vtrader125 Posted October 20, 2015 The Unfettered Mind:Writing from a zen master. How do you guys pull the wisdom from such titles? These types of books for me don't present straight forward wisdom in bite size formats, instead it feels like you got to read the entire section and have an a-ha moment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ThisLife Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) Zen can actually be very simple. If you are looking for straight forward wisdom in bite-sized chunks, I think the story below may well provide everything you need to know about that particular pathway. (And, in point of fact ... probably most religious paths). *** An old, much revered Zen roshi lay dying, surrounded by loving disciples. “Roshi, can I ask one last question please! What is life?” “Life...is like a river.” “What do you mean by that, Roshi?!?” “OK,.... it is not like a river.” And he died. . Edited October 23, 2015 by ThisLife 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve Posted October 23, 2015 The Unfettered Mind:Writing from a zen master. How do you guys pull the wisdom from such titles? These types of books for me don't present straight forward wisdom in bite size formats, instead it feels like you got to read the entire section and have an a-ha moment. I have no idea what your background is in martial arts or Buddhism but if you are struggling with Takuan Soho, it might be better to start with a more basic introduction to zen or ch'an principles. Like in any study, beginning with application is difficult if the foundation isn't solid. Especially when we're applying those principles to something that is so foreign to most of us as being a swordsman in feudal Japan. For zen or ch'an "... wisdom in bite size formats" I would recommend: The Zen Teachings of Huang-Po: On the Transmission of Mind translated by John Blofeld Cultivating the Empty Field: The Silent Illumination of Zen Master Hongzhi translated by Taigen Dan Leighton Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki That said, I'm not sure that true wisdom is ever "straight forward" Working towards wisdom should challenge us, shake us up, make us question ourselves... until we let "us" go and see that's it's been there all along. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miffymog Posted October 23, 2015 I've got to second the books that Steve recommends here - and Cultivating the Empty Field is, by a long way, my favourite book on this I've ever come across. A different approach is possibly - The Headless Way http://www.headless.org/ 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve Posted October 23, 2015 I've got to second the books that Steve recommends here - and Cultivating the Empty Field is, by a long way, my favourite book on this I've ever come across. A different approach is possibly - The Headless Way http://www.headless.org/ I've never heard of headless before - cool site! thanks 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seeker of Wisdom Posted October 23, 2015 I second steve in making sure you have a solid foundation. But I would go further - make sure you have a good understanding of Theravada, then how Mahayana goes from there, and you'll be a great position to work with Zen. Otherwise you may be confused by not really getting anatta and emptiness enough, and it would be easy to mistake terms like 'Original Mind', 'Dharmakaya', etc, as being about something inherently existent, or a self. But of course this isn't just about intellectual concepts. You might find it simply takes a little while on the cushion, forgetting about the words, to get the book to suddenly click. It's nice to go over something after a break and have a whole new perspective open up. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jetsun Posted October 23, 2015 I would just read and work with whatever makes sense to you, if something makes no sense forget about it for a while. In this realm it isn't like other disciplines that the harder you work at it the more likely you are to get it, it is more like the opposite. In my experience there are texts I read which seem completely incomprehensible, but years later they start to become clear, or after particular experiences they become clear. Or there are some texts which you read meditatively, so you ponder on their meaning for some time without trying to intellectually grasp at it. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Sternbach Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) I found that book in a bookstore when I was in Japan. It tied in nicely with my Zen and martial arts studies at the time. So it clicked. My advice to you: Read it slowly. Associate. Let it sink in. When thoughts come, write them down. Even write a commentary of your own. Reread. That's how you will get the most out of a text of such profundity. Edited October 26, 2015 by Michael Sternbach Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bearded Dragon Posted October 28, 2015 It doesn't matter what it says. The beauty of it is in stopping the mind. That's the knowledge, not the intellectual understanding. You can have both which is kind of a win win. If you don't get it then your mind either stresses out trying to get it or it lets go into emptiness. The latter is a true gem. A gift from the ancients. It happens of it's own accord so there's really nothing you can do other than keep on reading, without entertaining intellectual curiosities to the extent where you completely lose sight of the main point. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
