This is not your typical''Zen'' book. Brad Warner, the young punk who grew up to be a Zen master, spares no one - just like Reality itself. This bold new approach to the Why of Zen Buddhism is as strongly grounded in the tradition of Zen as it is utterly revolutionary; Warner's voice is hilarious, and he calls on the wisdom of everyone from punk and pop culture icons a to the Buddha himself to make sure his points come through loud and clear.The subtitle (and the cover!) say it all; there has never been a book like this one
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Hardcore Zen
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.60
Trade in Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock Monster Movies & the Truth About Reality for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.60, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Card, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more
|
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
About the Author
Brad Warner lives in Tokyo, Japan. He has studied Soto Zen with Gudo Wafu Nishijima. If there is such a thing as a Zen Master (and there isn't), he is one (and he's not). In the early 80s, he was the bassist for ODFx (or Zero Defex), a hardcore punk band. After ODFx bit the dust, he made five albums under the band name Dimentia 13. He then moved to Japan where, in addition to his Zen studies, he works for Tsuburaya Productions, the company founded by Eiji Tsuburaya, the special effects man behind the classic Godzilla films.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
NOTHING IS SACRED. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
NOTHING IS SACRED. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
After 20 years of zen practice this is quite simply the most accessible account of Zen practice I've read. Warner is a student of Nishijima who translated the "shobogenzo," which is widely regarded as the most astounding testament to zen in the world written by Dogen Zenji - the first patriarch of Japanese Zen. Brad's book is refreshingly irreverent, dispensing with the usual endless diatribes on traditional practise, the cultural nuances of which can be very confusing for western students. Down to earth and accessible Warner inter-mingles his own autobiographical experiences with an unidentifiable leaning towards zazen (meditation) - he doesn't know why he's doing it - he just has to. He almost reluctantly describes his "enlightenment" experience, despite slagging off Kapleau for doing the same and then suggests that it is accessible for everyone as long as you do enough zazen. Fine. I disagree on this point: for whatever reason, not everyone experiences what he has experienced but that's OK as I think it is a minor point.This is the most honest and dogma free book on zen I've read. Even if you're not a Buddhist, you should give this a go.
I've just had to update this review after reading an article on Warner's website in which he apologises for including what people (including me) called his "enlightenment experience." He says it's a result of his bad writing and that he's never had an "experience," as such,it was just a point in time where he kind of "got" what it was all about so I take it all back! Sorry Brad.
I've just had to update this review after reading an article on Warner's website in which he apologises for including what people (including me) called his "enlightenment experience." He says it's a result of his bad writing and that he's never had an "experience," as such,it was just a point in time where he kind of "got" what it was all about so I take it all back! Sorry Brad.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By paulinemy
Format:Paperback
this book is the real deal - it demystifies buddhist philosophy and practice and makes a great change from the usual incomprehensible high-minded waffle. i love this book and cannot recommend it highly enough.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By dharmadhatu
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I saw one of Brad's quotes from the book somewhere on the net and thought it could be a cool introduction to Zen for my 20 yr old nephew. When the book arrived I read the first few pages..... and read the whole thing.
Brad Warner combines often humorous hip punk attitude with a profound understanding of Zen. I particularly like his reference to "The Wisdom of No Escape". This book deserves 5 stars for that alone, but there is much more than that within its relatively few pages.
Brad Warner combines often humorous hip punk attitude with a profound understanding of Zen. I particularly like his reference to "The Wisdom of No Escape". This book deserves 5 stars for that alone, but there is much more than that within its relatively few pages.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book offers an ideal introduction to Zen Buddhism for those who have little time for the dry, scholarly approach. The central tenets of Soto Zen are touched upon, by way of Brad's real life experiences. Highly recommended.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is one of the most important books on contemporary spirituality ever written. While most people on a quest for higher consciousness are pre-occupied with enlightenment and other-worldly states, Brad Warner exhibits a typically Soto-Zen disdain of these concepts and describes his own challenges in facing up to his own life 'here and now', and the "rewards" of living this way.
A central theme of the book is to question everything in the search for meaning. Sometimes I'm not sure that Warner goes far enough in this...in questioning the absolute fundamentals, like the Four Noble Truths, for example, but other than that, this is a compelling, amusing and well crafted book. Up there with Richard Bach and Paolo Coelho. Top Notch!
