Its all a state of mind | Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki | Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind | Shunryu Suzuki

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	• Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind Shunryu Suzuki Weatherhill, 1973 - 132 pages average customer review:based on 140 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

How to be like a beginner but not for beginners

Despite my unfamiliarity with Zen, the sense did come through to me of an earnest, centered practitioner. I found the philosophical observations in this book more universal, and so more accessible, than the observations about the specifics of Zen meditation practice -- sitting, breathing techniques etc. This book does not lead the reader by the hand from square one, it is, rather, a book of observations transcribed from tape recordings of Suzuki addressing groups of people already experienced in Zen. I liked the book's secular, practical tone, as I can do without the magical thinking that is served up without question in many books by practitioners of Eastern religions, more so, to be sure, in the Hindu than the Buddhist tradition. I concur with reviewer L. A. Allen (no relation) that the title of this book can be somewhat confusing; much of the content doesn't connect well for a person who is unfamiliar with Zen Buddhism and seeking an introduction.

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Its all a state of mind

Very interesting book, I'm just starting to get into the whole Zen mind thing and feel this book was a great help. A lot of interesting philosophy and advice. I recommend it for any avid reader that's trying to expand there own mind and reach a higher level of peace and enlightenment.

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

"Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" is as good a book as any regarding a Beginner's interest in Zen meditation and the proposition of improving one's consciousness.

The text's chapter's are categorized according to (1) Right Practice (2)Right Attitude (3)Right Understanding.

The enigma of Zen meditation is that it has become so popularized in Western culture that people have come to characterize anything weird or odd as "zenny". Moreover, other irrelevant baggage is accrued by the many books on art or other endeavours who employ Zen in their titles as a marketing gimmick. This further complicates popular understandings as to what Zen either is or isn't.

Therefore, it is appropriate that author Shunryu Suzuki targets the subject of "Mind Weeds," from which I quote briefly:

"That everything is included within your mind is the essence of mind. To experience this is to have religious feeling." --p. 35 and also:

""Nothing outside yourself can cause any trouble. You yourself make the waves in your mind. If you leave your mind as it is, it will become calm. This mind is called big mind."--35

The reader will find himself captivated and excited by the author's insight and teaching, and will begin probably to see the world and self in an entirely different perspective.

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Zen Intro

Zazen is zazen, plain and simple. Easy to digest introduction to the practice with minimal amount of Japanese to look up.

You don't have to understand it to love it

I bought this book eighteen years ago. When I bought it, I understood little of it but for the past 18 years it has been my favourite companion book helping me to calm down before I went to sleep. I have never read "a new age book" and pride myself on being hard-headed, but nonetheless the soothing, calm prose was reassuring even if enigmatic. 18 years on, I now actually understand quite a bit of it and read it not only for the prose style but for the meaning.

I personally had to read Joko Beck before I could really understand how zen is integral to my life, as I needed to acquire an understanding that went beyond words before I could appreciate how "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" linked into my life. However I think this book is still a treasure.

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