robot_redir=1) is pretty good.
Relevancy on this Subreddit: I discuss Zen
Possible Complaints of this post:
> I don't think the zen characters expressed any metaphysical views, or conceptual explanations in their teachings. Logic, yes, to expose hypocrisy but not to try to support or clarify Mazu’s position.
> Mazu points. What is pointed at (the moon) is inherently a mystery. Zen is experienced non verbally, non conceptually.
> Zongmi is building conceptual models, truths, a philosophical and metaphysical synthesis, verbal descriptions of reality. This is not what Mazu, Dongshan, or their followers were doing.
So Zongmi was really more of an academic himself, than a zen student.
Academia is not about emulating zen masters (or even students), but about gathering accurate information regarding their history and concepts.
Like academics in other fields, e.g. biology, are not trying to emulate animals either.
Since this seems to be what Zongmi was also trying to do, it makes sense that he would be one of the most important sources.
>Though Zongmi was not character within the zen stories and conversations, you may enjoy reading Foyan, Instant Zen https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Zen-Waking-Up-Present/dp/1556431937 in the sense that Foyan spends a lot of time disabusing Zongmi's followers (not his immediate followers, but the institutional results of Zongm's point of view, which prevailed in Song period Chan Orthodoxy) of which Foyan is critical, and expounds upon.
I've read Foyan already (a year ago or so). I don't remember too much, though.
Maybe I'll reread it when I have time, trying to see how his teaching is actually a reaction to the conceptualized zen of people following
academics Zongmi.
My favorite books about buddhism and meditation are:
[zen training] (https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Training-Philosophy-Shambhala-Classics/dp/1590302834/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=zen+training&qid=1565793019&s=gateway&sr=8-1) ,
nothing special
, everyday zen - love and work , [the path to bodhidharma] (https://www.amazon.com/Path-Bodhidharma-Teachings-Library-Enlightenment/dp/0804832161/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+path+to+bodhidharma&qid=1565793271&s=gateway&sr=8-1) , and this one is a free e-book : [the 7th world of chan buddhism] (https://zbohy.zatma.org/common/downloads/SeventhWorldOfChanBuddhism.pdf)
Also, if you're interested in buddhism, visiting a temple if there is one near you and learning there provided you find it worthwhile is another way to learn and practice buddhism.
Buddha in Blue Jeans, free for Kindle. Extremely short read, but a great primer.
The Life Of Milarepa
An Introduction To Zen Buddhism by D.T. Suzuki
The Way Of Zen by Alan Watts
Be Here Now by Ram Dass
These are just some of the better ones ive read so far, all really great starting off points into Buddhism. Zen in particular. Good luck!
There are several popular 'flavors' of Buddhism, but unfortunately I have not read any general overview books covering all of the sects. Most of my generalized knowledge has come from podcasts like Buddhist Geeks and Zencast. Gil Fronsdal and Jack Kornfield are both enjoyable to listen to.
But back to books!
The most accessible Zen book I've read was Nishijima's To Meet The Real Dragon. Other overviews like Alan Watt's What Is Zen and Shunryu Suzuki's Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind are good but a little obtuse.
And while I can't give it a general recommendation because the writing style isn't for everyone, I really enjoyed Brad Warner's Hardcore Zen and Sit Down and Shut Up.
Of those mentioned, I would go with To Meet the Real Dragon unless you prefer a much more informal style -- then I would pick Hardcore Zen.
I can't help but love you
I finally read "Not Zen" btw ... let me say that it is brilliant.
It's not often that I find a tether but some part of the book caused me to realize that I hadn't fully let go of a certain conceptualization of "the thing." I can't remember what part of the book it was (or even, actually, what the particular conception was), but it made it clear that I was still holding on to this one little nugget and then it was like this clearing sensation as I let it go.
It was something along the lines of accepting that one literally cannot (figuratively) see it or perceive it. It's a sort of "negative space" in perception. I mean, I "understood" that before, and I "saw" it ... but that was the problem.
Sure enough, listening to Hunagbo, reading the Mumonkan, and even thinking back about that convo we had about the hurricane (if you remember) ... things make so much more sense.
