Customer Reviews

Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality

5 star:		(74)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Brad Warner deserves credit for writing a book that both is fun to read and does a pretty good job of explaining the most significant philosophical aspects of Zen Buddhism. Many an experienced practitioner has failed to convey as insightfully as Warner what Zen is about, let alone with such a sense of humor. The book does much of what Warner presumably set out to do: introduce Zen to younger folks who know little or nothing about it and might be put off by more traditional works. He does it without much pandering to the typical inclinations of some members of the target audience, such as the hope that drug use presents a viable alternative, or even supplement, to Zen practice. So I recommend it; you'll learn a lot and you won't be bored.

Nonetheless, the book has some significant shortcomings. While Warner does a fine job of presenting the present-centered aspect of Zen, which is critical, he overlooks almost entirely that Zen, like all Buddhism, is also about compassion. Unfortunately, Warner often expresses the opposite. While it's very tempting to ridicule those who don't "get it," and even more, those who imagine wrongly that they do, and while sniping at the supposedly (or actually) ignorant can be very entertaining when done artfully -- and Warner is good at it, and I have little sympathy for his targets -- his disdain for the benighted becomes wearying after a while, and it reveals that, transmission or no transmission, he has a way to go himself before he is able to walk the talk of the bodhisattva ideal. Arrogance is not merely unattractive, it indicates a lack of realization, and this cannot be entirely negated merely by acknowledging it (which Warner never actually does), and continuing to express it in the name of "accepting what one is." Snide may be cool, but it doesn't reflect the awakened state. So, regardless of his personal cultural preferences (his taste in music, or clothing, or whatever), Warner does come off as intellectually sophisticated but emotionally immature.

Second, Warner never actually tells the reader how to practice. Worse, he starts to, describing the traditional posture for zazen (complete with inaccurately labeled diagram), but his implication that merely sitting in this posture and looking at a wall constitutes shikantaza is not merely incomplete, but fundamentally misleading. Being a Soto practitioner and proud of it, Warner also dismisses other zazen methods as for-beginners-only, and therefore doesn't describe them, either. Warner wasn't compelled to explain what it means to actually practice -- there's nothing wrong with a book that focuses on the philosophical side -- but once he started down that road, he really ought to have presented at least a basic, accurate outline. It would be a shame if readers came away from the book imagining that all they have to do is sit in the correct posture and the rest will take care of itself.

I love Zen books. For the most part, good books on Zen click with me. The thing is, though... the void surrounding that "for the most part" is glaring at times. The authors often come from a landscape so esoteric or removed from the average Joe-&-Jane's real life situation. Two contemporary writers of Zen I enjoy most are Charlotte Joko Beck and the late Alan Watts, yet when I read them, I can't help but picturing myself next to Alen Ginsburg on a houseboat in Sausalito, or eating macrobiotic rice at The Yogic-Yogurt Cafe in some land like Santa Cruz or La Jolla. It's not that I dislike these notions, but they are so far removed from my reality. I got much a lot out of these books, but a little something was missing.

I browsed through Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner. I was initially drawn to the funky cover and thought "Oh cute... another book on 'Zen For the Western Mind." Nope. This book is much more than a cute punk-themed book cover.

Flipping through the pages, I was amazed to find that this Zen practitioner made references to several major pop-culture icons that I could really relate to. I thought I was the only American from my generation who remembered the episode of Ultraman where a funeral service is held for the scores of space monsters that Ultraman had to kill. Nor did I expect to see a reference to that cringe-inducing 1982 CHIPS episode where evil punk rockers terrorized the Battle of the Bands with their ode "I Dig Pain!"

These references to modern media moguls, from Henry Rollins to Ed Wood to Godzilla, are not just trivial inserts serving as a gimmick for a "Zen Book O' the Week" favorite. Brad Warner applies these references to everyday life as many middle class Americans know it. You can toss your MTV memorabilia and Cristina Aguilera posters away and eat all the tofu you please, but let's not pretend we were never reared on TV, rock music and Sugar Pops, because most of us ---even the ones going to Veganville--- love our pop culture.

