Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
A clear view of the methods of zen and mechanisms of mind, 2 Jul 2001
A personal, analytical look at what you could call the mechanisms of Zen training. The author examines sitting posture, offers advice on breathing patterns that will help on the path towards kensho, and acts as a friendly, but intensely disciplined and experienced advisor to the student. Although zen is a mystical experience, this work is almost completely uncoloured by religion, and doesn't overwhelm the reader with apparently cryptic anecdotes which he's not yet ready to encounter. Sekida does discuss koans, but firmly within the context of their purpose in breaking the chains of thought and self. A chapter on "Laughter and Zen" draws comparisons between the release of internal pressure that laughter and kensho both signal: "Internal pressure is ego, and laughter is the cancellation of ego." Towards the end of the book, Sekida opens himself up in a personal narrative showing how zen can grow from seeds sown at any age (his first experience of kensho was during calligraphy classes when he was a child), and how he moved away from and back into zen practice, as every student does. A final chaper, "Stages in Zen Training" includes a gentle illustration of the Ten Ox-herding pictures ... "Until yesterday you took great pains to develop the solemn state of absolute samdhi and fiercely checked all activity of consciousness. Now you let consciousness gaily open into full bloom." A very helpful book for those sitting, or thinking of sitting, zen.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent manual for meditation, 8 Dec 2005
By A Customer
One of the best and most under-rated books on zen and meditation, this book is a rare find because it is true to the real meaning of zen: which is that if you sit you will realise everything for yourself, and almost everything else is a distraction. This is a truly great book about 'how' to meditate.You just know when you read this that the author is not speculating at any point - he has sat and realised everything that he is writing about. There is no second-hand knowledge or regurgitation of other people's ideas. When I bought this over ten years ago, it was a breath of fresh air - most of the other books I had read were just 'background' to Buddhism (e.g. Christmas Humphreys books), rather than 'how to' books. One anecdote about this book that shows how factual it is... I was reading the book and gave up when it started talking about ichi-nen thought etc because it seemed so complex. Then when I was sitting I saw clearly how thoughts are linked so I thought I would draw a diagram. Then I looked back at this book - it had almost exactly the same diagram! Can't recommend it highly enough...
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
A wonderful, wonderful book., 12 Oct 2004
I first read this book in 1975, and in those days finding books on esoteric subjects was highly unsusual. On the rare occasions when one did, they were of the mystical variety - "Open the thousand-petalled lotus and raise the serpent to the next chakra." OK, sure thing, but how do I do that. Mr. Sekida's book is written for the westerner who wants to know how but has no personal access to a guru or master to show him. In may ways a forerunner of writers like Master Mantak Chia and Master Yang Ywing-Ming who have published detailed descriptions of Chinese Internal Alchemy and other Taoist Arts, this book guides you through the "how" of sitting in Zazen in detail without losing the mystery and wonder of what is an intensely personal experience. Just writing this review brings me fond memories of the doors which this book opened for me and my eternal gratitude to Mr Sekida. I must pick up my dog-eared copy again, light a candle, ring the prayer bell and continue the quest.
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