Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi (1931–1995)

Here is the first major collection of the teachings of Taizan Maezumi Roshi (1931-1995), one of the first Japanese Zen masters to bring Zen to the West and founding abbot of the Zen Center of Los Angeles and Zen Mountain Center in Idyllwild, California. These short, inspiring readings illuminate Zen practice in simple, eloquent language. Topics include zazen and Zen koans, how to appreciate your life as the life of the Buddha, and the essential matter of life and death. Appreciate Your Life show more conveys Maezumi Roshi's unique spirit and teaching style, as well as his timeless insights into the practice of Zen. show less

This updated landmark volume makes available for the first time in decades the teachings that were formative to a whole generation of American Zen teachers and students. Conceived as an overarching primer on the practice of Zen, chapters in this volume address every aspect of practice: beginning practice, shikantaza, chanting, sesshin, working with Mu, and the nature of koans.

In the intervening years since the publication of the earlier edition, countless books have appeared on Zen. Few, if show more any, have approached the strengths of On Zen Practice as a reference or teaching tool, and the book retains a lively, immediate quality that will appeal to today's readers. show less

Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi (1931–1995) was a seminal Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher who played a critical role in establishing Zen in the United States.
Diverse Lineage: He was a rare "lineage holder" in three distinct traditions—Sōtō, Rinzai, and Sanbo Kyodan.
Arrival in America: He moved to Los Angeles in 1956 to serve as a priest at Zenshuji Temple, the Sōtō headquarters in the U.S..
Major Foundations:
Zen Center of Los Angeles (ZCLA), White Plum Asanga, Kuroda Institute: Established in show more 1976 to promote academic Buddhist scholarship and translations.
Legacy and Successors: He transmitted the Dharma to twelve influential successors—including Bernie Glassman, John Daido Loori, and Charlotte Joko Beck—who went on to found numerous Zen communities globally. show less

Hakuyu Taizan Maezumi (1931–1995) was a seminal Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher who played a critical role in establishing Zen in the United States.
Diverse Lineage: He was a rare "lineage holder" in three distinct traditions—Sōtō, Rinzai, and Sanbo Kyodan.
Arrival in America: He moved to Los Angeles in 1956 to serve as a priest at Zenshuji Temple, the Sōtō headquarters in the U.S..
Major Foundations:
Zen Center of Los Angeles (ZCLA), White Plum Asanga, Kuroda Institute: Established in show more 1976 to promote academic Buddhist scholarship and translations.
Legacy and Successors: He transmitted the Dharma to twelve influential successors—including Bernie Glassman, John Daido Loori, and Charlotte Joko Beck—who went on to found numerous Zen communities globally. show less