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Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
What is Buddhism? What is Zen?,
By A Customer
This review is from: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (Paperback)
This book will not answer either of those questions. Therefore it should get 0 stars. However, I think it deserves 5 stars. Religious or philosophical traditions are among the most difficult to pass from one generation to the next without bollixing up the original spirit of the tradition. When Siddhartha experienced enlightenment 2500 years ago, did he envision all the crazy schizms, sects, misinterpretations, and frauds that would ensue as a result of his teachings? YES. But he decided to teach his experiences anyway. To many, religion is all about dogma or exactly how to practice it. If you don't kneel correctly at the right time of day or cut a fart in the middle of silent meditation, then you are a permanent failure and can never achieve the perfection that your guru/god is trying to teach you. Others abandon religion entirely, and say that you should reject any dogma that tells you what to believe and how to think. Organized religion is just a perpetual Multi-Level Marketing scheme, where the only way to be successful is to convince everyone else that you've found the truth and get them to pass it on. Evangelical Christianity is obviously the best example of this, but some people see elements of it in all religions, and they have a point. Is there a middle ground? I think so, even though it's sooo easy to slip to one side or the other. My goal is to find inspiration in different traditions, understand and respect them, and also to explore the elements that I don't agree with (Judeo-Christian-Islamic fundamentalism, for example). What can I do to build a bridge between myself and people with these beliefs? I find that reading works such as Zen Mind, Beginners Mind nurture that middle path. It doesn't give step-by-step instructions for achieving perfection, but by walking with Shunryu Suzuki for a few hours and listening to his conversation you get a glimpse of what it means to be alive and aware of what's happening around you. You don't learn Buddhist dogma (whatever that is), and you don't learn how to reject all other religions or philosophies, you just get to enjoy reading the words of a kinder, gentler person. To you he is giving the gift of his thoughts which you can either take and use or reject and go look for something else. If you feel that this book is new-age trash or baffling mumbo-jumbo, I hope you're able to find whatever's right for you and that it enriches your life accordingly.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is not a "beginners" manual!,
By stuartm "stuartm" (United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (Paperback)
After reading several reviews where the reviewer got this mistaken impression from the title, I felt I had to say something.I love this book, but it is NOT a manual for how to begin the practice of Zen. The Beginner's Mind refers to a state of being, an attitude that Suzuki-roshi urged his students to adopt - one where the mind is open and supple and able to receive the wisdom of being in this world in this very moment. I truly love these essays and what they reveal of Suzuki-roshi's heart and his understanding of Zen. But if you want a "how to", this is not the place to start. I might recommend An Invitation to Practice Zen by Albert Low as a short, beginner's manual for how to actually practice.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent,
By
This review is from: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (Paperback)
Very good product, I got it very quickly and I am very happy with this purchase. I recommend it to anyone.
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