If you are searching for a book on Zen that will take your soul flying into the astral plane or seeing rainbow-colored deities, well... this book is not for you. Warner is a Zen priest, coming from the mindset that Zen is reality, Zen is what's here & now. The "here & now" is one of the things that has drawn me to books on Zen, and Warner illustrates this very well. There has been so much written on "embracing the mundane," but this one will make sense to anyone who has grown up in American cities and suburbs. Warner shows reality as both exciting and drab, and expresses the notion of "embracing the mundane" in ways that really hits home.

Warner also addresses the dangers of searching for divine intervention, or states of higher consciousness. Namely, he shows how there are plenty of people out there who pass themselves off as enlightened gurus or prophets of God, and how easily they can exploit and harm insecure people searching for spiritual comfort. Charismatic folks are experts at looking "realized & actualized," often promising you the answers to fulfillment. Religious manipulation is a personal pet peeve of mine, and I was pleased to see it discussed in depth. While I won't thumb my nose at anyone's personal religious faith, I am very leery of organized religion, be it a small church or a city-sized temple, especially when a handful of folks claim to give you all the answers. I was equally refreshed to find no sly mention in the backpages of a "Brad Warner Fulfillment Community" or similar money machine. Warner tells it as he sees it, and moves on.

What else can I say? Well, lots... there are enough kudos to cover five or six more pages, but I will stop here. This book is totally boss! I will likely read it several times over, but right now I'm going to embrace the moment my way, doing my Hindu Squats while watching tapes of All-Japan Womens' Wrestling and Lucha Libre on TV, then winding things up with a protein drink and Conan O'Brien on the tube. Read this book, it is a surprising treat.

I've read Hardcore Zen twice. The first read-through last year left kind of a bad taste in my mouth. My overall impression was that even though Brad really did have some good information and interesting experiences to share, the book suffered strongly from his inability to get out of his own way while sharing it. A recent rereading hasn't changed my initial impression, which is that much of what the book was intended to convey is eclipsed by Warner's need to show off, criticize, and name drop. From beginning to end, Hardcore Zen is a vehicle for Brad's ego far more than it is a vehicle for the Dharma, and that's really unfortunate, as there is a lot of value in what Brad is trying to say.

I haven't met Brad Warner in person, so I don't want to make an all-encompassing statement about his overall personality, but in Hardcore Zen he comes off as an immature jerk. That's a fairly undesirable attribute to appear in a biographical work in general, but in a book about Zen Buddhism, which emphasizes a philosophy of "no self", it's a rather glaring flaw.

He's foulmouthed, judgmental, antagonistic, and seems to enjoy insulting other people in the Buddhist community who he disagrees with. I was shocked to find out that Warner is 40-something, as his writing displays a maturity level that reads more like early 20s. I don't have a problem with obscenity or sarcasm where it has value and meaning, but the "I'm a Zen priest who says %&@$" angle loses its novelty fairly quickly. More importantly, the book is pervasive with a "Zen is about questioning everything, but people who don't practice like I do are stupid and not worth your time" attitude, which I find a harsh contrast with the overall message that Warner is trying to get across.

To sum up, I do think Brad's experiences are worth reading, but his attitude does not inspire confidence in the credibility of his information.

This is not your stuffy, bookish treatment of Zen Buddhism. It is a real expression of one man's circuitous journey to the heart of Zen. His matter-of-fact style coupled with a healthy sense of humour make this book not only enlightening, but entertaining as well. For people who have read a great deal on Buddhism and are looking for a new perspective or for those who are just beginning to explore the area, this is a definite must read.

I had high hopes that it would be good. And it is.

The title headings are fantastic: the chapter on reincarnation is entitled 'In My Next Life I Want to Come Back as a Pair of Lucy Liu's Panties'.

The chapter on the Buddhist Precepts (ethical guidelines) has as its heading 'No Sex With Cantaloupes.'

Someone at our Zen center commented, 'Hardcore Zen is a great book for crabby people like me.'

The other reviewers are right: the best thing about Hard Core Zen is that it doesnt feed us any fantasies about reaching enlightenment or other 'special states of consciousness.'

Warner makes it clear that practicing Zen isnt about anything special or about becoming special. If you are sick and tired of landing in spiritual dead ends and blind alleys, you may find this book is a big relief. Everything Warner says is based on what he tried for himself.

He found out that drugs are a dead end--he tried them.

He found out that the most exalted enlightenment experiences are ego-traps when these are marketed as commodities, are treated as personal trophies, turned into objects of craving.

Between the lines, Hardcore Zen offers us good news.

