Customer Reviews

Path to Bodhidharma (Tuttle Library of Enlightenment)

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bodhidharma is THE icon of zen buddhism, and this provides a clear, unpretentious approach towards him, which can hopefully strike a personal chord of hope and determination instead of just idolatry. when looking for effective zen books (which is like looking for sharp knives), content which emphasizes simplicity in language and directness of thought are always best. this is among them.

My Zen teacher disapproves of reading books about Zen and Zen practices, but I would imagine that we all do some reading here and there on our journey. Sometimes we are looking for inspiration, or looking for some phrase to turn a light bulb on just a little brighter on something that we don't fully understand yet. So, it seems that there can be some good that comes from reading books about Zen, as long as we don't cling to the words that we have read, and as long as we don't let those words create expectations in our mind.

All that being said, I enjoyed this book. Instead of a bunch of philosophical meanderings, Shodo Hirada Roshi encourages practice. Since Zen is practice-oriented, this is a good thing. I suppose it doesn't hurt that the book was written by a person that many consider to be one of the most respected teachers in Zen Buddhism today. Perhaps it is a little bit like learning rock guitar from Jimi Hendrix, writing from Shakespeare, or martial arts from Bruce Lee. Those are fantastic people from whom to draw inspiration and method, but practice is still every bit as essential.

So, definitely read this book, and be sure to talk it over with your Zen teacher.

"The Path to Bodhidharma," by Shodo Harada Roshi, is a mind-blowing book on Zen practice I picked up on the advice of three different Buddhist monks - one Rinzai, one Soto, and one Shingon (that sounds like the makings of a "... walked into a bar" joke). Right now, I can't even formulate an intelligible response to this text. All of my reaction so far has been centered squarely in my gut. The closest thing to words I could offer at this point would be something along the lines of "ugh!"

One of the afrementioned monks compared this book to the writings of Dogen. I agree. The sensation of language-defying illumination I've experienced while reading this book, coupled with a sense that I'll have to reread the material many times over to truly understand all of its levels, is something I've often felt while reading Dogen. Harada's writing style is also very similar to Dogen's, relying on a mixture of illustrative classic stories and koans, personal anecdote, and uncompromising exhortation.

Dogen said to practice zazen "as though your hair were on fire." This book is like a lit match. It's not spoon-fed Zen for "I'm OK, you're OK, let's all hug our inner children" Buddhists. It's "Get up off your butt (or, rather, sit down on it) and get down to business, NOW, NOW, NOW! What are you waiting for? Wake up!" Zen.

One of the best teachers of our times shows us over and over again the path to enlightenment. Probably only one person in ten-thousand will be inclined to go this way. And one in a hundred-thousand will actually do some work to get there. Why is this? This Great Matter is available to all. Anyone can choose to see it clearly. This book clearly points the way to the path. My most valuable book on Zen or anything spiritual.

Shodo Harada Roshi writes, "No matter how long we take various roundabout paths in our lives, at some point we must realize our Buddha Nature."

If you have even an inkling that this is so, you have some work to do. Whether you are now beginning or have a mature Dharma practice, Shodo Roshi has something to tell you. His compassionate clarity is active throughout The Path To Bodhidharma.

Highly recommended.