Trudy Dixon (1939–1969)

I really did take three years reading this - one short lecture at a time. I feel I have a somewhat better understanding of what Zen Buddhism is about, which is probably the most one can ask of a book about a tradition that isn't really mine.

One theme that really struck a chord is that there isn't a distinct compartment into which one puts "practice" or "spirituality", any more than there is for "morality" or even "breathing" - to take these things seriously to make them a ubiquitous part of show more life. I often need reminding of this. show less

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line of Shunryu Suzuki's classic. In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it's all about. An instant teaching on the first page. And that's just the show more beginning. In the thirty years since its original publication, "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind "has become one of the great modern Zen classics, much beloved, much re-read, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Suzuki Roshi presents the basics--from the details of posture and breathing in "zazen" to the perception of nonduality--in a way that is not only remarkably clear, but that also resonates with the joy of insight from the first to the last page. It's a book to come back to time and time again as an inspiration to practice. show less

I really did take three years reading this - one short lecture at a time. I feel I have a somewhat better understanding of what Zen Buddhism is about, which is probably the most one can ask of a book about a tradition that isn't really mine.

One theme that really struck a chord is that there isn't a distinct compartment into which one puts "practice" or "spirituality", any more than there is for "morality" or even "breathing" - to take these things seriously to make them a ubiquitous part of show more life. I often need reminding of this. show less

Shunryu Suzuki gave me, finally, a real understanding of what meditation is like, and gave me reasons to try it.

He is not an easy author to follow, and the translations may have been too respectful to his exact words, but the message is good.
It was only after reading reviews and stories from his friends and students that I could understand the meaning of his text. When he wrote, "the most important thing is..." he meant "this is important here in this context."

I Tried his methods, found I show more could sit for half and hour, did this for two months, decided to stop, but knew that now I could meditate in my own mind and could do this if I ever felt a need in the future.

It is a very satisfying book. show less