Shunryū Suzuki: Zen mind, beginner's mind (2010, Shambhala)
English language
Published April 5, 2010 by Shambhala.
This is a tough one. It's a beautiful book, and obviously full of nuggets of wisdom, but I'd be hard pushed to describe it as accessible.
This is a tough one. It's a beautiful book, and obviously full of nuggets of wisdom, but I'd be hard pushed to describe it as accessible.
I really did take three years reading this - one short lecture at a time. I feel I have a somewhat better understanding of what Zen Buddhism is about, which is probably the most one can ask of a book about a tradition that isn't really mine.
One theme that really struck a chord is that there isn't a distinct compartment into which one puts "practice" or "spirituality", any more than there is for "morality" or even "breathing" - to take these things seriously to make them a ubiquitous part of life. I often need reminding of this.
I really did take three years reading this - one short lecture at a time. I feel I have a somewhat better understanding of what Zen Buddhism is about, which is probably the most one can ask of a book about a tradition that isn't really mine.
One theme that really struck a chord is that there isn't a distinct compartment into which one puts "practice" or "spirituality", any more than there is for "morality" or even "breathing" - to take these things seriously to make them a ubiquitous part of life. I often need reminding of this.
