Zen Buddhism Books

Book Synopsis The Sunday Times bestsellerFEATURED ON THE DELICIOUSLY ELLA PODCASTWe''re all on a search for happiness, but we''re looking in the wrong places.Everyone looks externally to find contentment, we think material possessions will unlock our happiness. A Monk''s Guide to Happiness explains how and why we need to look within, and connect to our true essence, in order to find peace. Everyone has the potential to be happy, after all, we''re all ''hardwired'' for happiness.But how do we get there? By meditating. Not just in the morning, but throughout the day by introducing micro moments so we never drop the mindfulness ball, even when we''re busy. Meditation is more than just a stress-reduction tool or a relaxation therapy, it is the key to finding long-lasting happiness.Gelong Thubten, a Buddhist monk who has worked with everyone from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to Ruby Wax and BenedicTrade ReviewThubten is a very generous and kind monk who writes with the lived honesty and humour of someone who has experienced the wisdom he shares. His writing is full of inspiration but also the pragmatism needed to form a sustainable practice. His book clearly illustrates why we all need meditation and mindfulness in our lives. -- Benedict CumberbatchGelong Thubten's book is as warm, wise and generous as the man himself. We've never needed a voice like his more. -- Melanie Reid * The Times *Compelling to read, yet full of profound wisdom, this wonderful book rationally describes how our mind functions and how we can cultivate the habit of happiness. * Professor Lokesh Joshi, Vice President for Research, National University of Ireland *Thubten is able to explain meditation using clear language and an approach which really speaks to our modern tech-infused lives. With openness, humility and humour he delivers a deep message that will resonate in our modern culture. * Rami Jawhar, Program Manager at Google Arts & Culture *Gelong Thubten's wonderful book provides a bracing challenge to our search for instant gratification and "instant" happiness, and a lucid, practical, step-by-step path to contentment and a genuine and lasting peace of mind. -- Mick Brown * Journalist for The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisAlthough the consciousness of death is, in most cultures, very much a part of life, this is perhaps nowhere more true than in Japan, where the approach of death has given rise to a centuries-old tradition of writing jisei, or the death poem. Such a poem is often written in the very last moments of the poet's life. Hundreds of Japanese death poems, many with a commentary describing the circumstances of the poet's death, have been translated into English here, the great majority of them for the first time. Yoel Hoffmann explores the attitudes and customs surrounding death in historical and present-day Japan, and gives examples of how these have been reflected in the nation's literature in general. The development of writing jisei is then examined from the poems of longing of the early nobility and the more masculine verses of the samurai to the satirical death poems of later centuries. Zen Buddhist ideas about death are also described as a preface to the collection of Chinese death poems by Zen monks that are also included. Finally, the last section contains three hundred twenty haiku, some of which have never been assembled before, in English translation and romanized in Japanese.Trade Review Kevin Rose and Tim Ferriss discuss Japanese Death Poems on episode #670 of The Tim Ferriss Show - Listen to it here (conversation starts at 1:18:00)"There is something so otherworldly and beautiful about Japanese poetry, but especially Japanese poetry about death…poetry and prose regarding death, dreams, and memories have an extra weight and heft to them, whilst still being able to maintain an ethereal, dreamy, nostalgic, cozy warm delivery in their thematic idea exploration." —Traveling Book Nerds"A wonderful introduction to the Japanese tradition of jisei, this volume is crammed with exquisite, spontaneous verse and pithy, often hilarious, descriptions of the eccentric and committed monastics who wrote the poems."—Tricycle: The Buddhist Review

