Zen Philosophy Books

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (P.S.)

Robert M. Pirsig

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 528 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Self-Absorbed, Self-Pitying Rubbish 1 out of 5 stars.
6 of 14 people found this review helpful.

I agree with many of the other one-star reviews, this is actually the worst book I have ever read, out of thousands read, in my entire life. The worst book designation goes to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance because it is extremely, extremely, over-rated. I found it to be one of the most self-absorbed, self-pitying, whining complaints I had ever been exposed to - and I know about those, because I'm a former junior high school teacher.

Not only did it not contain any philosophical insights whatsoever, the book is just plain boring and badly written. The only book I have ever thrown in the garbage can - it's just rubbish, and that's where it belongs. I'm sure the author is a fine human being. I just think he wrote a very, very, bad book. Please don't waste your time on this book.

Editorial Review:

"The real cycle you're working on is a cycle called 'yourself.'"

One of the most important and influential books of the past half-century, Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerful, moving, and penetrating examination of how we live and a meditation on how to live better. The narrative of a father on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest with his young son, it becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life's fundamental questions. A true modern classic, it remains at once touching and transcendent, resonant with the myriad confusions of existence and the small, essential triumphs that propel us forward.

Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Thich Nhat Hanh

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 83 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the rush of modern life, we tend to lose touch with the peace that is available in each moment. World-renowned Zen master, spiritual leader, and author Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to make positive use of the very situations that usually pressure and antagonize us. For him a ringing telephone can be a signal to call us back to our true selves. Dirty dishes, red lights, and traffic jams are spiritual friends on the path to "mindfulness"—the process of keeping our consciousness alive to our present experience and reality. The most profound satisfactions, the deepest feelings of joy and completeness lie as close at hand as our next aware breath and the smile we can form right now.

Lucidly and beautifully written, Peace Is Every Step contains commentaries and meditations, personal anecdotes and stories from Nhat Hanh's experiences as a peace activist, teacher, and community leader. It begins where the reader already is—in the kitchen, office, driving a car, walking a part—and shows how deep meditative presence is available now. Nhat Hanh provides exercises to increase our awareness of our own body and mind through conscious breathing, which can bring immediate joy and peace. Nhat Hanh also shows how to be aware of relationships with others and of the world around us, its beauty and also its pollution and injustices. the deceptively simple practices of Peace Is Every Step encourage the reader to work for peace in the world as he or she continues to work on sustaining inner peace by turning the "mindless" into the mindFUL.

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Shunryu Suzuki

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 140 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

If you are going to read on book on Zen...Right Here 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I can't count how many times I have read this book. this book is the rudder in my life.

a great book and even better b/c you can find it free online 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Again, I'll make this review very quick. A great book, although sometimes comfusing with apparently paradoxical language (which is fairly commen in zen buddhism). That aside, this book can be very helpful for beginner as well as long-practicing buddhists. It is especially helpful for any home-practicing buddhist out there who do not have the added benefit of a zendo nearby. An even better bonus is that it can be found online for free if you look hard enough. cheers.

Excellent 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Nutshell review - This is a beautiful book on Zen. It is an excellent book both for the novice and the seasoned practitioner. There are some valuable insights and lessons in this little book for anyone interested in Zen.

Editorial Review:

In one of the best and most succinct introductions to Zen practice, the important teacher Shunryu Suzuki discusses posture and breathing in meditation as well as selflessness, emptiness, and mindfulness. Abridged. 3 CDs.

Zen And the Art of Happiness

Chris Prentiss

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Very good read! 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I think this is a great little book. I am a Christian... where as some Christians think reading a buddhist book goes away from Christ, many of the topics and practices of the buddhist are very Christ like. Where the author may speak about the energy of the universe, I just see that as God. Great reminders here to remove our focus off ourselves and think of our neighbors... and isn't that also what Christ taught! Great book for anyone trying to grow in who they are... I will read this one over and over.

Editorial Review:

Cutting-edge science and spirituality tell us that what we believe, think, and feel actually determine the makeup of our body at the cellular level. In Zen and the Art of Happiness, you will learn how to think and feel so that what you think and feel creates happiness and vibrancy in your life rather than gloominess or depression. You ll learn how to adapt to life s inevitable changes, how to deal with stress in a healthy way, and how to nurture a mindful happiness in your daily life. Most importantly, the gentle wisdom of Zen and the Art of Happiness will show you how to invite magnificent experiences into your life and create a personal philosophy that will sustain you through anything. A timeless work about the art of happiness, the way of happiness, the inner game of happiness.

