I read this book by Zen master Shunryu Suzuki, a Buddhist who moved to the States in 1959 after getting turned on by the zen of the American mind. This is a collection of informal talks that he gave to his interviewer over a period of time about how to approach zazen meditation and how to achieve Buddhism.
As a newbie to Buddhism and the practice of meditation, I found some helpful information throughout his chapters that I will use when I begin doing my own zazen in the next couple of days.
One thing I remember last time I meditated in yoga class was how difficult it was to sit there and keep a clear mind. I remember actually feeling guilty about not being able to keep thoughts away as I sat there and tried to clear everything out of my mind. Suzuki made me feel better about myself because he argues that it is perfectly fine and perfectly zen to allow thoughts to come in and out, to recognize them, and allow the mind to move on. Achieving zen, according to Suzuki, is to allow freedom in, to prevent oneself from worrying about purity and accepting that the mind will be able to manage itself once you let go. Forget the guilt about thoughts and clarity, and then zen will be achieved.
He also offered practical information about how to sit in the lotus position, where to face, incense, and images of the Buddha while one meditates. Suzuki also warns against the worry and focus on duality as a Buddhist. I am still trying to get my head around this concept. He gave good metaphors about walking a mile east and then returning a mile west but stressed not to worry about the return, and hence the duality. He warns that we need to focus on not focusing, it seems, if that makes any sense. Don’t try to achieve enlightenment because the minute you do, you are wasting your time.
I know this review is not very coherent and that is because Suzuki offered up a collection of his thoughts and I am still learning all these concepts.
Here are some interesting quotes:
“NO DUALISM: To stop your mind does not mean to stop the activities of your mind. It means your mind pervades your whole body. With your full mind you form the mudra in your hands.” (41) OK, so what are we talking about here with dualism? He gave the “Form is emptiness and emptiness is form” example in this chapter, where Buddhism warns against dualism in that these two concepts exist juxtaposed. Hence to avoid the dualism of form versus emptiness, Suzuki wrote that Buddhism also teaches that “form is form and emptiness is emptiness” which essentially does away with dualism. Make sense? In other words, both concepts exist as dualistic opposites but also in their own right, doing away with that dangerous dualism.
“Whatever you do is zazen… but there is no need to say it.” (42) When you can do everything without disturbance during meditation, or without being annoyed by thoughts, that is actually what Suzuki meant by “form is form and emptiness is emptiness.” The concept seems to be more about acceptance than goals.
“To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves.” (79)
His book is full of information and ideas to help move the reader towards an understanding of what meditation is all about. Suzuki was most turned on by the pure, beginner mind where zen is most powerful. He considered the expert, experienced Buddhist mind to be almost corrupt and less capable of achieving Buddhism and zen. His book is full of good examples, stories, and references to traditional Buddhist thought and is a good first foray for the beginner into meditation and Buddhism.
My friend Tim gave me a list of the classic Buddhist texts to read while I recuperate and prepare to meditate:
1. The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, translated by Red Pine
2. The Diamond Sutra /The Sutra of Hui-Neng
3. The Buddhist Bible, translated by D. H. Goddard
4. An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, by D. T. Suzuki
5. The True Dharma Eye, translated by John Daido Loori
These works plus my guide to zazen meditation are all up next for me.
As a newbie to Buddhism and the practice of meditation, I found some helpful information throughout his chapters that I will use when I begin doing my own zazen in the next couple of days.
One thing I remember last time I meditated in yoga class was how difficult it was to sit there and keep a clear mind. I remember actually feeling guilty about not being able to keep thoughts away as I sat there and tried to clear everything out of my mind. Suzuki made me feel better about myself because he argues that it is perfectly fine and perfectly zen to allow thoughts to come in and out, to recognize them, and allow the mind to move on. Achieving zen, according to Suzuki, is to allow freedom in, to prevent oneself from worrying about purity and accepting that the mind will be able to manage itself once you let go. Forget the guilt about thoughts and clarity, and then zen will be achieved.
He also offered practical information about how to sit in the lotus position, where to face, incense, and images of the Buddha while one meditates. Suzuki also warns against the worry and focus on duality as a Buddhist. I am still trying to get my head around this concept. He gave good metaphors about walking a mile east and then returning a mile west but stressed not to worry about the return, and hence the duality. He warns that we need to focus on not focusing, it seems, if that makes any sense. Don’t try to achieve enlightenment because the minute you do, you are wasting your time.
I know this review is not very coherent and that is because Suzuki offered up a collection of his thoughts and I am still learning all these concepts.