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Book SynopsisLearn how to create a tranquil outdoor space at home with this practical and inspiring guide!With instructive drawings and step-by-step techniques, Inside Your Japanese Garden walks you through designing and creating your very own Japanese garden. From small projects like benches and gates, to larger undertakings like bridges and mud walls, this book provides a wide variety of ways to enhance the space around your home, no matter the size. Instructions on how to work with stone, mud and bamboo—as well as a catalogue of the 94 plant varieties used in the gardens shown in the book—round out this complete guide.This book also features 19 gardens that author Sadao Yasumoro has designed and built in Japan, and some—like those at Visvim shop in Tokyo and at Yushima Tenjin in Tokyo—are open to the public. From small tsuboniwa courtyard gardens to a large backyard stroll garden with water features, stairs and walls, these real-life inspirations will help spark your own garden plan.These inspirational garden projects include: Tea Garden for an Urban Farmhouse featuring a clay wall with a split-bamboo frame and a stone base The Landslide That Became a Garden with a terraced slope, trees, bushes, long grasses and moss A Buddha's Mountain Retreat of Moss and Stone with vertical-split bamboo and brushwood fencing Paradise in an Urban Jungle with a pond, Japanese-style bridge, and stone lanterns Each garden is beautifully photographed by Hironori Tomino and many have diagrams and drawings to show the essential elements used in the planning and construction.Trade Review"Fans of garden design will want to give this a look"--Publishers Weekly"While this is presented in the form of a manual, it is clear that what is truly important is not rigorously following a series of instructions but gardening from the heart, using fundamental design principles to inform one's plan and working with the site and conditions rather than trying to force them into obedience. Stunning color photographs depict the featured gardens and highlight smaller details within them. Thoroughly indexed and with a list of plants that appear in the book, this is a useful resource as well as a source of plentiful inspiration for readers." --Booklist"A visually beautiful book to simply browse through one garden at a time […] impressively written, organized and presented. A source of inspiration, ideas, and practical instruction." --Midwest Book Review

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Book SynopsisCharlotte Joko Beck is one of the most popular Zen teachers currently teaching in the West.This beautifully written book is a Zen guide to the problems of daily living, love, relationships, work, fear and suffering. Beck describes how to be in the present and living each moment to the full.Trade Review‘Deals with the most important spiritual practice of all – how we can live awakened in our daily life.’Jack Kornfield

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Book SynopsisIn this ground-breaking approach to golf instruction, Dr Joseph Parent, both a noted PGA Tour coach and a respected Buddhist teacher, draws on this natural connection to teach golfers how to play with more consistency and less frustration, and consequently how to lower their scores.When body and mind are synchronized, we can uncover our inherent dignity and confidence. The ultimate goal is not just to help people become better golfers, but better human beings.'Zen Golf offers a fresh perspective for golf and for life. Instead of focusing on what''s wrong with us what''s broken, flawed or missing we can take the attitude that there is something fundamentally, essentially right with us.In chapters such as How to Get from the Practice Tee to the First Tee', You Practice What You Fear', and How to Enjoy a Bad Round of Golf', author Joseph Parent shows how to make one's mind an ally rather than an enemy: how to stay calm, clear the interference that leads to bad shots, and eliminate bad hTrade Review‘The lessons in Zen Golf make the mental game seem so simple’ Vijay Singh, current World No 1 Golfer ‘Soothing and enlightening, Zen Golf exposes us to the storm-tossed waters of the golfer’s psyche’ Golf Digest ‘In Buddhism, if you want to achieve enlightenment, you have to do it through meditation and self-improvement through the mind. That’s something my mother passed on to me: to be able to calm myself down and use my mind as my main asset’ Tiger Woods

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Book SynopsisThe Genius of Japanese Carpentry tells the story of the 1200-year-old Yakushiji monastery in Nara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the dedicated modern-day craftsmen who are working to restore what has been lost to the depredations of time, fire and warfare.Although the monastery's reconstruction will not be fully completed until 2030, one of the primary temples—the Picture Hall—has been wholly restored employing the same materials, tools and techniques originally used in its creation over a millennium ago. Featuring intricate, puzzle-like joinery and the integration of timber pieces to orient them in the same direction as when it was a growing tree, this book skillfully documents the stunning craftsmanship of the ancient Japanese, which is still alive today.First published more than thirty years ago, this book has become a classic. Author Azby Brown, one of the world's leading experts on Japanese architecture, chronicles the painstaking restoration of the Yakushiji monastery through: Extensive interviews with carpenters and woodworkers Original drawings based on the plans of master carpenter Tsunekazu Nishioka Detailed photographs and diagrams showing the woodworking techniques, tools and materials used This revised edition of the book contains a new foreword by Mira Locher, one of the world's leading experts on vernacular and modern Japanese architecture.An inspiring testament to the dedication of these craftsmen and their philosophy of carpentry work as a form of personal fulfillment, The Genius of Japanese Carpentry offers detailed documentation of the restoration of this historic building and a moving reminder of the unique cultural continuity found in Japan.cTrade Review"My main impression throughout reading this book has been one of head shaking and disbelief, and sheer amazement at the ingenuity of Japanese carpenters current and old. If you have any interest in carpentry, timber framing, woodworking, or even Japanese history, I highly recommend this book" —The Year of Mud blog"The Genius of Japanese Carpentry focuses on Japan's foremost carpenters who combine the timeless past and living present." —Japan Woodcraft Association"…very much heartfelt appreciation of Japanese carpentry." —Japan Forward blog

