Christmas Humphreys (1901–1983)

Writing about Zen can't help but be dry but including an intellectual facet to the study of this philosophy made it a little less so. I read it because of Van Morrison's reference to Christmas Humphries in his "Cleaning Windows" song. And thinking about it later, it helped put the western quest for reason, the christian faith, and zen in context. Nothingness and God outside the sentient lives of people are but part of them. Zen says go beyond and be aware of the nothingness while show more Christianity is a study on how to be within the Dharma in communication with the personalized nothingess as God. show less

If you're interested in reading a stereotypical bourgeoisie white European man's understanding of Zen Buddhism, this is the book for you. It's very much written from a Westernized perspective--Christian-centric is the only term I can think of that fits; Humphreys obviously thinks in absolutes, explains in absolutes, which poses a major problem when what one is trying to understand is a religious philosophy against the idea of absolutes.

Did I mention he's pretentious? The author's show more overly-pedantic writing style was enough to have me contemplating just dropping the course I read this for altogether. I ended up sticking it out, which was rewarding, as we moved on to more worthwhile analysis and explanation of Zen later in the course. show less

This little book gives an overview of Buddhism from its beginning until the late 1940s when the book was written. Buddhism is much more complex and varied than I had expected and this book is a good introduction to the various schools, to their histories, the scriptures and texts, and to the differences between the practice of Buddhism in the various countries as Buddhism spread throughout the world, first eastward and then westward.

Humphreys introduces some of the philosophies of Buddhism, show more but only to familiarize the reader with the basic ideas and vocabulary. What is most helpful to someone like me who knew almost nothing about Buddhism is the wonderful bibliographies he attaches to every chapter. It was a nice introduction which allows the reader to choose what form of Buddhism he would like to study more deeply. show less

I wanted to read this as soon as I saw it, the book being name-checked by Van Morrison in his song, Cleaning Windows. Bought the book, started reading it, then looked up the author when I got home and found that in his 'day job' he was a Crown Prosecutor, in which capacity he was instrumental in securing the executions of Ruth Ellis, Derek Bentley and Timothy Evans, all cases now widely seen as either controversial and/or miscarriages of justice.

I put the book down last year, and picking it show more up today can feel no joy when holding it in my hand. So, I'm sending it on it's way. I can't rate it as I've read only 46 pages, but have no appetite for any more. Another book on Zen will, no doubt, comfortably find it's way into my hand at some point. show less