Afterzen: Experiences of a Zen Student Out on His Ear

Rather lighter and much more cynical than his other books on his Zen experiences; a good antidote to much
naive Western writing about Buddhism. Essentially it is a series of sketches of pseudo-Buddhist scoundrels. He does not claim they represent all of Buddhism --at one point he has a vision of one false teacher's doctrine as a little shack built against the great monument of Buddhism-- but still, they are a useful warning for
inexperienced seekers, especially those who imagine only Christianity has its share of rogues.

I have often wonder, if after satori you are supposed to chop wood and carry water, why you can't just do that from the beginning and skip all the mediation business. The author seems to be wondering the same thing. He is doing rather nicely at his own wood chopping, while he looks at a number of teachers who have gone astray. Another reviewer called the author cynical. I wouldn't have said that; I would have said Awake.

I've read a couple of other books by this author and liked them a lot. I was cranky when I started this one and did not like it. As I read on or my mood improved, not sure which, or perhaps it was my understanding. I liked it more. Yes - my understanding increased. It is a memoir of his experiences after leaving the "serious" study of Zen in Japan and moving to the U.S. He is Dutch which added more interest for me. He writes each chapter round a koan, those nasty little things that annoy the hell out of me. It can be used as a light read or with more thought, a deeper read. He examines the process of having a teacher, teachers' humanity, and other issues around religious institutions. I'm giving it four stars, and I think it is worth show more another read still. show less

This is the last book of Weterings trilogy regarding his experience with Zen buddhism. It is clear that the author could not come to terms with the sometimes eccentric style of education of his different teachers over the years. The book is mostly a chronicle of the darker side of Weterings quest to find the meaning of life.

> Un Zen Occidental : http://www.zen-occidental.net/ndl/wetering1.html