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"…The authors did an excellent job at going deep into the surface of the style, a helpful beginning for those interested and a further study for those with experience in traditional Chinese martial arts…Grayscale photos and illustrations also help paint a clearer picture as to what the written instructions describe." -- Martial Journal

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Book SynopsisA rare, intimate account of a world-renowned Buddhist monk’s near-death experience and the life-changing wisdom he gained from it.'Generous, beautiful, and essential' - George Saunders, Booker Prize-winning author of Lincoln in the BardoIn In Love With the World, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, one of the world's most respected leaders of Tibetan meditation, shares his personal story of how he explored the deepest, most hidden aspects of his being, and the near-death experience that came to define his meditation practice and teaching forever. Moving, beautiful and suffused with local colour, Rinpoche shares the invaluable lessons learned during his four-year wandering retreat and the meditation practices that sustained him, showing how we can all transform our fear of dying into joyful living.Trade ReviewOne of the most generous, beautiful, and essential books I’ve ever read – thoroughly engaging, so clear, so honest, so courageous and full of wisdom. This book has the potential to change the reader’s life forever. -- George Saunders, Booker Prize-winning author of Lincoln in the BardoI loved this book. It is moving and inspiring, profound and utterly human. It will certainly be a classic. Mingyur’s life-changing adventure carries us with him and teaches us how to find the unshakable heart amidst it all. -- Jack Kornfield, author of A Path With Heart One of the most inspiring books I have ever read. -- Pema Chödrön, author of When Things Fall ApartOne of the most inspiring books of our times. An extraordinary testimony and a profound teaching that keeps you reading with wonderment, page after page. -- Matthieu Ricard, author of Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill and Altruism: The Power of Compassion to Change Yourself and the WorldThis is an extraordinary book. A gripping narrative of how the process of dying, letting go of our fixed selves and constraining habits, can liberate the human spirit and promote flourishing, this book has something profoundly important to teach each of us. -- Richard J. Davidson, best-selling author of Emotional Life of Your Brain, co-author of Altered Traits, and Founder and Director, Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-MadisonIn this vivid, compelling account, Mingyur Rinpoche reveals his own struggle and awakening as he faces the loss of worldly identity and the threat of dying itself. This book is a rarity in spiritual literature: Reading the intimate story of this wise and devoted Buddhist monk directly infuses our own transformational journey with fresh meaning, luminosity and life. -- Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance and True RefugeThis book will change many lives. -- Tara Bennett-Goleman, author of Emotional AlchemyThis artfully told spiritual adventure casts a spell—you can’t put it down, and you don’t want it to end. I recommend it without reservation: I bet you’ll love it, too. -- Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional IntelligenceIn his book, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche gifts us with more than just a mesmerizing read. As Rinpoche narrates his spiritual journey, he lays bare his early hopes and aspirations, his doubts, indignities, bodily and emotional suffering, and his vulnerabilities. He offers these with great skill, clarity, and love to encourage and inspire us to travel our own spiritual journeys. -- Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real LoveA rollicking travelogue...this slim book also moved me, and left me with a better appreciation of Tibetan Buddhism than so many weightier tomes that I’ve struggled to understand. -- Barbara Demick, Baillie Gifford award-winning author of Nothing to Envy