Sort of like wiping a film off the glass.
So anyway, thanks again.
And this post is hilarious lmao, even if I specifically call it out here, there are still going to be tons of trolls who bite. They just can't help it!
As for Ronin, I'm still optimistic. I view it like a horse race: I've given my money to the bookie, now all that's left to do is to watch the ponies run :P
i recommend huang po.
Brad Warner wrote a book about it https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Sin-Zen-Exploration-Everything/dp/1577319109
Instant Zen by Foyan and translated by Thomas Cleary is really good. The introduction by the translator is a bit wonky but the body of the book is great.
If you're more Shikantanza inclined Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind and Not Always So are pretty good. They're both collections of dharma talks by Shunryu Suzuki.
I personally have a great affection for the book Zen Question it has beautiful illustrations and is in a very simple Q & A format.
See also The Bodhidharma Anthology: The Earliest Records of Zen (Paperback, Amazon) by Jeffrey L. Broughton also available at Terebess.hu as a bootleg "scan". The origin myth is studied in depth there. Starting on p. 63 is mention of the Lankavatara Sutra (of the Yogacara, i.e. "mind-only" school) and the lore surrounding its association with Bodhidharma. Prajnatara is mentioned on p. 78.
See also Bodhidharma's and Huineng's Buddhisms from An Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy, also available at Terebess.hu.
> This same tradition not only records other obviously apocryphal stories about Bodhidharma (i.e., that out of frustration over his drowsiness and in order to avoid falling asleep while meditating, he pulled off his eye lids, and
when he disposed of them tea plants grew on the spot; that his wall gazing and yoga practice was so intense and prolonged that eventually his legs withered away from excessive sitting – this is the origin of the Japanese
Daruma doll; that on finding the monks of Shaolin temple unable to defend themselves against local thieves, he taught them physical exercises and the martial arts techniques of self-defense known as kung fu; and that he did not die until he was 150 years old) but it also attributes numerous texts to him. Most contemporary scholars, however, are of the opinion that aside from a brief biography, two short letters, and a few recorded dialogues, only the Two Entrances and Four Practices (or the Outline of Practice as it is also known) contains Bodhidharma’s authentic teaching. We shall try to answer our previous question about why Bodhidharma became so famous by examining this text.
And also The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma where Red Pine (translator and commentator) wrote:
>It was Hui-k'o that Bodhidharma entrusted the robe and bowl of his lineage and, according to Tao-hsuan, a copy of Gunabhadra's translation of the Lankavatara sutras. In the sermons translated here, though, Bodhidharma quotes mostly from Nirvana, Avatamsaka, and Vimilakirti Sutras and uses none of the terminology characteristic of the Lankavatara. Perhaps it was Hui-k'o, not Bodhidharma, who thought so highly of this sutra.
So, I wonder, did Bodhidharma come from the Lankavatara Sutra "school" (i.e. Yogacara) or from some other "lineage" (such as the Madhamakya/Sunyavada emptiness school)? And what came of that lineage in India? Perhaps Advaita Vedanta? Or, if the Lankavata/Yogacara connection was not fabricated, why did he only cite other sutras? Were those "sermons" not his, but only attributed to him? Or was the entire Bodhidharma character a myth, used to add authority and legitimacy to a struggling Chinese sect?
If we read those sermons, we do see doctarines "preached". (See the above cited references for more detailed information). So, if the the "zen community" sees Bodhidharma as it's founder, and defines itself as as a lineage descending from this founder, and believes these sermons are indeed Bodhidharma's, and believes the doctarines asserted within those sermons, then it does begin to sound to me like a religion. But a religion that is about a "vast emptiness" of "nothing holy", transmitted by "I don't know". We can "study" zen without having to "believe" doctarines. Perhaps that was the intention. The doctarines are "not zen", as in the "realization" or "experience" of zen, perhaps, but they are a part of "zen" philosophy, history, and culture.
http://smile.amazon.com/The-Paradox-Choice-More-Less/dp/149151423X?sa-no-redirect=1
or if you're up to it,
http://smile.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Huang-Po-Transmission/dp/0802150926/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1457650680&sr=1-1&keywords=huang+po
some zen
Some good books about Zen, if you're interested in learning more:
Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality Great book, written by a modern Zen 'master.' Colloquial, not translated and thus easy for us westerners to understand.