A central theme of the book is to question everything in the search for meaning. Sometimes I'm not sure that Warner goes far enough in this...in questioning the absolute fundamentals, like the Four Noble Truths, for example, but other than that, this is a compelling, amusing and well crafted book. Up there with Richard Bach and Paolo Coelho. Top Notch!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By bettyopera
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this book based on the Amazon reviews and I was not dissapointed. Brad Warner speaks from the viewpoint of contemporary Westerners in a humorous and down to earth style that makes the concepts of Zen personal in his story.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By K. Connell
Format:Paperback
Anyone with even the slightest interest in Buddhism, or Zen Buddhism, or Soto Zen Buddhism needs to read this book. It's easy, compelling, hilarious and reflects every day events and emotions in everyone's life. Brad Warner is a genius! I've read it over and over again!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By calmly
Format:Paperback
Brad Warner writes fluidly: "Hardcore Zen" is an easy and enjoyable read. He seems to be teaching a "choiceless awareness" not dissimilar to that taught by Krishnamurti or in the Tibetan teachng Dzogchen or by the Zen Master Bankei.
But Brad does practice and advocate zazen, presumably as a way of helping to keep the mind clear. So although he demystifies rebirth and enlightenment, he holds to tradition with zazen. It's not clear why. Perhaps as a grounding technique, so one doesn't get lost or forget. ButI'm wondering if Brad isn't a radical as he initially appears.
How is it each of us has to find his/her own way and yet its that same selfless way of the Buddha? Amazement and bare awareness may not be enough and one will have to plan, to analyze, to think.
So why not, instead of zazen, just go rest in one's bed for a while each day?
As attracted as I've been to this book, to Krishnamurti, to Dzogchen, such approaches haven't gotten me far. Instead more pragmatic approaches like David Reynold's Constructive Living and Radical Behaviorism's self-management techniques have been useful to me.
Still "Hardcore Zen" is a very good read and it does have fine things to say about rebirth, enlightenment, and the precepts. Go for it.
But Brad does practice and advocate zazen, presumably as a way of helping to keep the mind clear. So although he demystifies rebirth and enlightenment, he holds to tradition with zazen. It's not clear why. Perhaps as a grounding technique, so one doesn't get lost or forget. ButI'm wondering if Brad isn't a radical as he initially appears.
How is it each of us has to find his/her own way and yet its that same selfless way of the Buddha? Amazement and bare awareness may not be enough and one will have to plan, to analyze, to think.
So why not, instead of zazen, just go rest in one's bed for a while each day?
As attracted as I've been to this book, to Krishnamurti, to Dzogchen, such approaches haven't gotten me far. Instead more pragmatic approaches like David Reynold's Constructive Living and Radical Behaviorism's self-management techniques have been useful to me.
Still "Hardcore Zen" is a very good read and it does have fine things to say about rebirth, enlightenment, and the precepts. Go for it.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 154 reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
Contradictions from the outset.
Brad Warner seems to have a lot of big ideas, but doesn't seem to know how to get them out on paper in a concise way. Read more
Published 1 month ago by sarah dobie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good introduction to Zen
I enjoyed the book. Its funny whilst putting across key ideas in a readable way with no frills. Great as an autobiography, less convincing as a treatise on Zen though.
Published 1 month ago by Mr M Sheridan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hardcore Zen
Hardcore Zen :Punk Rock Monster Movies& the Truth about Reality
Very accessible, down to earth presentation. Read more
Very accessible, down to earth presentation. Read more
Published 6 months ago by S Richardson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Just Brilliant. Makes me want to Just Sit.
I don't know how I came into contact with Brad Warner's writing. It might have been an article of his on the website. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mr. Carl Walsh Mrs Walsh
5.0 out of 5 stars
nothing to add to the other reviews, this is great
i red 20-5 zen books and this is the best ive read so far. it explains zen in plain and simple terms. its a shame author didnt make much money off it as it is his best by far.
Published 18 months ago by asp
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mixed
I really enjoyed this refreshing angle of zen because it is hard to relate to other zen books as they seem written by squeaky clean people who have never lived in my world but Brad... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. Alan Morrison
3.0 out of 5 stars
Well written.
I read this on holiday, im a slow reader but i did read it very quickly as it is so well written. The author has a talent for writing and i did find it absorbing, why only 3 stars? Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mr. C. W. Turner
1.0 out of 5 stars
difficult to read
i found it over-heady, intellectual and dry. it was hard work and personally i found it not very easy to read, which was a shame as promising premise.
Published on 23 May 2011 by minty
5.0 out of 5 stars
Informative, Interesting and Entertaining
I'm not really what you'd call a devout Buddhist, merely someone with leanings towards Buddhism and a respect for the principles it advocates. Read more
Published on 12 Sep 2010 by Satori Hugh
5.0 out of 5 stars
Grrrreeeeat
I first read this about 5 years ago, when I was getting interested in Eastern philosophy but didn't really know much about it. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2010 by Ms. D. Alder
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biography > Medical, Legal & Social Sciences > Philosophy
- Books > Biography > Religious > Buddhism
- Books > Biography > Religious > Christianity
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Buddhism > Philosophy
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Buddhism > Zen
- Books > Religion & Spirituality > Buddhism > Zen Philosophy
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
