To live life fully and die serenely—surely we all share these goals, so inextricably entwined. Yet a spiritual dimension is too often lacking in the attitudes, circumstances, and rites of death in modern society. Kapleau explores the subject of death and dying on a deeply personal level, interweaving the writings of Western religions with insights from his own Zen practice, and offers practical advice for the dying and their families.
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"Kapleau has created a profound and practical book that will appeal to people of all religious backgrounds."—Branches of Light
"This is an important and profoundly useful guide for living and dying, reflecting the long experience and realization of the esteemed Zen Buddhist elder Roshi Kapleau. Offering a nonsectarian perspective on being with dying, this clearly written book makes death a truly spiritual experience."—Joan Halifax, author of The Fruitful Darkness
"Philip Kapleau's fine book expands on his seminal work The Wheel of Life and Death, which has supported so many in the early search for the sources of what became the conscious dying movement. It is with a deep gassbo (bow) that we welcome this new work by an elder on the path we all tread. Thank you Philip."—Stephen Levince, author of Gradual Awakening and A Year to Live: How to Live This Year As If It Were Your Last
"Kapleau draws so effectively and knowledgeably on his own and other religious traditions, but in a manner that is earthy, so ordinary, so enmeshed in what real living and real dying involve. The book is very accurately subtitled 'practical and spiritual guide' because it is practical, almost a handbook, not only for dealing with the painful loss of a friend but with the shock of finitude and the taste of mortality such an occurrence inevitably evokes in ourselves. I am deeply grateful for this serene, mature, and credible book. It bespeaks a life spent probing the deep things of the spirit."—Harvey Cox, Harvard Divinity School
"This is an important and profoundly useful guide for living and dying, reflecting the long experience and realization of the esteemed Zen Buddhist elder Roshi Kapleau. Offering a nonsectarian perspective on being with dying, this clearly written book makes death a truly spiritual experience."—Joan Halifax, author of The Fruitful Darkness
"Philip Kapleau's fine book expands on his seminal work The Wheel of Life and Death, which has supported so many in the early search for the sources of what became the conscious dying movement. It is with a deep gassbo (bow) that we welcome this new work by an elder on the path we all tread. Thank you Philip."—Stephen Levince, author of Gradual Awakening and A Year to Live: How to Live This Year As If It Were Your Last
"Kapleau draws so effectively and knowledgeably on his own and other religious traditions, but in a manner that is earthy, so ordinary, so enmeshed in what real living and real dying involve. The book is very accurately subtitled 'practical and spiritual guide' because it is practical, almost a handbook, not only for dealing with the painful loss of a friend but with the shock of finitude and the taste of mortality such an occurrence inevitably evokes in ourselves. I am deeply grateful for this serene, mature, and credible book. It bespeaks a life spent probing the deep things of the spirit."—Harvey Cox, Harvard Divinity School
About the Author
Philip Kapleau's classic Three Pillars of Zen has sold an estimated five hundred thousand copies. He is the author of Awakening to Zen, Zen: Merging of East and West, The Wheel of Life and Death, and The Zen of Living and Dying. Kapleau was the first Westerner to be ordained a roshi. He established the Rochester Zen Center in 1966. He lives in Rochester, New York.
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
Format:Paperback
I did not pick this book up and decided to read it. The book drew me to it when I most needed it. I was troubled by the illness and possible death of a loved one, and this book demanded my attention and in return offered the best answers, the most thought-provoking arguments, and the most soothing advice for my death-troubled mind. You don't have to be a buddhist to enjoy this book, or even to gain insight from its arguments. Philip Kapleau makes a great job in offering a complete perspective on Death, Dying, and Bereavement. This book is divided into four parts. Part one deals with Death, and it includes, among other things, anecdotes about the death of famous historical figures (Gautama the Buddha, Socrates, Sri Ramana Maharshi, etc.), an analysis on why we fear death, and an interesting, albeit brief, look at the Day of the Dead in Mexico. Part two deals with dying, and it is a compassionate explanation of how our views of death affect the way we will undergo the inevitable process of dying. It shows how this process is only as painful or liberating as we make it, through our views, our beliefs, and our hopes and fears. Part three explains karma. Like I said, you don't have to be buddhist (or of any particular religion, at that), and if there's anything about this book that is outstanding, it is this part. Rational, logical, well-argued, and convincing, it wraps up the discussion on "Existential Aspects of Death" from part one, and leaves the reader with a strange assuredness about the nature of change and renewal inherent to life. Part four looks at rebirth. the last two parts of the book require an open mind if you do not belive/are not familiar with eastern beliefs, but if that is the case, I know of no better place to start learning about this subject than here. Philip Kapleau writes compassionately, from the heart, such way that the reader is never challenged in his beliefs, yet at the same time he drives his point home with unerring accuracy, like a Zen Archer. This book changed my life and the way I look at death and what lies beyond, and I cannot recommend it enough.