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Book SynopsisLook around you - what do you see? You may discover to your surprise that the people who are most at peace with money are the ones who walk nimbly between having too little and having too much. They have found a balance between indulgence and austerity; between success and happiness; between motivation and inspiration; and between any number of other poles we tend to think of as either/or choices, but which in reality are simply posts on either side of a doorway through which we must pass.For many of us the subject of money is unavoidably stressful. Managing our personal finances is complicated, time consuming and often, particularly in the slow countdown to pay day, dispiriting. The good news is that in Japan - where a Zen approach to life is more widely practiced - a pathway to a better relationship with money is being carved, by Ken Honda.This beautifully written book will reinvent the way you see your personal finances. You will come to understand that money flow

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Book SynopsisThis immensely useful book explores Zen''s rich tradition of chanted liturgy and the powerful ways that such chants support meditation, expressing and helping us truly uphold our heartfelt vows to live a life of freedom and compassion. Exploring eight of Zen''s most essential and universal liturgical texts, Living by Vow is a handbook to walking the Zen path, and Shohaku Okumura guides us like an old friend, speaking clearly and directly of the personal meaning and implications of these chants, generously using his experiences to illustrate their practical significance. A scholar of Buddhist literature, he masterfully uncovers the subtle, intricate web of culture and history that permeate these great texts. Esoteric or challenging terms take on vivid, personal meaning, and old familiar phrases gain new poetic resonance.

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Book SynopsisA Japanese master offers a Zen perspective on the nature of time and being, further exploring the concepts of impermanence, living in the present moment, and moreIt’s easy to regard time as a commodity—we even speak of “saving” or “spending” it. We often regard it as an enemy, when we feel it slipping away before we’re ready for time to be up. The Zen view of time is radically different than that: time is not something separate from our life; rather, our life is time. Understand this, says Dainin Katagiri Roshi, and you can live fully and freely right where you are in each moment.  Katagiri bases his teaching on Being Time, a text by the most famous of all Zen masters, Eihei Dogen (1200–1253), to show that time is a creative, dynamic process that continuously produces the universe and everything in it—and that to understand this is to discover a gateway to freedom from the dissatisfactions of everyday life. He guides us in contemplating impermanence, the present moment, and the ungraspable nature of past and future. He discusses time as part of our inner being, made manifest through constant change in ourselves and our surroundings. And these ideas are by no means metaphysical abstractions: they can be directly perceived by any of us through meditation.

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Book Synopsis'The monk who taught the world mindfulness' TimeIn this masterful work, one of the most revered spiritual leaders in the world today shares his wisdom on how to be the change we want to see in the world. In these troubling times we all yearn for a better world. But many of us feel powerless and uncertain what we can do. Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) is blazingly clear: there's one thing that we have the power to change-and which can make all the difference: our mind. How we see and think about things determines all the choices we make, the everyday actions we take (or avoid), how we relate to those we love (or oppose), and how we react in a crisis or when things don't go our way.Filled with powerful examples of engaged action he himself has undertaken, inspiring Buddhist parables, and accessible daily meditations, this powerful spiritual guide offers us a path forward, opening us to the possibilities of change and how we can contribute to the collective awakening and environmental revolution our fractured world so desperately needs.Trade ReviewOne of the most influential spiritual leaders of our times * Oprah *Thich Nhat Hanh's empowering voice and example will be valuable to those seeking wisdom in a frenetic, threatened world * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThe fascinating and quirky biography of a disheveled poet, skillfully interwoven with his original works.Zen monk Santoka Taneda (1882-1940) is one of Japan's most beloved modern poets, famous for his "free-verse" haiku, the dominant style today. This book tells the fascinating story of his life, liberally sprinkled with more than 300 of his poems and extracts from his essays and journals—compiled by his best friend and biographer Sumita Oyama and elegantly translated by William Scott Wilson.Santoka was a literary prodigy, but a notoriously disorganized human being. By his own admission, he was incapable of doing anything other than wandering the countryside and writing verses. Although Santoka married and had a son, he devoted his life to poetry, studying Zen, drinking sake and wandering the length and breadth of the Japanese islands on foot, as a mendicant monk.The poet's life alternated between long periods of solitary retreat and restless travel, influenced by his tragic childhood. When not on the road, he lived in simple grass huts supported by friends and family. Santoka was a lively conversationalist who was often found so drunk he could only make it home with the help of a friendly neighbor or passerby. But above all, throughout his life, he wrote constantly; poetry and essays flowed from him effortlessly.Santoka's eccentric style of haiku is highly regarded in Japan today for being truly modern and free from formal constraints. His journals and essays are equally thought-provoking—the musings of an unkempt but supremely self-conscious mind on everything from writing to cooking rice and his failure to live a more orderly life.This translation and its introduction are by best-selling author William Scott Wilson, whose other works include The Book of Five Rings and The Lone Samurai. Wilson provides sensitive renditions of the haiku illustrating Santoka's life as well as an extensive introduction to the influences on Santoka's work, from contemporary haiku poets and his Buddhist teachers.Alongside the book, readers have access to a two-hour online audio recording of 331 of Santoka Taneda's haiku, read in Japanese by a native speaker, and in English.Trade Review"I feel guilty, finding so much joy in another man's sadness…" --Red Pine, author of Finding Them Gone, translator of The Heart Sutra"William Scott Wilson has unearthed yet another neglected Japanese treasure. Both biography and poems are elegant, inspirational, and brimming with life. Wilson has outdone himself." --Barry Lancet, award-winning author of Japantown and The Spy Across the Table"In this extraordinary book, William Scott Wilson brings his vast experience as a renowned translator of Japanese literature and religious thought…a must read for all those interested in how traditional Japanese culture endures in modern times." --Steven Heine, author of Readings of Dogen's Treasury of the True Dharma Eye