Zen Page-A-Day Calendar 2009 (Original Page a Day Calendars)

David Schiller

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Editorial Review:

Begin each day with a jolt of truth. Adapted from the bestselling book The Little Zen Companion, the Zen Calendar features hundreds of quotes, koans, parables, sutras, and poems—the surprising, the wise, the paradoxical—that will make you see in a way you didn't see before. The Zen of Ikkyu: The way of the wise is without knowledge...in the place of ten thousand sutras, one song. The Zen of Stevie Ray Vaughn: When I play from my mind I get in trouble. The Zen of Emily Dickinson and Albert Einstein, Wang Wei, Basho, and Hui-Hai: Your treasure house is within; it contains all you'll ever need.

Zen in the Art of Archery

Eugen Herrigel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 60 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

This is not a book on kyudo. 1 out of 5 stars.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This is not a book on kyudo. As Earl Hartman says in another review, Herrigel did have little contact with kyudo in Japan (3-4 years). This book could be about many interesting things (zen, misticism, ...), but I don't know of them. But it's not a book on Kyudo. It seems more a book on Herrigel himself.
I don't says this is the worst book someone can read if is interested on kyudo. Last years saw apearing one or two terrible book's with kyudo in title.
Should be read with precaution and specially doesn't substitute pratice and guidance from a teacher or a master. Many persons come to kyudo allready knowing this book but after a few sessions they give up. and many of them continue to claim that they know about kyudo only by reading this book.

Editorial Review:

The path to achieving Zen (a balance between the body and the mind) is brilliantly explained by Professor Eugen Herrigel in this timeless account. This book is the result of the author's six year quest to learn archery in the hands of Japanese Zen masters. It is an honest account of one man's journey to complete abandonment of 'the self' and the Western principles that we use to define ourselves. Professor Herrigel imparts knowledge from his experiences and guides the reader through physical and spiritual lessons in a clear and insightful way. Mastering archery is not the key to achieving Zen, and this is not a practical guide to archery. It is more a guide to Zen principles and learning and perfect for practitioners and non-practitioners alike.

Buddhism Plain and Simple

Steve Hagen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 129 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good exposure to the topic.....but not plain, simple or easy. 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I found this book (Buddhism Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen)
a great introduction to the principles and teachings of Buddhism.
Steve Hagen takes the reader into meditation techniques, the wisdom of self and the levels of awareness. I found his examples from life to be helpful in describing the "wisdom of self".

However, you will need to take it slowly. Read it a chapter at a time and reread chapters before advancing to the next stage. Why, because it is hard to explain the "reality" of Zen Buddhism. It is hard to understand the concepts of Buddhism, and even harder to explain those same concepts to another person who has no foundation to build on.

Buddhism (which comes from Buddha -the awakened one) in a nut shell is a fundamental way of looking at life. Live life for the moment; take it in for what it is. Enjoy the connection to the universe and do not let material things, mental worries and belief systems interfere with understanding the reality of living.

As you can see from the last paragraph- words cannot really describe Buddhism plain and simple. No book can describe the reality of the world around us. So this book may be a bit of a hard read for the very beginner.

By Sam Hendricks, Author of "Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Fantasy Football" and the soon to be released "Fantasy Football Almanac: 2008"

Editorial Review:

Since its launch in 1996, Broadway's Buddhism and Spirituality Program has built a reputation for publishing accessible, stimulating books that bring the ancient philosophies and wisdom of the East to Western readers. From groundbreaking works by leaders in their fields to prescriptive, hands-on guides to incorporating the principles of Buddhism into our daily lives, Broadway's eclectic list has something for readers at all stages of enlightenment and all walks of life.

Zen and Now: On the Trail of Robert Pirsig and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Mark Richardson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Zen and Now is a vivid chronicle of a journalist’s heartfelt and determined journey to reconnect with a beloved American classic.

In 1968, Robert Pirsig and his eleven-year-old son, Chris, made the cross-country motorcycle trip that would become the inspiration for Pirsig’s book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, a powerful blend of personal narrative and philosophical investigation that has inspired generations.