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Roshi Kapleau plunges into theodicy and theology in order to convince us that, aw shucks, death ain't no big deal.
Since The Buddha did not profess belief in God or gods, when a Buddhist writes about the supernatural (by any other name) it's inevitably bizarre.
You have died and been reborn countless of times.
( Without a 'God'--HOW?)
Simple. Reincarnation, in case it's not self evident to you, is as real and natural as the laws of physics.
Are you are suffering horrors now? You deserve it. Just take roshi's word for it. You were horrid in a last life. Furthermore you will be reborn again---this is an absolute certainty---as is the fact that there are 9 levels of conciousness (Why not 81/2?--Well, I guess Fellini might sue)
It's nutty enough when Christians argue about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. When a Zen master goes this route, it's unintentionally comical. Grotesque, really, since the subject is death--which ought not be trivialized---and since all this theology-by any-other-name has nothing to do with Satori, Mind, or the " Awakened One. " The historical Buddha.
Anecdotes proliferate and take the place of arguments, as do quotes from obscure authors. Lepp (who?) tells us that we fear death because "In the older civilizations of the East, relatively little importance is given to individual destiny, in the prosperous West, we live more exclusively for ourselves and our sense of self-identity is more developed."
Makes you want to run off to India to live in a mud hut by a garbage pile, doesn't it?
Lepp, of course, is French and rich.
Finally, as in most Zen books, we are assured that there is no ego or 'I'. That's an illusion, we are all one--a fact which 'I' try to convince my 'landlord' when 'he' insists 'I' owe him rent. Thus far, alas, 'he' has not converted to Zen. Ditto the I.R.S.
(sigh)
Ok, time to re-incarnate as a fox a thousand times for this review. . .
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars
1 review
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
peace of mind for seekers of answers about death...
Dec 12 2000
By Mauricio C. Quintana
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I did not pick this book up and decided to read it. The book drew me to it when I most needed it. I was troubled by the illness and possible death of a loved one, and this book demanded my attention and in return offered the best answers, the most thought-provoking arguments, and the most soothing advice for my death-troubled mind. You don't have to be a buddhist to enjoy this book, or even to gain insight from its arguments. Philip Kapleau makes a great job in offering a complete perspective on Death, Dying, and Bereavement. This book is divided into four parts. Part one deals with Death, and it includes, among other things, anecdotes about the death of famous historical figures (Gautama the Buddha, Socrates, Sri Ramana Maharshi, etc.), an analysis on why we fear death, and an interesting, albeit brief, look at the Day of the Dead in Mexico. Part two deals with dying, and it is a compassionate explanation of how our views of death affect the way we will undergo the inevitable process of dying. It shows how this process is only as painful or liberating as we make it, through our views, our beliefs, and our hopes and fears. Part three explains karma. Like I said, you don't have to be buddhist (or of any particular religion, at that), and if there's anything about this book that is outstanding, it is this part. Rational, logical, well-argued, and convincing, it wraps up the discussion on "Existential Aspects of Death" from part one, and leaves the reader with a strange assuredness about the nature of change and renewal inherent to life. Part four looks at rebirth. the last two parts of the book require an open mind if you do not belive/are not familiar with eastern beliefs, but if that is the case, I know of no better place to start learning about this subject than here. Philip Kapleau writes compassionately, from the heart, such way that the reader is never challenged in his beliefs, yet at the same time he drives his point home with unerring accuracy, like a Zen Archer. This book changed my life and the way I look at death and what lies beyond, and I cannot recommend it enough.
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