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Book Synopsis"When something is bothering you-a person is bugging you, a situation is irritating you, or physical pain is troubling you-you must work with your mind, and that is done through meditation. Working with our mind is the only means through which we'll actually begin to feel happy and contented with the world that we live in." -Pema Chödrön Pema Chödrön is treasured around the world for her unique ability to transmit teachings and practices that bring peace, understanding, and compassion into our lives. With How to Meditate, the American-born Tibetan Buddhist nun presents her first book exploring in depth what she considers the essentials for a lifelong practice. More and more people are beginning to recognize a profound inner longing for authenticity, connection, and aliveness. Meditation, Pema explains, gives us a golden key to address this yearning. This step-by-step guide shows readers how to honestly meet and openly relate with the mind, embrace the fullness of our experience, and live in a wholehearted way as we discover: - The basics of meditation, from getting settled and the six points of posture to working with your breath and cultivating an attitude of unconditional friendliness - The Seven Delights-how moments of difficulty can become doorways to awakening and love - Shamatha (or calm abiding), the art of stabilizing the mind to remain present with whatever arises - Thoughts and emotions as "sheer delight"-instead of obstacles-in meditation "I think ultimately why we practice is so that we can become completely loving people, and this is what the world needs," writes Pema Chödrön. How to Meditate is an essential book from this wise teacher to assist each one of us in this virtuous goal.

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Book Synopsis'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 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.

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Book SynopsisThe path to achieving Zen (a balance between the body and the mind) is brilliantly explained by Professor Eugen Herrigel in this timeless account.This book is the result of the author's six year quest to learn archery in the hands of Japanese Zen masters. It is an honest account of one man's journey to complete abandonment of the self' and the Western principles that we use to define ourselves. Professor Herrigel imparts knowledge from his experiences and guides the reader through physical and spiritual lessons in a clear and insightful way. Mastering archery is not the key to achieving Zen, and this is not a practical guide to archery. It is more a guide to Zen principles and learning and perfect for practitioners and non-practitioners alike.