Among the millions of readers to fall under the book’s spell was Mark Richardson, who as a young man struggled to understand Pirsig’s provocative and elusive ideas. Rereading the book decades later, Richardson, now a journalist and a father of two, was moved by its portrayal of Pirsig’s complex relationship with Chris and struck by the timelessness of its lessons. So he tuned up his old Suzuki dirt bike and became a “Pirsig pilgrim,” one of the legion of fans who retrace the Pirsigs’ route from Minneapolis to San Francisco. In following this itinerary over the lonely byways of the American West, Richardson revisits the people and places from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, pondering the meaning of Pirsig’s philosophy and the answers it may offer to the questions in his own life. Richardson’s dogged reporting also gives new insight into the reclusive writer’s life, exploring Pirsig’s struggle with mental illness, his unwanted celebrity, and the tragic, brutal murder of Chris in 1979.

Published to coincide with the fortieth anniversary of Pirsig’s original trip, Zen and Now is a stirring meditation on a classic work and a passionate inquiry into the lessons it continues to teach us in the complex and bewildering world we inhabit today.

Osho Zen Tarot: The Transcendental Game Of Zen

Osho

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 97 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

When life seems to be full of doubt and uncertainty we tend to look for a source of inspiration: what will happen in the future? What about my health, the children? What will happen if I make this decision and not that one? This is how the traditional tarot is often used, to satisfy a longing to know about the past and future. This Osho Zen Tarot focuses instead on gaining an understanding of the here and now. It is a system based on the wisdom of Zen, a wisdom that says events in the outer world simply reflect in the outer world simply reflect our own thoughts and feelings, even though we ourselves might be unclear about what those thoughts and feelings are. So it helps us to turn our attention away from outside events so we can find a new clarity of understanding in our innermost hearts. The conditions and states of mind portrayed by the contemporary images on the cards are all shown as being essentially transitional and transformative. The text in the accompanying book helps to interpret and understand the images in the simple, straightforward and down to earth language of Zen.

The Way of Zen

Alan W. Watts

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 44 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

It's got the goods 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is my second Alan Watts book and I enjoyed it very much. I noticed a reviewer stating that it seemed a little dry, of courses this is personal preference. For me, it started of good, dragged a little during the history of Zen part about half way through the first part, then the second part really picked up again. Again, that's only because I wasn't as interested in the background as in the practices. Someone who is interested in where it came from and the branches of Zen would find it very fascinating.
One of the fascinating things about reading The Way of Zen and The Book is that one can see many things that have transpired in our culture that were obviously influenced by Watts' philosophy. It can be seen as coming directly from his words and not just from another source.
Years ago I read Psyco-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, and I agree that it is a classic written in the early 60's dealing with human behavior, self esteem and self image. After reading The Way of Zen, which was written in the 50's, it became apparent as to where many of Maltz's ideas came from, he just reorganized them and obscured any relation to Zen, just from a psychological point of view, which is good. I reading about the Zen way and didn't realize it. Since reading Maltz, I've read some about Zen and noticed the similarities, but reading this, one could almost accuse Maltz of plagiarism. The only thing is Maltz made it more palatable for the western mind that wasn't ready or willing to embrace eastern philosophy.
Watts' writing seems to be from the perspective of a philosopher rather than a practitioner. You get the idea that he believes in the validity of what the practice of Zen, but not that he was on the path himself, which takes nothing away from the book.
The Way of Zen didn't seem to be as dated as The Book, as his way of writing didn't really reflect any of the verbiage of the time.
It's really nice discovering these books that were written before "I was born" and seeing that they contain fresh insight to ideas that were around long, long before "I was born".
If you're into Zen, on a path to "Self" discovery, or just starting, this book has some good pointers.

Editorial Review:

The Way of Zen begins as a succinct guide through the histories of Buddhism and Taoism leading up to the development of Zen Buddhism, which drew deeply from both traditions.  It then goes on to paint a broad but insightful picture of Zen as it was and is practiced, both as a religion and as an element of diverse East Asian arts and disciplines.  Watts's narrative clears away the mystery while enhancing the mystique of Zen.

Since the first publication of this book in 1957, Zen Buddhism has become firmly established in the West.  As Zen has taken root in Western soil, it has incorporated much of the attitude and approach set forth by Watts in The Way of Zen, which remains one of the most important introductory books in Western Zen.

"No one has given us such a concise . . . introduction to the whole history of this Far Eastern development of Buddhist thought as Alan Watts, in the present, highly readable work."  --Joseph Campbell