Not Always So, Shunryu Suzuki
Moon In A Dewdrop, Dogen This guy is the real shit. Lived hundreds of years ago. You can go as deep as you want into this guy's writings, many levels of meaning (or none?). More metaphorical/figurative than the others, very poetic.
When/if you read this stuff, don't worry about understanding everything sentence. It's easy to get caught in the trap of reading and re-reading sentences and paragraphs to try to understand, but in doing so you miss out on the flow/stream of consciousness of the works. Just read it through, eventually the ideas will start to become clear.
The Zen Teaching of Huang Po: On the Transmission of Mind
http://www.amazon.com/The-Zen-Teaching-Huang-Transmission/dp/0802150926
fundies gonna have to find other ways to revolt
Book
The Zen Teaching of Huang-Po
Incense
Shoyeido Illusions premium low smoke incense
Incense Bowl
White Ash (to hold up the incense in the bowl)
Sitting Cushion
Buckwheat Zafu
> correct your sloppy asymptotic learning curve
Half an upvote for feigned erudition. Now if only you could apply the same diligence to actual study.
>the source is Blofeld
the channel is Blofeld, the source is probably http://www.amazon.com/The-Zen-Teaching-Huang-Transmission/dp/0802150926
>you start by sitting in the correct posture, letting go of thoughts and ignoring sensations, casting away both internal and external.
This was the teaching of the Buddhist sect formed in the Song dynasty that claimed Huangbo in their lineage.
But the message of Huangbo and his family is not the same. The message had to be modified in order to make a sect. How do you make a sect out of what the zen characters were pointing at?
I suppose it would be tragic to lose the essence of that old Song period sect. But that is a problem for the Buddhists, not those interested in the zen characters. The zen characters had no stake in these Buddhist sects.
When you see these sermons, outside of the context of a conversation, it is often the work of someone with pious intentions and results in an after the fact prescription like:
>According to the Master, you start by sitting in the correct posture, letting go of thoughts and ignoring sensations, casting away both internal and external. "This alone is liberation." After that you can extend Zen to all other aspects of life
See how it happens? I've done it myself. Trying to roll out the red carpet, trying to accommodate the tourist who walked in hoping to get a snapshot. Making it easy to understand. Upaya! The two paths!
Take another look. This text you refer to was originally compiled by Pei Xiu against Huangpo's wishes. Pei Xiu meant well, but its obvious that the text mischaracterizes Huangpo in more that one instance.
I don't think its possible to come up with a Sunday School version of zen.
I'd suggest you read some Huang Po.
I think you can find a PDF of it online, somewhere.
The Tao Te Ching is also neat (if not strictly Zen) – the Taoist influence on Zen is pretty strong. For the poetry of it, I’m really fond of the translation by Jane English and Gia-Fu Feng, but in terms of a helpful explanation of the text, I really like Wai-tao’s translation included in Dwight Goddard’s compilation A Buddhist Bible. A Buddhist Bible is also an amazing compilation that I love (my copy’s gotten pretty beat up over the less-than-a-year that I’ve had it), but I’m not sure how helpful it is specifically in terms of understanding Zen.
(If you want to read really difficult but very integral Zen text, I’ve also started reading the Gudo Nishijima and Chodo Cross translation of Master Dogen’s Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye.)
The OP is from the Red Pine translation, and I greatly recommend anyone to pick it up for themselves.
http://www.amazon.com/Platform-Sutra-Zen-Teaching-Hui-neng/dp/1593761775/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453562580&sr=8-1&keywords=Platform+Sutra%2C+The%3A+The+ZEN+Teaching+of+Hui-Neng
About six months ago, on a whim, I bought the incredibly powerful and brilliant book The Zen Teachings of Huang Po. I almost always buy my spiritual books 'new,' but decided to buy a used version this time. Picked a random used book seller on Amazon and clicked purchase.