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Book SynopsisIn The Gateless Gate, one of modern Zen Buddhism''s uniquely influential masters offers classic commentaries on the Mumonkan, one of Zen''s greatest collections of teaching stories. This translation was compiled with the Western reader in mind, and includes Koan Yamada''s clear and penetrating comments on each case. Yamada played a seminal role in bringing Zen Buddhism to the West from Japan, going on to be the head of the Sanbo Kyodan Zen Community.The Gateless Gate would be invaluable if only for the translation and commentary alone, yet it''s loaded with extra material and is a fantastic resource to keep close by: An in-depth Introduction to the History of Zen Practice Lineage charts Japanese-to-Chinese and Chinese-to-Japanese conversion charts for personal names, place names, and names of writings Plus front- and back-matter from ancient and modern figures: Mumon, Shuan, Kubota Ji''un, Taizan Maezumi, Hugo Enomiya-Lasalle, and Yamada Roshi''s son, Masamichi Yamada. A wonderful inspiration for the koan practitioner, and for those with a general interest in Zen Buddhism.

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Book SynopsisReveals how true power comes from within. This book illustrates how the understanding of power leads us on a search for external markers like job title or salary. It challenges our assumptions and teaches us how to access the true power that is within our grasp.Trade Review"The Art of Power is a bold and visionary work that reframes power, ambition, success, happiness, love, and peace." -- Spirituality & Practice "Among Buddhist leaders influential in the West, Thich Nhat Hanh ranks second only to the Dalai Lama." -- New York Times

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Book SynopsisA new translation of The Gateless Gate and The Blue Cliff Records, two classic collections of Zen koans—or guiding ‘riddles’—used in the study of Zen Buddhism The strange verbal paradoxes called koans have been used traditionally in Zen training to help students attain a direct realization of truths inexpressible in words. The two works translated in this book, Mumonkan (The Gateless Gate) and Hekiganroku (The Blue Cliff Records), both compiled during the Song dynasty in China, are the best known and most frequently studied koan collections, and are classics of Zen literature. They are still used today in a variety of practice lineages, from traditional zendos to modern Zen centers.   In a completely new translation, together with original commentaries, the well-known Zen teacher Katsuki Sekida brings to these works the same fresh and pragmatic approach that made his Zen Training so successful. The insights of a lifetime of Zen practice and his familiarity with both Eastern and Western ways of thinking make him an ideal interpreter of these texts.

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Book SynopsisBest known for his Buddhist teachings, Thich Nhat Hanh has lived in exile from his native Vietnam since 1966. These remarkable early journals reveal not only an exquisite portrait of the Zen master as a young man, but the emergence of a great poet and literary voice of Vietnam. From his years as a student and teaching assistant at Princeton and Columbia, to his efforts to negotiate peace and a better life for the Vietnamese, Fragrant Palm Leaves offers an elegant and profound glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most beloved spiritual teachers.

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Book SynopsisLearn to nurture the eight qualities of an extraordinary person within yourself through the wisdom of Zen master Dogen.The Buddha taught that every person is capable of greatness by practicing eight key qualities in their life, from having few desires and not engaging in useless arguments to knowing what is enough. These timeless teachings were later expanded upon by the prolific thirteenth-century Zen master Eihei Dogen in his final teaching before his death?values that, despite their age, perennially ring true.In The Roots of Goodness, the late Japanese Zen teacher Kosho Uchiyama Röshi bridges the gap between the eras of these ancient masters and today, delivering insightful, relatable, and rich commentary that brings these eight qualities into focus and directly applies them to the complexities of modern life. Translator Daitsu Tom Wright, a longtime student of Uchiyama, provides a full translation of Dogen?s original work as well as a faithful translation of Uchiyama?s commentary, supplemented with a historical background of Dogen, an exploration of how the teaching of the eight qualities impacted Uchiyama?s life and work, and a personal introduction that grounds the importance of this teaching in modernity. This book seamlessly weaves together ancient wisdom with Uchiyama?s beloved humor and style, offering a path for using these qualities to more fully embrace Buddhist practice and answer the age-old question: How does one become a truly good person?

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Book SynopsisThis inspiring calendar features 12 examples of Zen poetry and quotes alongside beautiful Zen photography. These art forms open up a visual world and are a simple expression of organic living, and nature, that can be meditated upon. The datepad features previous and next month's views. Printed on FSC-certified paper, with plastic-free packaging.

