Customer Reviews

Instant Zen: Waking Up in the Present

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a Buddhist, have studied formally in all three main branches of Buddhism and was a monk during the most intense part of my study. I own hundreds of Buddhist texts, and if I could only own one book, this would be it. This is absolutely the clearest expression of Enlightenment I've encountered. Foyan is wonderously clear, avoids reliance on Koan's and historical cases (but has a few references to them), and instead, simply expresses Realization on his own, directly, brilliantly, in every sentence of this book. A previous reviewer wrote (in his excellent review) "Logical contradictions are purposely employed to get you to see something beyond logic", while there are a few statements like that, that is a slight misunderstanding of why most of the apparently "contadictions" are there. Instead these "contradictions" are direct expressions of the Truth of Reality, and that requires 1) that you see directly and don't confuse the labels for the reality itself and 2) that everything be seen simultaneously from both sides (the relative or functional view and the absolute). So a statement such as "you must have nonseeing right in seeing" or
"all that is necessary is that there is no hearer or heard when you hear" is presenting both sides, not negating one with the other. However, there are statements such as "the ancients told you.. all sounds are Buddha's voice... You have misunderstood, supposing that all sounds are actually the voice of Buddha" that appears to be a contradiction, but again this is pointing out (POINTING not explaining) the diffence between the understanding and the perception of that truth. I've said much too much, the Zen Master would be beating me over the head with the stick by now. You will enjoy this book, and you will hear the voice of Enlightenment speaking across 9 centuries of time, if you get this book, you'll need no others, and eventually you can give this one away. My Highest recommendation.

Absorb these passages fully and you will need no other books on Zen. Of course, it might take a succession of time to fully absorb these passages.

The book transcribes lectures from Foyan, who teaches autonomy, "I have no Zen for you to study!" and independence. Consequently, the text might appear difficult as Foyan purposely gives nothing to grasp at -- and if you do grasp you will experience a subtle whack to your intellect. Hint: Logical contradictions are purposely employed to get you to see something beyond logic.

Just turn to a random passage at random moments of intuition and over time it will become clear. For the spiritually sharp, this should be the only book on Zen you will ever need. Then the need of itself will dissolve...

I found the introduction especially useful as it points out the emergence and identification of Zen cults, and contrasts them to the simplest practice of Zen.

The body of the book is in convenient 1 to 3 page short reads. The presentation is in a conversational prose. Common errors are addressed. After tripping over one section (Emancipation), I started reading it in parallel with Huang Po's commentary of the Diamond Sutra, which must be read very very slowly, (without missing the meaning of a single word), and doing this helped me. However, most of the passages are very down-to-earth.

I can't say this is an "advanced" book. There is no "beginner" and "advanced" -- jump in wherever you like. This book is as good a place as any. I also recommend Huang Po, as he also gets immediately to the root and avoids common misconceptions.

The 'grandmotherly kindness' of Foyan, a 12th Cent. Chinese Grand Master of Zen, comes through in this offering from Mr. Thomas Cleary, who's said to be one of the most respected translators in the field. He gets my vote! Mr. Cleary's selection of this text seems suited to our time in that it's from a Grand Master who '...was completely free of any desire for fame or followers and made no attempt to recruit disciples.' Accordingly, his is a 'take no prisoners' style (a complaint in another review) which, naturally, leads to a strong emphasis on self-reliance and (a most interesting kind of) practical advice. I say Refreshing!

'If you want to clarify this matter, you must arouse wonder and look into it. If you wonder deeply about this matter, transcendental knowledge will become manifest. Why? The task of the journey just requires the sense of doubt to cease. If you do not actively wonder, how can the sense of doubt cease?'
(pg. 54)

Content was good in my opinion but presentation was a little dry and I seemed to drift away at times. Being new to Zen, though, I may just not appreciate the content enough to get past novice distractions (e.g., presentation and flow).

Stories and sutras were read rapidly one after the other. This should be slower and more deliberate with time to reflect, and from there comes the value. The reader did enunciate well, but was plainly just a reader. He showed no gravitas, and very little inflection for that matter.

This is a very good recording. It is not ABOUT zen. It IS zen. I have owned two coppies of this recording on cassett tape. I wore them both out, from playing them so much. I am glad to have found this recording on CD.

Foyan was a Song dynasty Zen master, who helped revive Zen. So the book says. One thing I've come to realize; China sure wasnt short on greatly realized Zen masters for atleast a thousand years after it arrived there (Bodhidharma!?!). Thats for sure. Foyan is a good example of this aptitude for great understanding. This book contains short and to the point teaching/lectures by Foyan.

This is Zen at its most refined. No doctrin here. Foyan is always direct. Directness can be very confusing to a lot of people (like me)who spend thier lives going around in circles. Foyan wont hesitate to say that this is foolish behavior, and this is where his true compassion shows. He doesnt sugar-coat his teachings. He truly seems to only care about showing you-your innate ability to be awake. Thats really it. He continuously points the way by means of his own wisdom and experiences and that of many ancient masters. And although he doesnt preach Koan study, or Zazen obsession. It's all here without "being" here. You get the sense that Foyan was so gifted at teaching, that he could teach things like Koan study and Zazen, without drawing attention away from other aspects, or making a student dependent upon them.

One thing I have to add... I've noticed many Zen books have teachings by masters that say "dont look up to the buddha or the ancestors!" Meanwhile the book is full of attachment to thier schools and thier lineage of ancestors. You will find none of that here. Although he does quote many brilliant masters of the past. It always seems to be with great appreciation and respect. No breaking them down into levels where certain ones come out on top. I've noticed this in some of the schools from countries with deteriorating lineages. If its a fragmented scool it will end. If not, it would seem its contained in all other schools and visa versa right???

"From birth to death, it's just this person; why turn your head and revolve your brains?" -Grand Maestro Ma-

I'm truly thankful to have books like this available to ignoramuses like myself.

One last thing by Foyan.

"Zen study is not a small matter. You do not yet need to transcend the Buddhas and surpass the adepts; but once you have attained it, it will not be hard to transcend and surpass them if you wish."

Another excellent translation by T. Cleary. It is included in Volume 1 of Cleary's "Classics of Buddhism and Zen". I recommend this as it contains a number of other Zen classics you will want to study.

I recieved my book in a timely manner and the book was in great condition, I always purchase books from Amazon and I am always pleased with the books I purchase.