Fast forward to a week later. The book arrives. As I read it, I begin to really resonate with what I'm reading. It makes a ton of sense, it's powerfully stated, a really wonderful translation. And I begin to notice around page 30 some highlights from the person who owned the book before me. Around page 50 or so, I notice that this person uses their highlighter exactly the way I use it: the skinny edge for underlining, the fat edge for highlighting, and the tip for writing in the margins. "Hell yeah, random stranger!", I think.
I keep reading. The book is opening my very soul up. A profound sense of deja-vu begins to take me over. "Wait... wait a second... I've read this book before. I've read this before." I flip forward in the book, my intuition telling me to look for more writing in the margins. I come across something that makes me stop cold. I've not only read this before.. I've read this exact book before! This was my book!
I randomly bought a used version of a book and had a copy sent to me that I had previously owned. Which is strange enough. But the strangest part, imo, is that, even though I undoubtedly read and wrote in this copy, I cannot remember when I owned it, or why I gave it away. I never sell books -- or at least I thought I never did. The case of the boomerang Zen book is one of the strangest, unresolved events that I've ever heard of.
This is what I have
The Diamond Sutra https://www.amazon.com/dp/1582432562/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_SJq9ub01CV1H4
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1582432562/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_SJq9ub01CV1H4
It is inside of this book of his writings: Moon in a Dewdrop
Be careful though, if you read it you might end up being a green mountain walking ;)
Dogen is difficult. Try:
Yeah, that overly simplistic "just sit" instruction of Zen is really not very useful for beginners and much of the language used is not as clear or direct.
Buddhism has become a big business lately, and there are many bullshit artists making tons of money on books and BS these days. (I read "Zen Confidential", and it totally falls into this trap. This guy spent 10 years in a Zen monastery in Cali and didn't really make shit for progress imo.) For some reason "Zen" has become super popular in the US, probably due to our cultural fertilization of Japan. Don't bother reading any of the modern stuff. (Anything past D.T. Suzuki I wouldn't really put much stock in.) I can certainly recommend the Shobogenzo by Dogen though as a timeless classic. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419638203/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1419638203&linkCode=as2&tag=hardzen-20&linkId=AZEOP5C4QUQK5MMG]
I was seriously considering joining a monastery myself about a year or two ago and went to a bunch of different sects temples here in town. (I live in a big hipster city so there are a ton more than most places in the USA.) Personally I concur that the Theravadan approach is the best overall beginner approach to Buddhism for the majority of people. I sat in on at least 15+ meditation classes at Zen, Tibetan, Pure Land, Theravadan, and the style and feel of the classes are totally different. Personally I find Tibetan the most egregious offender and totally off kilter with what Buddha actually taught and more akin to a religion than philosophy. (Complete with visualizing deities and fucking them; something I doubt Buddha would have advocated for considering his battle with Mara!)
I definitely think emphasizing the Jhanas more as a benefit of meditation practice and goals would be more beneficial for presenting the material to a Western Audience rather than "just sit". Many people (even Buddhists) don't even know about the Jhanas! It's nuts!
So, you're not interested in studying zen but studying what zen is about and where it's coming from.
Try this one.
I use the kindle version:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005EYXBGM/
Worth the $10?
https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Bodhidharma-ebook/dp/B005EYXBGM/ref=pd_sbs_351_20?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B005EYXBGM&pd_rd_r=92DJ5N45DCCYTYXBDFQD&pd_rd_w=gWBCY&pd_rd_wg=VbF0Y&psc=1&refRID=92DJ5N45DCCYTYXBDFQD
Sliders: Haven't seen. Worth my time? (Excuse the pun.)
Single, Multiple, Infinite
It would be more accurate to say that 'time travel' is a subset of 'multiverse travel' is a subset of 'experiential discontinuity jumping', or whatever it might be termed. (Single Line > Multiple Branches > Infinite Grid/Hypercube)
For convenience, we should restrict ourselves to jumps where, a) you retain an ongoing memory, b) you still exist as a viewpoint.
You can indeed have time travel as commonly thought ('single timeline travel') - however, there is no direct causal link between one moment and the next such that it can ripple to you. Since experience requires a viewpoint, you cannot jump to a place without your presence (or rather, would not).