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Book SynopsisOne of former president Barack Obama''s favorite gifts under ten dollars, this mini Zen garden will help you find peace in everyday life and deliver mindfulness to your desktop. Kit includes: Mini Zen gardening tray Bag of sand Decorative rocks Miniature wooden rake Mini book on the beauty of Zen gardening

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Book SynopsisA fresh, modern re-imagining of the essential Osho meditation text For decades Meditation: The First and Last Freedom has been the essential guide to meditation and Osho meditation techniques. Developed specifically for a contemporary audience, this foundational guide shows that meditation need not be a specific spiritual discipline that is set apart from the real world. Rather, in essence, it is simply the art of becoming aware of what is going on inside and around us and developing the capacity to respond creatively to whatever comes our way. As we acquire the knack, meditation can be our companion wherever we areat work, at play, at rest.This newly revised edition includes:- New meditations for daily practice, including many that can be seamlessly integrated into the activities of everyday life.- Updated presentations of the classic Osho Active Meditations, gathered together in one volume for the first time in print.- Detailed instru

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Book SynopsisThe teachings of Zen Buddhism combined with the earth-based tradition of Druidry can create a holistic way of life that is deeply integrated with the seasons, the environment and the present moment. In soul-deep relationship we can use the techniques and wisdom from both traditions to find balance and harmony within our own lives. In this text we explore the concepts of the Dharma (the Buddha's teachings) and how they relate to the wisdom of the Druid tradition. We also look at the Wheel of the Year in modern Druidry with regards to the Dharma, incorporating the teachings into every seasonal festival in an all-encompassing celebration of nature. We explore meditation, mindfulness, animism and integration with nature, learning how to find sustainable relationship in the work that we do, opening our souls to the here and now and seeing the beauty and wonder that enchants our lives in every waking moment. Step into a new life, fully awake and aware to the beauty of the natural world.

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Book SynopsisAt the age of 30, Kaoru Nonomura left his family, his girlfriend, and his job as a designer in Tokyo to undertake a year of ascetic training at Eiheiji, one of the most rigorous Zen training temples in Japan. This book is Nonomura's recollection of his experiences. After writing Eat Sleep Sit, Kaoru Nonomura returned to his normal life as a designer, but his book has maintained its popularity in Japan, selling more than 100,000 copies since its first printing in 1996. Beautifully written, and offering fascinating insight into this culture.Trade Review"Here is an unusually fine translation of a most unusual best-seller. . . We sometimes have the odd idea that Zen means simply sitting around until satori happens. . . . It is much more, as novice Nonomura discovered when he joined the beginners at Eijeiji, one of the most rigorous temples in Japan. . . . a boot camp of a place that would make even brave marines quail. . . .Nonumura stood the strain. He stayed a year. . . . This painful route, then, is the true Zen path. . . . Almost as painful must have been the translation of this book with its extraordinary width of styles – from the arcane Zen tracts of Dogen and others, to the diary-like grumbles of the clueless young Nonomura. Here, translator Juliet Carpenter not only stays the course, she defines it….here is a particularly felicitous translation, especially in the handling of the colloquial within the religious context." –DONALD RICHIE, in The Japan Times"It is difficult to adequately praise this book. To begin with, Kaoru Nonomura is a great writer. The description of his experiences Is precise, detailed and unsparingly honest, yet giving sudden glimpses of the heart and soul of a poet and mystic. The translation is superb. The story is riveting. . . . a treasure for anyone on any spiritual path." – Light of ConsciousnessTable of ContentsCONTENTSPART ONE The End and the Beginning Resolve 11 Jizo Cloister 17 Dragon Gate 25 Main Gate 29 Temporary Quarters 34 Lavatory 38 Facing the Wall 46 Buddha Bowl 47 Evening Service 53 Evening Meal 56 Night Sitting 61PART TWO Etiquette is Zen JMorning Service 69 JMorning Meal 74 JCleaning the Corridors 81 JDignified Dress 84 JWashing the Face 89 JVerses 96 JNoon 97 JStick 101PART THREE Alone in the Freezing Dark JEntering the Hall 111 JMonks’ Hall 115 JCommon Quarters 120 JWake-up Bell 129 JBell Tower 133 JSelf-reflection 143 JFood Server 150 JMonks’ Food 153 JShaving the Head 159 JDaikan 164 JHunger 169PART FOUR The Passage of Time JEscape 177 JRegistration Ceremony 180 JFirst Bath 185 JBeginning Intensive Training 189 JManual Labor 195 JPenance 201 JMain Lecture 207 JTransfer 211PART FIVE The Source of the Warmth of Life JNew Job 219 JSales 223 JDistribution of Goods 229 JGuest Pavilion 233 JInspection 238 JWashrags 242 JEnding Intensive Training & 247PART SIX The Colors of the Peak, the Echo in the Valley JAttendant to the Director 253 JConference Room & 256 JIn Attendance 259 JMorning Session 263 JIncense Bearer & 267 JPreparations for Winter 271 JIntensive Sitting 275 JYear-end Cleaning 280 JNew Year’s Day 283 JNew Arrivals 286 JJust Sit 290 JDeparture Survey 294 J Leaving 300Afterword to the Japanese First Edition 311Afterword to the Japanese Paperback Edition 315Notes 323