Here are some interesting quotes:
“NO DUALISM: To stop your mind does not mean to stop the activities of your mind. It means your mind pervades your whole body. With your full mind you form the mudra in your hands.” (41) OK, so what are we talking about here with dualism? He gave the “Form is emptiness and emptiness is form” example in this chapter, where Buddhism warns against dualism in that these two concepts exist juxtaposed. Hence to avoid the dualism of form versus emptiness, Suzuki wrote that Buddhism also teaches that “form is form and emptiness is emptiness” which essentially does away with dualism. Make sense? In other words, both concepts exist as dualistic opposites but also in their own right, doing away with that dangerous dualism.
“Whatever you do is zazen… but there is no need to say it.” (42) When you can do everything without disturbance during meditation, or without being annoyed by thoughts, that is actually what Suzuki meant by “form is form and emptiness is emptiness.” The concept seems to be more about acceptance than goals.
“To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves.” (79)
His book is full of information and ideas to help move the reader towards an understanding of what meditation is all about. Suzuki was most turned on by the pure, beginner mind where zen is most powerful. He considered the expert, experienced Buddhist mind to be almost corrupt and less capable of achieving Buddhism and zen. His book is full of good examples, stories, and references to traditional Buddhist thought and is a good first foray for the beginner into meditation and Buddhism.
My friend Tim gave me a list of the classic Buddhist texts to read while I recuperate and prepare to meditate:
1. The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, translated by Red Pine
2. The Diamond Sutra /The Sutra of Hui-Neng
3. The Buddhist Bible, translated by D. H. Goddard
4. An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, by D. T. Suzuki
5. The True Dharma Eye, translated by John Daido Loori
These works plus my guide to zazen meditation are all up next for me.
As a newbie to Buddhism and the practice of meditation, I found some helpful information throughout his chapters that I will use when I begin doing my own zazen in the next couple of days.
One thing I remember last time I meditated in yoga class was how difficult it was to sit there and keep a clear mind. I remember actually feeling guilty about not being able to keep thoughts away as I sat there and tried to clear everything out of my mind. Suzuki made me feel better about myself because he argues that it is perfectly fine and perfectly zen to allow thoughts to come in and out, to recognize them, and allow the mind to move on. Achieving zen, according to Suzuki, is to allow freedom in, to prevent oneself from worrying about purity and accepting that the mind will be able to manage itself once you let go. Forget the guilt about thoughts and clarity, and then zen will be achieved.
He also offered practical information about how to sit in the lotus position, where to face, incense, and images of the Buddha while one meditates. Suzuki also warns against the worry and focus on duality as a Buddhist. I am still trying to get my head around this concept. He gave good metaphors about walking a mile east and then returning a mile west but stressed not to worry about the return, and hence the duality. He warns that we need to focus on not focusing, it seems, if that makes any sense. Don’t try to achieve enlightenment because the minute you do, you are wasting your time.
I know this review is not very coherent and that is because Suzuki offered up a collection of his thoughts and I am still learning all these concepts.
Here are some interesting quotes:
“NO DUALISM: To stop your mind does not mean to stop the activities of your mind. It means your mind pervades your whole body. With your full mind you form the mudra in your hands.” (41) OK, so what are we talking about here with dualism? He gave the “Form is emptiness and emptiness is form” example in this chapter, where Buddhism warns against dualism in that these two concepts exist juxtaposed. Hence to avoid the dualism of form versus emptiness, Suzuki wrote that Buddhism also teaches that “form is form and emptiness is emptiness” which essentially does away with dualism. Make sense? In other words, both concepts exist as dualistic opposites but also in their own right, doing away with that dangerous dualism.
“Whatever you do is zazen… but there is no need to say it.” (42) When you can do everything without disturbance during meditation, or without being annoyed by thoughts, that is actually what Suzuki meant by “form is form and emptiness is emptiness.” The concept seems to be more about acceptance than goals.
“To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves.” (79)
His book is full of information and ideas to help move the reader towards an understanding of what meditation is all about. Suzuki was most turned on by the pure, beginner mind where zen is most powerful. He considered the expert, experienced Buddhist mind to be almost corrupt and less capable of achieving Buddhism and zen. His book is full of good examples, stories, and references to traditional Buddhist thought and is a good first foray for the beginner into meditation and Buddhism.
My friend Tim gave me a list of the classic Buddhist texts to read while I recuperate and prepare to meditate:
1. The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma, translated by Red Pine
2. The Diamond Sutra /The Sutra of Hui-Neng
3. The Buddhist Bible, translated by D. H. Goddard
4. An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, by D. T. Suzuki
5. The True Dharma Eye, translated by John Daido Loori
These works plus my guide to zazen meditation are all up next for me.