Timeline Causality
Basically, more akin a Primer-type view where you continue to have an ongoing experience, "leaving a trail" behind, in your experience.
>Reduced to its most basic premise, Primer is a film that details what can happen if causality does not affect the reality of people or objects that are once-removed (or twice- removed) from time.
>In other words, in the theoretical scenario known as the grandfather paradox,1 where person A goes back in time and kills their grandfather (preventing the birth of one of A’s parents and thus the birth of A him/herself) does not make the time- traveling person A disappear from existence (as almost happens to Marty McFly in Back to the Future, and as happens to old Biff in Back to the Future II).
>Instead, killing person A’s grandfather does prevent person A from being born in the now-altered reality, but does not prevent the person A-who-has-returned (or time-traveling-A, or A2) from existing as they are in the now-altered reality. Person A has altered the chain of causal events that leads to his/her birth, but this new chain of causality/reality is one from which he or she is once-removed and immune.
Narration, Jason Gendler
A spot of Alan Watts on the ship and its wake:
>We think that the world is limited and explained by its past. We tend to think that what happened in the past determines what is going to happen next, and we do not see that it is exactly the other way around! What is always the source of the world is the present; the past doesn’t explain a thing.
>The past trails behind the present like the wake of a ship, and eventually disappears. Now you would say that obviously when you see a ship crossing the ocean with the wake trailing behind it that the ship is the cause of the wake. But if you get into the state of mind that believes in causality as we do, you see that the wake is the cause of the ship! And that is surely making the tail wag the dog!
So, our present experience is the ship, our birth has already happened, provided we don't jump too discontinuously (i.e. we retain a coherent personal past as an 'experiencing consciousness'). Once we exist, we exist.
Summary
You don't encounter the Grandfather paradox personally, because you don't jump to an experience where you don't have a viewpoint. However, you can jump to an experience where other people no longer exist.
I too am an atheist Buddhist. I congratulate you on wanting to learn more about Buddhism, as it may help you become mindful by looking inward. I would not look at it as a way to give you a moral guide which to follow, but as a path to expanding your critical thinking and focus. I think you will find as you grow in your understanding of who you are and your relationship with the world around you, you will derive your own answers.
I'd give you a list of books I have found helpful, but they might not be helpful to you. If you come across something that makes sense to you and seems like you could incorporate it to better yourself, good. Question everything. If something comes across as wrong to you, feel free to reject it.
You know how to live. Just BE.
Best answers I read here are "You want principles to live by? Go do your dishes." and "OP would stand to gain a lot by completely ignoring my post and vacuuming the carpet." Those are true Kōans if I ever heard them!
Edit: If you really want a couple book suggestions though, I found Alan Watt's The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are and Zen Master Seun Sahn's Dropping Ashes on the Buddha to be quite good.
I read in this book about a zen masters' meeting with Amma.
Here's the text, courtesy of Brad Warner:
TL;DR: It's very well orchestrated bullshit. Well meant bullshit, but bullshit none the less. Also, merchandising.
Dropping Ashes on the Buddha: The Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802130526/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_I8vADbNPASY4J
Try that book sometime
Zen is super confusing at times, which might frustrate the inquirer. Also, there's a lot of seemingly contradictory information, and a lot of the zen masters actually admonished meditation. Without context it's a little unclear as to why, aside from the fact that they didn't want their disciples to meditate for the sake of blissing out. That said, I'd wholly recommend this book, since it's very lucid:
http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Essence-Shambhala-Dragon-Editions/dp/1570625883/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464891954&sr=8-1&keywords=zen+science+of+freedom
Foyan is featured in it, and his book is fantastic as well:
http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Zen-Waking-Up-Present/dp/1556431937/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464892102&sr=8-1&keywords=instant+zen
For something a little more challenging but great, go with:
http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Teaching-Huang-Po-Transmission/dp/0802150926/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464892139&sr=8-1&keywords=zen+teachings+of+huang+po
Have fun!
"It is that which you see before you. Begin to reason about it and you at once fall into error." Zen Master Huang Po, from this superb book
thank you again for your replies; very well articulated, very helpful to me
I would like to ask you for your favorite resources on how to enhance mindfulness/awareness.
