3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Primer on Zen, March 2, 2008
This review is from: The Elements of Zen (The Elements of Series) (Paperback)
Written by two British Zen Buddhists, this is a fairly brief primer on the basics of Zen, including its history, philosophical elements, and practice. Each section provides a short background geared toward readers new to Zen Buddhism. While generally very readable and easy to understand, the authors sometimes throw in names or use terminology without providing any background, which can be confusing. The glossary in the back of the book is useful, however, if you don't mind having to do a fair amount of flipping back and forth.
After an introduction in which the authors explain that "Zen is first and foremost the experience which the student must recognize in his or her own life," the book charts the history of Zen from the birth of the Buddha in sixth century BC India, through its arrival in China in AD 520 and Japan in the 1200s, and concluding with its growing popularity in the West. The book also covers the basic differences between the Rinzai and Soto schools, the former of which emphasizes practice toward enlightenment while the latter emphasizes practice as enlightenment itself.
The next few sections cover za-zen, or the practice of Zen meditation, with explanations, tips, and illustrations, also briefly describing monastic life and the inner workings of a Buddhist temple. There follows a section on "Zen in Daily Life," including the Four Noble Truths (in short: suffering is caused by clinging to desires) and the Eightfold Path (in short, how to find liberation from worldly desire), and interesting discussions of Zen cooking and the martial arts. Concluding the book is a Q & A section, which answered most of my immediate questions, and a collection of sutras.
All in all, a good introduction.
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