Here at the frontier, the leaves fall like rain. Although my neighbors are all barbarians, and you, you are a thousand miles away, there are still two cups at my table.


Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life.

~ Wu-men ~


Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Shut Up and Sit Down: Zen Books

If you click on the title of this post, you'll be directed to the webstie for Brad Warner, author of Hardcore Zen. Warner is a regular working guy with a wife and kids, and a job. He used to play bass in a punk band years ago, and is an ordained Zen priest.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/086171380X/qid=1120055808/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-7411287-7955859

I am impressed by his no nonsense, take no prisoners approach to explaining his views on Zen. He doesn't need to go by some Asian sounding name to appear more "authentic."

His website is loaded with articles about Zen practice, and criticism of what passes for Zen.

Another author who is worth checking out is Charlotte Joko Beck. She's a little older and gentler than Warner in her writing, but to me she's saying essentially the same things. She wrote two books.

Everyday Zen: Love and Work

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060607343/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_3/103-7411287-7955859?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

and Nothing Special: Living Zen

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0062511173/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_3/103-7411287-7955859?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

Finally, there is the gentlest voice of all, Shunryu Suzuki in his classic, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0834800799/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_3/103-7411287-7955859?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

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