Mine are E Tolle's The Power Of Now and Stillness Speaks.
I listened to Alan Watts Out Of Your Mind and Do You Do It or Does It Do You?: How to Let the Universe Meditate You, and read his The Way Of Zen. I liked the book very much, did not enjoy much the audios. I went right back to listening to E Tolle audiobooks, mainly his TPON.
Also, I am reading the The Zen Teaching of Huang Po
What about you? What do you definitely think I should listen to or read?
I read this one: https://www.amazon.ca/Zen-Teaching-Huang-Po-Transmission-Mind/dp/0802150926/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474053415&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=zen+teachings+of+huang+bo
What about Baizhang Huaihai (720–814) between Mazu and Huang Po, as student and teacher accordingly.
Sayings and Doings of Pai-chang
PDF version
Congratulations on proving I am not omniscient, replace the words "have been told" with "have read" if you like. Whether you have been told the misinformation or have read it, you are still clearly misinformed and it doesn't matter how I think that misinformation came about.
So again, read the sutras before making claims about what a particular school does or does not involve. I hear the Diamond Sutra is pretty popular in Zen, maybe start with that?
Try picking up a copy of Dogen's Shobogenzo. I like the Nishijima and Cross translation here: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Dogens-Shobogenzo-Book-1/dp/1419638203
Hey
Your post was likely caught in the sub's spam filter, but I invite you to check out a list that one of our sub's users, /u/ewk, has compiled of many Zen Texts:
https://www.reddit.com/r/zensangha/wiki/getstarted
​
As a personal recommendation (though it's not how I started), I'd recommend beginning with The Sayings of Joshu (Green translation):
https://www.amazon.com/Recorded-Sayings-Zen-Master-Joshu/dp/157062870X
​
It makes a nice "Bathroom reader" and is useful for getting you primed for "Wait wtf how does that response make sense?" because, buckle up, that's the game, my friend!
​
Since you mention Dharma Talks, I think you'll probably like Bankei:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802131840/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
​
However, definitely check out the Mumonkan. It's a primary source (rather than secondary source "Sayings Texts") with commentary on various "Cases" by an actual Zen Master himself: Mumon. It's claimed by Mumon himself to be intended for novices.
​
Have fun!
I recommend reading Carl Jung and either DT Suzuki or S. Suzuki.
Most of what you’ll find elsewhere are just bullshit artist Gurus looking manipulate their power over you for self-aggrandizing purposes.
It’s been my experience that “occult” should be understood more from a psychological/numinous point of view rather than a supernatural. That is, personal experience that you are the source of, rather than someone else, person, thing or diety, which most lays claim as being the source of what your experience may be. Thus disempowering/stunting your path for development.
The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga https://www.amazon.com/dp/0691006768/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_naI0Cb30YZNGJ
Psychology and Religion: West and East (The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Volume 11) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0691097720/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9hI0CbHSVC6E5
An Introduction to Zen Buddhism https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802130550/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_AiI0CbSSEKFGX
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice https://www.amazon.com/dp/1590308492/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6iI0CbMYD0STX
All you have to do is sit quietly. Your parents cannot stop you from doing that.
I also recommend reading something short and freely available online like Buddha in Blue Jeans by Tai Sheridan. The eBook is free if you have the Kindle app on your phone or tablet.
http://www.amazon.com/Buddha-Blue-Jeans-Extremely-Sitting-ebook/dp/B005ZZ2T2C
Otherwise you can Google it and read it on your computer for free.
Huangbo:
1
2
Linji: 1 (this is the copy that I have, after discussing it here it sounded better) 2
Bankei: 1 2
etc.
Edit: My university professor translated the xinxinming (based off of lok to's translation) and chunks of the platform sutra (original work i believe), and i've got a copy of that. he suggests for further reading on the platform sutra to read 1 2 3 (as well as zen doctrine of no mind! ha!)
Or just trying to sell your own religion. https://www.amazon.com/Not-Zen-Revolution-ewk-ebook/dp/B00D3UQ7II
The aspects of Buddhism that worked the most for me were about mindfulness and meditation. I am not a Buddhist, but do enjoy the philosophical aspects.