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Book SynopsisThis pioneering guide to zazen—Zen-style seated meditation—provides practical instructions on how to begin or elevate your practice and progress along the Zen path Zen Training is a comprehensive handbook for zazen, seated meditation practice, and an authoritative presentation of the Zen path. The book marked a turning point in Zen literature in its critical reevaluation of the enlightenment experience, which the author believes has often been emphasized at the expense of other important aspects of Zen training. In addition, Zen Training goes beyond the first flashes of enlightenment to explore how one lives as well as trains in Zen. The author also draws many significant parallels between Zen and Western philosophy and psychology, comparing traditional Zen concepts with the theories of being and cognition of such thinkers as Heidegger and Husserl.

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Book SynopsisDainin Katagiri (1928–1990) was a central figure in the transmission of Zen in America. His first book, Returning to Silence, emphasized the need to return to our original, enlightened state of being, and became one of the classics of Zen in America. In You Have to Say Something, selections from his talks have been collected to address another key theme of Katagiri''s teaching: that of bringing Zen insight to bear on our everyday experience. "To live life fully," Katagiri says, "means to take care of your life day by day, moment to moment, right here, right now." To do this, he teaches, we must plunge into our life completely, bringing to it the same wholeheartedness that is required in Zen meditation. When we approach life in this way, every activity—everything we do, everything we say—becomes an opportunity for manifesting our own innate wisdom. With extraordinary freshness and immediacy, Katagiri shows the reader how this wisdom not only enlivens our spiritual practice but can help make our life a rich, seamless whole.

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Book SynopsisZen, plain and simple, with no BS.  This is not your typical Zen book. Brad Warner, a young punk who grew up to be a Zen master, spares no one. This bold new approach to the 'Why?' of Zen Buddhism is as strongly grounded in the tradition of Zen as it is utterly revolutionary. Warner's voice is hilarious, and he calls on the wisdom of everyone from punk and pop culture icons to the Buddha himself to make sure his points come through loud and clear. As it prods readers to question everything, Hardcore Zen is both an approach and a departure, leaving behind the soft and lyrical for the gritty and stark perspective of a new generation. This new edition will feature an afterword from the author.

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Book SynopsisRenowned scholar Burton Watson's translation exactingly depicts the life and teachings of the great ninth-century Chinese Zen master Lin-chi, one of the most highly regarded of the T'ang period masters.

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Book SynopsisIn a time when abuse at the hands of religious leaders is too common comes this guide to making the most of the Zen tradition while protecting and empowering yourself“This is a thoroughly engaging exploration based on deep knowledge of the tradition as well as contemporary research.” —Martine Batchelor, author, Principles of ZenWhile the liberation that Zen offers is real, it must be engaged with carefully, explains this sensei. Her book is neither a memoir about a single case of abuse nor a bloodless academic study. Nelson reflects on the multiple dangers in Zen, from firsthand experience in Boston—where documented abuse recently took place—integrating her discussion at every step with core Zen teachings.“Practicing Safe Zen imparts a lesson we all will have to learn if we want to truly mature in our spiritual practice.” —Barry Magid, author, Ending the Pursuit of Happiness

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