The Authorized Dark Zen Meditation Manual of Buddhism [Paperback]

Zenmar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2001

If the Holy Grail were actually discovered today, it would create a huge world wide sensation. This book, "The Authorized Dark Zen Meditation Manual of Buddhism" should be heralded as the just found Holy Grail of Buddhism. The author claims, and rightly so, that this book explains the missing meditational practice that the Buddha gave to the world some 2500 years ago. No one reading it can dispute its claim when they actually sense the "Buddhic light" after practicing the meditation. This book seems to be touched by an uncanny power I have not witnessed in any Buddhist work. This book is truly awesome. Don't buy it if you fear illumination. -- The Zennist

Editorial Reviews

Review

Absolutely fantastic and authentic restoral of genuine Buddhist meditation as it apears in the Suttas! -- Venerable Shakya Aryanatta, Buddhologist

In setting the stage for DZM practice Dark Zen restores Buddhisms original meditation for the first time in 2300 years. -- D. S. Ananda, Pali Scholar and author

Realizing the fruit of Dark Zen experiencing Buddhism. Buddhism is no longer ... a religion consisting of various beliefs but emancipation -- The Orthodox Buddhist Center, August 2, 2001

The authentic meaning the Bhuddhist meditation laid out in the Nikayas of Sammasati and Sammasamadhi as Buddhism actually teaches it. -- The Orthodox Buddhist Foundation

From the Author

For a long time, something has been missing in Buddhist meditation. What has been missing, it seems clear, is the Buddha's original idea of meditation whereby the adept accesses the immortal spirit which the Buddha discovered long ago. Dark Zen claims to have found this missing meditation practice of the Buddha which accesses the immortal spirit. We think not only that Dark Zen meditation is the authentic meditation of the Buddha, but we have now verified it with a new, exciting translation of a key Buddhist scripture. This scripture outlines the Buddha's original meditation which the author presents for the first time.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 30 pages
• Publisher: Dark Star Publications (August 1, 2001)
• ISBN-10: 0971254125
• ISBN-13: 978-0971254121
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,222,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars pure bunk, November 16, 2004

By 

Jim Smith "Jim" (Utah, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Authorized Dark Zen Meditation Manual of Buddhism (Paperback)

The sad fact of this book is the author can simply not write. It seems strange that these, suposedly Budhhist sutras were lost and now revealed. Even in the authors title "DarkZen" there is a complete contradition of terms. Zen is neither "Dark" nor "light" as duality in the Zen context does not exist at all. The book seems to borrow rather heavily from StarWars and is a silly fusion of Religon and pop-culture. If one is truely serious about Zen/Buddhism there are far beter authors than this pretender.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Zero stars is to kind, November 24, 2004

By 

Samual "Clements" (New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Authorized Dark Zen Meditation Manual of Buddhism (Paperback)

If I could give this book zero stars or a negative I would. Unfortunaly I will have to give it one star, that being for the attractive yellow colouring of the dust jacket. Simply put I feel sorry for anyone who gets suckered into buying this trash. To call this book Buddhism is like calling Mein Kamph Christianity. It is simply a book of hate created by small minded persons who wish to create a another cult. Dont buy into it!

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars innovation or exaggeration?, February 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Authorized Dark Zen Meditation Manual of Buddhism (Paperback)

By reading the editorial reviews of this book, one may get the impression that it contains unprecedented insights and groundbreaking approaches to Buddhist meditation. If so, there is something of a disappointment in store. Don't get me wrong; I believe this little book (yes it's more of a pamphlet to be honest) is a fair and adequate meditation manual. The problem is, despite the hype and exaggerated claims created by it's authors and associates, that none of it seems so shockingly different or more profoundly orthodox than other time-honoured practices, especially if one is familiar with zen/cha'an practices in particular (students of samatha-vipassana will hopefully recognize the practice immediately). I recommend a comparison with Dogen's Fukan-Zazengi, from which I have to admit I do not see any significant variance, though Dogen's work is much shorter and more difficult to penetrate.

Included in the book is a somewhat innovative translation of the famed anapanasati sutta of the Pali Nikayas. The translation varies from more run-of-the-mill works in its emphasis, and perhaps may be helpful for those who never understood "mindfulness" in its true meaning in Buddhist practice (the translator despises the word "mindfulness" as a translation for "sati,"). I'm not enough of an expert in the Pali language to judge whether or not the translation is less accurate than more accepted versions, but the sutta is still recognizeable and seems to be an effort in the direction of elucidating the true practice (which I still have to say is not utterly lost in the standard translations).

So, this book comes recommended fairly for someone who never seemed to benefit from or understand Buddhist meditation for what it is meant to be, and perhaps as an introduction. For those who are dedicated, confident practicioners of some traditional form of Buddhist meditation, this book is of questionable use, depending--of course-- on the individual, since I'm challenged to see where this book varies at all from great teachers and traditions of meditation through the ages. It may help, but more likely for the serious student it will just be a reiteration of what they have already found or been taught. For a preview of the book's contents, look over the meditation teachings at the dark zen web site.