Mindfulness is simply about living in the moment and appreciating every moment. Do not worry or think too much on the past or the future. For example, if you're eating an apple. Concentrate on the apple. Its taste, texture, the crunch. Do not eat the apple and worry over the details at work or a relationship you're in. Simply, concentrate on the apple.
This is a simple approach to life with huge rewards. Life becomes more satisfying, the more you let go of worrying about the future or the past. All aspects of life become more enjoyable, assuming they are moments meant to be enjoyed. You become more present in whatever you're doing. At work, you pay better attention and have increased focus. At play, you will have more fun. It is easier to become content with life and stop worrying about what you do not have or have not achieved.
If interested, there are books you can read which will help develop mindfulness.
Buddha in Blue Jeans: An extremenly short simple Zen guide to sitting quietly and being Buddha by Tai Sheridan
This is the Kindle version and free of charge. Tai Sheridan advocates for people spending 5-10 minutes just pondering and relaxing / reflecting. The book is full of little sayings for us to reflect on to create more awareness of our own lives and appreciation of life.
Tai Sheridan is a Zen priest and poet. He has a series of books titled Budda In Blue Jeans which are about an appreciation of life. You do not need to be Buddhist to read or appreciate these books. I have looked at some and find them to be books that encourage introspection and self-reflection.
Another book that addresses mindfulness is:
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
The Power of Now can be somewhat inaccessible to people. I find the book very rewarding to read. However, the book becomes more understandable if you have experience with meditation or intend to begin meditating. Eckhart talks about quieting our minds and learning how to control the mental chatter which is constantly running through our minds. The more we learn how to control our minds (meditation helps here), the more mindful we can become, and live in the moment.
If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.
Here are a few free Kindle Books you might find useful:
http://www.amazon.com/Buddha-Blue-Jeans-Extremely-Sitting-ebook/dp/B005ZZ2T2C/
http://www.amazon.com/Hoist-My-Own-Petard-Writing-ebook/dp/B00R1R64NW/
http://www.amazon.com/Meditations-Marcus-Aurelius-ebook/dp/B0082XJGRK/
http://www.amazon.com/Change-your-Life-minutes-Self-Help-ebook/dp/B00HESRIU6/
http://www.amazon.com/Meditation-Transformation-Relax-Revitalize-Perspective-ebook/dp/B00IS8RSDI/
>Not a single one of you people at this meeting is unenlightened. Right now, you're all sitting before me as Buddhas. Each of you received the Buddha-mind from your mothers when you were born, and nothing else. This inherited Buddha-mind is beyond any doubt unborn, with a marvelously bright illuminative wisdom. In the Unborn, all things are perfectly resolved.
http://www.enlightened-spirituality.org/bankei_zen_master.html
http://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/UnbornWaddell.pdf
http://www.dharmanet.org/Bankei.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bankei_Y%C5%8Dtaku
http://www.amazon.com/Unborn-Teachings-Master-Bankei-1622-1693/dp/0865475954
Thanks for the call. Watson is fine for ZZ but reads a little stiff to me; Brook Ziporyn has a newer version, as does Victor Mair ("Wandering on the Way") and Livia Kohn. Thomas Merton was not a translator but he has a contemplative (a Trappist monk with a strong interest in Eastern religion); I like his "The Way of Chuang Tzu" a lot. Also, his abridgement does not just cling to the Inner Chapters but finds gems throughout the more rambly parts of the book.
Mitchell? Yeesh. Doesn't speak Chinese for one thing - he just read a few translations and -- based on his training in Zen Buddhism -- used what he calls his "umbilical connection to Lao Tzu" -- a figure most scholars consider mythical -- to figure out what was really meant. He actually told the LA Times that
>"Not knowing Chinese allowed me to cut through the text"
Here's one thing Mitchell said on PBS NewsHour (Nov. 11, 2011):
>"I once got some flak from orthodox Taoists who became very irate that my version of the "Tao Te Ching" was not a translation, that I would take off at certain points and throw the original out the window and do variations on the original theme. It wasn't a translation, so I had that privilege, I felt. But this did not make them happy."
