It is not difficult because it is hard to sit in the cross-legged position, or to attain enlightenment. Or I will reread sections of it, thinking about the ideas again. "When we have no thought of achievement, no thought of self we are true beginners." Beginner's mind in this case refers to the state of mind we have when first jump into any endeavour. It’s simple and complex at the same time, much like Zen. It's not that the book is difficult to read, but that the insights offered by Suzuki Roshi (undeniably a great zen master) are the insights of an old man who has been practicing zen for a long time and talking to serious zen students for a long time. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line of Shunryu Suzuki's classic. And that's just the beginning. Even if you have a hard time undertaking a practice of meditation. His. I featured Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind in 5 Best Zen Books Everyone Should Read. Suzuki founded San Francisco Zen Center, which along with its affiliate temples, comprises one of the most influential Zen organizations in the United States. It gave me feelings of intense calm while reading the book. And that's just the beginning. 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. 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. Having read a number of books on Zen… The beginner’s mind of the title is… One of the classic introductions of Buddhist Zen practice in America. And I think the zen mindset can be summarized by three words: "Attention, attention, attention.". "So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Book Review: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki, Waking Up by Sam Harris: A Skeptic’s Guide to Meditation (Book Review), Only A True “P.G. Named one of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century (Spirituality & Practice) A 50th Anniversary edition of the bestselling Zen classic on meditation, maintaining a curious and open mind, and living with simplicity.In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few. At present I am not reading it but have convinced my 15 year old sn to read it hoping that it, together with long conversations and care, will immediately help him with his teenage angst. But it didn't set a fire under me at all. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." Whether you meditate or not, Suzuki provides useful and illuminating truths for anyone interested in becoming more mindful. For fifty years, Suzuki Roshi’s classic Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind has been essential reading for anyone wanting to better understand their mind. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind was among his favorite books. But what if what your heart most wants (even if you don't know it) is already there in you. And that's just the beginning. And it needs to be read multiple times, probably at different phases of your life. Refresh and try again. An instant teaching on the first page. 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. But reading. In the Stanford commencement address he gave in 2005, Jobs describes how “remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” The effort needed to get there is one more of return than of advancement, more of letting go than of attaining. To see what your friends thought of this book, 禪者的初心-mean Beginner of Zen with the fresh Heart, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice, This book was recommended to me by various persons in different phases of my life, but I clearly wasn't ready to read it till now. I read this book, learned a lot, and decided to do the exact opposite. For any reader, the book will be an encouragement to realize his own nature, his own Zen mind. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. It is a short book but is also quite complex and takes time for mental digestion---and that's why some background is needed. In other words, it's not a beginner's book at all, and it's not really about beginners' minds. Even more, I hope the ideas in the book can be planted now to bloom later. You already have everything in your own pure quality. The title "Beginner's Mind" could/might mislead a few, as it refers to the idea of maintaining an open, childlike mind, and never acting or feeling as though one has ACHIEVED enlightenment. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki is a rather intricate but deep view into the mindscape of what the 'Zen Mind' entails. Though we all choose different paths according to our culture and temperament, the ultimate desire is the same: for the soul or "big I" to free. Really worthwhile if you seek big Mind. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind was among his favorite books. Although self-improvement books on how to get rich, find love, loose weight etc. Published in 1970 by Weatherhill, the book is not academic. This is the first book about Zen that I read, found it in a library. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind Shunryu Suzuki (1905-1971) Beginner's Mind "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind at Amazon.com. This book does not disappoint. This book opened my eyes to the fascinating practice of zazen meditation and made me take meditation seriously. It contains its own instructions for reading too. 37,978 ratings, 4.20 average rating, 1,408 reviews. For me, this was a very enlightening read. The term 'Beginner's Mind' refers to the goal of always keeping our original beginner's mind in our practice. Isn't this also the secret of the great artists: to always be a beginner? It's not that the book is difficult to read, but that the insights offered by Suzuki Roshi (undeniably a great zen master) are the insights of an old man who has been practicing zen for a long time and talking to serious zen stud. For as simply as the words are written, the ideas have oceanic depth, I'm going to be swimming here for quite a while. If you want to get a feel for Soto Zen, this is the best book you'll find. The final chapter which is the epilogue deals with the establishment of Zen school of thought in America. It’s now time to discuss this iconic book in detail. In this book Shunryu expresses the heart of Zen in the simplest but most profound ways. 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. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by the late Shunryu Suzuki is the most interesting book on Zen Buddhism I've read so far. I'd recommend reading something else first, actually attending a zazen session somewhere and *then* reading this book to get the full impact. A 50th Anniversary edition of the bestselling Zen classic on meditation, maintaining a curious and open mind, and living with simplicity. So I decided to read Zen mind, Beginners mind … There is some wisdom here, and in Zen Buddhism generally, but the delight Suzuki takes in paradoxes and contradictions serves to obscure his meaning, rather than illuminating it, eg 'we prepare by being unprepared'. At that time I read it before I had any experience of meditation. 224 ratings. And that's just the beginning. Suzuki founded San Francisco Zen Center, which along with its affiliate temples, comprises one of the most influential Zen organizations in the United States. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki is a rather intricate but deep view into the mindscape of what the 'Zen Mind' entails. 5.0 out of 5 starsA Phenomenal Foray Into The Mindfulness & Simplicity. Blogger, Cyclist, Entrepreneur. I'm the Chief Editor & Content Curator at Soulful Arogya. Wodehouse” Fan Can Get 13/15 On This Quiz, 75 of the Greatest P.G. by Weatherhill. Passionate about yoga and meditation. So many books on Zen written since this small jewel first came out forty-five years ago. 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-roshi explains it all. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There is something calming about reading it, and I think that has to do with the author voice. "So try not to achieve anything special. Until then, my knowledge of Zen was limited to books on the subject by Osho. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." An instant teaching on the first page. But this is not a book that should be read in a day. I found myself trying to mine a few words of relevant wisdom from chapter after chapter of semi-opaque discourse. This book is frustrating to read. An instant teaching on the first page. When you do this, the universal nature is there." Goal oriented. One of the things that interested Suzuki was that many Americans had a beginner's mind in relationship to Zen. In the Stanford commencement address he gave in 2005, Jobs describes how “remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.”. I met Suzuki when I was a teenager, and was influenced by him a great deal. In this book Shunryu expresses the heart of Zen in the simplest but most profound ways. ISBN-13 : 978-1611808414. Now's the time to begin again! I thought it was a pleasure to read, and unlike so often, I just took my time reading it, taking one chapter a day. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line of Shunryu Suzuki's classic. "If you do something in the spirit of non-achievement, there is a good quality in it." Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by the late Shunryu Suzuki is the most interesting book on Zen Buddhism I've read so far. You have entered an incorrect email address! 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. And it's discomfiting - to say the least - when we realize the vast extent of that self-deceit! 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.”. Available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. While I have now read all the words on all the pages, I don't think I'm actually finished with this book. So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. September 27, 2015 by Lichtenberg. 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. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. What caught me especially was a moment in the introduction when an interview with Suzuki was interrupted by his wife. The other thing to remember while reading this book is that it is not a step-by-step guide to master zazen meditation. We are achievers, us westerners. Start by marking “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Forever striving. Let's call it calming your mind by letting things be as they are. We say, ‘It is easy to have calmness in inactivity, it is hard to have calmness in activity, but calmness in activity is true calmness. While Suzuki discusses Zazen in detail in the book, his main intention is to share deep insights into the Zen philosophy. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." Short and to the point. 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