I'm the Chief Editor & Content Curator at Soulful Arogya. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by the late Shunryu Suzuki is the most interesting book on Zen Buddhism I've read so far. This is the first book about Zen that I read, found it in a library. It is not preparation for something else.”, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few”. Verified Purchase. It is a bit like sitting somewhere, listening to a knowledgeable man talking about the subject. His. So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Toward the end it gets a little bit repetitious; that’s because these are in fact transcripts—elegantly edited—of talks given at Tassajarra Zen Mountain Monastery, Los Altos, California in 1969 or so. So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. I found myself trying to mine a few words of relevant wisdom from chapter after chapter of semi-opaque discourse. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind is a classic text on Zen Buddhism, written by the late Shunryu Suzuki, who popularised Zen Buddhism in the United States. My second reading. I found myself trying to mine a few words of relevant wisdom from chapter after chapter of semi-opaque discourse. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." Isn't this also the secret of the great artists: to always be a beginner? Having read a number of books on Zen… These are frank and direct transcriptions of Suzuki's … Like Confucius’s Analects, this book is not actually written by Shunryu Suzuki himself, but a transcription of … And that's just the beginning. He was a good spiritual friend. Available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line. I thought it was a pleasure to read, and unlike so often, I just took my time reading it, taking one chapter a day. ", This book was put together from a series of lectures by Shunyru Suzuki who was one of the first Zen Buddhist teachers to share Buddhism with Americans in the middle to late 20th century. And that's just the beginning. And it's discomfiting - to say the least - when we realize the vast extent of that self-deceit! Refresh and try again. Suzuki-roshi explains it all. She was serving tea, overheard part of his discourse and remarked to the interviewer that, in essence, he was full of shit, having never attained satori--all given and taken in good humor. This volume of lectures given by this Zen master is divided into three sections roughly corresponding to body, feeling, and mind — Right Practice, Right Attitude, and Right Understanding. As an introductory book to Zen Buddhism, this is quite daunting or useless. Really worthwhile if you seek big Mind. I featured Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind in 5 Best Zen Books Everyone Should Read. Item Weight : 7.2 ounces. A 50th Anniversary edition of the bestselling Zen classic on meditation, maintaining a curious and open mind, and living with simplicity. For the uninitiated, get Dan Harris' book---10% happier---and then go for this one, imo. It contains its own instructions for reading too. In the forty years since its original publication, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind has become one of the great modern Zen classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. An instant teaching on the first page. This is a short book. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published There's so much wisdom in this little book. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki is a rather intricate but deep view into the mindscape of what the 'Zen Mind' entails. Short and to the point. 5.0 out of 5 starsA Phenomenal Foray Into The Mindfulness & Simplicity. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line of Shunryu Suzuki's classic. Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2016. As a music performance major who is burned out and bitter going into her last year of her undergraduate career, this book was invaluable for its ability to have the notion of practicing zazen also be equal to practicing her instrument. I read this book, learned a lot, and decided to do the exact opposite. A respected Zen master in Japan and founder of the San Francisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki has blazed a path in American Buddhism like few others. Suzuki's talks on zazen are spare and direct, demystifying Buddhism as a religion or philosophy and continually bringing the focus back to the simple and perfect practice of sitting--cleaning out your mind through meditation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Don't fight and struggle against your problems. It is a short book but is also quite complex and takes time for mental digestion---and that's why some background is needed. They were ready for anything and open to everything. Review Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind is a book by Shunryu Suzuki a Japanese author and Zen Master. You have entered an incorrect email address! Zen Mind, Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki is a book of instruction about how to practice Zen, about Zen life, and about the attitudes and understanding that make Zen practice possible. A book of his teachings, Zen Mind, Suzuki Roshi was a Sōtō Zen monk and teacher who helped popularize Zen Buddhism in the United States, and is renowned for founding the first Buddhist monastery outside Asia (Tassajara Zen Mountain Center). The book is split into 3 chapters – Right Practice, Right Attitude, and Right Understanding – roughly corresponding to body, feeling, and mind. There is just the writing. Really helpful in clearing up obstacles to motivation, and why we sometimes cannot practice/complete tasks. Crazy Expert Mind? Is there really more to say than shikan taza - just sitting: "When you bow, you should just bow; when you sit you should just sit; when you eat you should just eat. Suzuki founded San Francisco Zen Center, which along with its affiliate temples, comprises one of the most influential Zen organizations in the United States. I'm also a digital marketing enthusiast and manage my own inbound marketing agency, Startup Cafe Digital. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Best Sellers Rank: #12,085 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #139 in Meditation (Books) Customer Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars. People say that practicing Zen is difficult, but there is a misunderstanding as to why. Spring is Mother Nature’s way of saying, “Oof–let’s try this again.” The last 12 months have been, well, challenging is the polite term.... “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”. It’s now time to discuss this iconic book in detail. Is there really more to say than shikan taza - just sitting: "When you bow, you should just bow; when you sit you should just sit; when you eat you should just eat. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind is a book of teachings by the late Shunryu Suzuki, a compilation of talks given to his satellite Zen center in Los Altos, California. by Shunryu Suzuki, Trudy Dixon (Editor), Huston Smith (Preface), Richard Baker (Introduction) “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Welcome back. In this book Shunryu expresses the heart of Zen in the simplest but most profound ways. At that time I read it before I had any experience of meditation. But what if what your heart most wants (even if you don't know it) is already there in you. In other words, it's not a beginner's book at all, and it's not really about beginners' minds. Based in Bangalore, India. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." We are achievers, us westerners. what is the opposite of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind exactly? No book before (nor, arguably, since) had so clearly spelled out how Zen offers us all—“spiritual” or not—a … Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice by Shunryu Suzuki. He is the author of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind and Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness: Zen Talks on the Sandokai, and he is the subject of the biography Crooked Cucumber by David Chadwick. "So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Suzuki's talks on zazen are spare and direct, demystifying Buddhism as a religion or philosophy and continually bringing the focus back to the simple and perfect practice of sitting--cleaning out your mind through meditation. "When you become you, Zen becomes Zen. Wodehouse Quotes to Lighten Your Mood, Waking Up by Sam Harris: A Skeptic's Guide to Meditation (Book Review), Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. I thought it was a pleasure to read, and unlike so often, I just took my time reading it, taking one chapter a day. Start reading Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: 50th Anniversary Edition on your Kindle in under a minute . Zen Mind Beginner s Mind Book Review: Named one of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century ... Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind has become one of the great modern spiritual classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by the late Shunryu Suzuki is the most interesting book on Zen Buddhism I've read so far. All rights reserved. Given that this book isn't exactly for those in the nascent stages of Zen Buddhism, it can be quite enigmatic in some spots. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind was among his favorite books. A book of his teachings, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, is one of the most popular books on Zen and Buddhism in the West, “Treat every moment as your last. You have to already know the benefits of Zen and Buddhism before you read this book, or it will bore you and turn you off of Zen. It’s simple and complex at the same time, much like Zen. I dunno. An instant teaching on the first page. So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. But what if what your heart most wants (even if you don't kn, One of the classic introductions of Buddhist Zen practice in America. In this book Shunryu expresses the heart of Zen in the simplest but most profound ways. Learn how your comment data is processed. I know this is supposed to be THE zen book for beginners, by one of the most influential western zen masters, etc. He was the founder of the San Francisco Zen Center and the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. What I like about books about Buddhism, Taoism and so on, is that they make you feel really relaxed and accepting of yourself. Until then, my knowledge of Zen was limited to books on the subject by Osho. Goal oriented. I know this is supposed to be THE zen book for beginners, by one of the most influential western zen masters, etc. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Words of relevant wisdom from chapter after chapter of semi-opaque discourse most influential western Zen masters etc! Can get 13/15 on this Quiz, 75 of the Greatest P.G universal nature is a... By his wife it. your last and this philosophy influenced Jobs ’ biography, this is quite or! There in you of intense calm while reading the book, his own Zen.! 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