If you give up looking for enlightenment and settle for just your own life, you dont have to put yourself at the mercy of anyone who says 'I'm enlightened, and you are not.' Gone are the days when you spent as much as $45 for a back row seat in some barn of an auditorium just to listen to some guru-of-the-month pretending he or she had something (or was aware of something) that you didnt have and needed to have.

Warner shows us that we're already home. When you give up hoping to become different, give up hoping to become special, you'll find out that the rat race is over.

Then, you have the existential riddle of what to do with all your newfound free time! (grin)

And Warner is right about zazen (sitting meditation)-- it isnt fun, its often a pain in the back or the ass. But in a mysterious way, it improves quality of life for persons who stick with it.

I, like someone else here, saw this at Barnes and Noble, and like them, was interested by the title. I've had some interest in buddhism as I have grown older and so this seemed a good introduction for me. I was right.

It's about the author, kind of a biography. It's about his journey in Zen and Buddhism. It's about what he thinks is right and wrong. It's enough about Zen to interest me further. I'm not buying his second book, but instead I'm going to get a book by one of the guys he talks about throughout his book.

One of the things I liked is how he described how he got into the life and his path along it. Also, how he didn't go into to, until the end, the actual practice techniques. I even liked that he did give a quick intro into the practice at the end.

One thing: Brad never makes bones about the ideas and beliefs are HIS ideas and beliefs. It's very Brad-centered. I'm not saying that's a bad thing - it just it what it is and you should be aware of that. He does say 'question everything' a lot in the beginning, but he does state his opinions very clearly.

All in all, very worth while. After I have a chance to practice zazen myself, maybe I'll update this review.

Brad Warner accomplishes exactly what he sets out to do: provide a no-nonsense, stripped-down, "keepin'-it-real" discourse on Zen Buddhism.

Comparing the nihilistic punk movement (which encouraged people to reject the put-upon structure of society) to the Zen Buddhist school (which encouraged people to reject the artificial confines of ego and illusion)is sheer brilliance. And it's a very clever way to deliver the Zen approach and philosophy to the modern MTV Generation.

The writing is honest, raw and often funny and thought-provoking. If fact, only two things prevented me from giving the book five stars. The first is the tone of the book. In an effort to stay true to his punk roots, it seems like the author tries too hard to be "in your face". It gets irritating after awhile. Towards the middle of the book, some of the edginess starts to seem forced and contrived. Happily, that doesn't continue throughout. Or maybe I just got used to it.

The second thing is, as another reviewer pointed out, the constant name-dropping of bands from Punk Rock Past. Now, I'm the same age as the author and even though I've heard most of the bands he references (including HIS band, Zero Defex), I felt he over did it. At one point I wasn't sure if the book was about Zen or the Ohio music scene in the 70's.

Aside from these minors issues, this is the best book on 21st Century Zen I've ever read. But that's just my opinion.

As any good Buddhist will tell you, the only way to truly know is to experience it for yourself.

Its just straight Soto Zen clearly explained in terms that make sense. These are really pretty hard concepts. The other serious Zen books make it harder because they are trying to translate from other languages. The popular books are full of warm and fuzzy stuff which really dumbs it all down. I have a lot of other Buddhism books but this and Zen Mind Beginner's Mind are the ones I read over and over. I give it to friends too. He has a web site, blog, worth checking out and is working on a second book.

I have read several books on Buddhism. After I finish one I feel slightly wiser and somewhat confused. After finishing Hardcore Zen I feel wiser and less confused. Besides a few typeos the book is a very well written easy read, with some laughs and some deep insights. This book presents the most believable version of the truth I have ever come across. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I have.

I know nothing about Buddism. I saw this book out-of-place in Barnes in Noble, and I liked the title, so I picked it up. I was on a business trip; I had nothing better to do...
I don't care if this speaks the truth about Zen and Buddism, as I really could care less.
This received 5/5 stars from me for two reasons: 1. It was very well written, and down to earth in style. 2. It made sense to me in a way that no other book on spirituality ever has.
Really, it's all about the second one... So don't read this for Buddism, don't read it for the writing, read it for yourself. Try the first few pages. If you don't want to read any more of it, you don't have to; in fact, I encourage you not to, as you would only be wasting your time...so read this book if you seem to like it; if not, go do something you love doing instead.