Award-winning translator David Hinton did an careful analysis for The Nation in 2009. Here's what he found:
>"by my rough estimation, in the course of translating the (TTC)...(approximately 985 lines) Mitchell has rewritten about 150 lines so radically that they bear virtually no relation to the original, has ELIMINATED about 250 lines, and about 170 lines HAVE BEEN INVENTED OUT OF THIN AIR (emphasis added)...Sometimes the inventions replace lines Mitchell has deleted, sometimes they are simply added to what was already there. In either case they correspond to nothing whatsoever in the text...I suppose Mitchell's crowning moment comes in Chapter 50, where lines of his own invention are crowned with commentary by Zen master Sahn Seung."
In other words, he put stuff that his own personal Zen master wrote into his "Daodejing" and passed it off as his "translation" of Laozi. That's not just bad, that's unethical. Especially since Mitchell wrote a book with Sahn (who later died) called "Dropping Ashes on the Buddha: The Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn."
Do you consider yourself as someone who studies Zen?
https://www.amazon.ca/Not-Zen-Revolution-ewk-ebook/dp/B00D3UQ7II
Why are you selling a book?
The Zen Teaching of Huang Po is short and very straightforward unlike some Zen books. It has been the single most important book I've read without a doubt.
I've read a couple books by Shunryu Suzuki and found them very helpful. "Zen Mind Beginners Mind" is a book I read and reread many times, each time getting a bit more out of it.
I honestly don't know anything about Seung Sahn or Sawaki or other contemporary teachers. My teacher was Joshu Sasaki Roshi.
When I first started looking into Zen, I was a bit paranoid. Having been raised by very strict atheists who put down all things religions or spiritual, I wanted to be sure I was on the right track of authentic Zen and not in danger of ending up in a cult.
I decided very early on that reading books that have been tested by centuries of time was the safest and so I avoided most modern authors for the first 2 years.
If you enjoy ancient literature, I highly recommend reading a couple of the old sutras. They are often easier to read than some modern shit and they are AMAZING considering how long ago they were written.
My favorites so far as the Surangama Sutra and the Lankavatara Sutra.
Read Not Zen: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Zen-A-Revolution-ebook/dp/B00D3UQ7II or the Mumonkan.
Baizhang is available in this Cleary translation:
Sayings and Doings of Pai Chang
Sure, no prob!
I don't know if it helps, but zazen has been described as goalless meditation. Not reaching for any special state, just sitting. Maybe you already know that, and again I don't know how it compares to vipassana. :)
Shobogenzo is cool. The most popular version nowadays is the Kaz translation. At least in the San Francisco area. Brad Warner prefers his teacher's version, says the translation is more accurate. I've only read bits and pieces of both, but I think the Kaz version is easier to read. Feels more poetic I guess. Though only downside I've noticed is the chapter titles are in English, while most people refer to their Japanese titles (Uji vs Being Time, etc.).
Dogen also wrote Fukanzazengi which instructs how to practice zazen. It's pretty cool, and I remember a monk at SFZC reading parts of it when I took the intro class. Actually, I should really read it again.
This stuff should really be stickied, but that's a whole other can of worms, haha. Maybe r/zenbuddhism could put something together.
I would suggest reading a few zen books. Be careful, because some of the words are supposed to be vice grips that trap you, but you will read things that cause you to wonder, thus growing your mind, and zen is not about the religious aspects of Buddhism so much as the tangible, concrete, here-and-now perceptions of deeper and deeper wisdom. I can give you . . . four recommendations of zen books that I really enjoyed.
Zen Bridge
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Don't Be A Jerk
The Zen Teaching of Huang Po
https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Sin-Zen-Exploration-Everything/dp/1577319109 this book does a decent job of tackling these subjects through a modern, western lens.
> Master ewk wrote a book for us: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Zen-A-Revolution-ebook/dp/B00D3UQ7II - I recommend you to study it before you make further comments on /r/zen ... to be one of the ewks, study Not Zen and what Zen Masters didn't teach.
Zen Masters didn't teach this. There are no "ewks" How to study a green sound sleeping?