The Wholehearted Way [Paperback]

Eihei Dogen (Author), Kosho Uchiyama Roshi (Translator), Shohaku Okumura (Translator), Taigen Daniel Leighton (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1997

The Wholehearted Way is a translation of Eihei Dogen's Bendowa, one of the primary texts on Zen practice. Transcending any particular school of Buddhism or religious belief, Dogen's profound and poetic writings are respected as a pinnacle of world spiritual literature. Bendowa, or A Talk on the Wholehearted Practice of the Way, was written in 1231 A.D. and expresses Dogen's teaching of the essential meaning of zazen (seated meditation) and its practice. This edition also contains commentary on Bendowa by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, a foreword by Taigen Daniel Leighton, and an Introduction by Shohaku Okumura, both of whom prepared this English translation.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Japanese

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; First Edition edition (October 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080483105X
• ISBN-13: 978-0804831055
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #182,504 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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76 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three Books by Kosho Uchiyama, February 21, 2000

By 

Eric Arbiter (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Wholehearted Way (Paperback)

"The Wholehearted Way", "Opening the Hand of Thought" and From "Zen Kitchen to Enlightenment" I have re-read these books so many times that I think of them as different components of the same work, since the subjects interweave to produce a wonderful fabric of integrated Zen practice viewed from different perspectives. At first glance all of these books might seem "lightweight". I thought so at first because of their covers. Especially "Opening the Hand of Thought- Approach to Zen". It suggests a new-age type of quick fix book about Zen. Nothing could be further from the truth. This was just the book I needed, though I didn't yet know it. Having come to Zen meditation 2 years before reading this book, I was still unclear about meditation (zazen). Many of us reach the point where we realize that we need and want to practice meditation. Then we get to the same point of the monk in Master Dogen's (1200-1250) quote in Fukan Zazen-gi:

"When Yakusan was sitting [in meditation], a monk asked him 'What do you think when you sit?' The master said, 'I think of not thinking.' The monk inquired further, 'How do you think of not thinking?' Yakusan replied, '[by sitting] beyond thinking'".

What is beyond thinking? This is where Uchiyama makes his point of departure, walking us through just this juncture. He describes the movement of the mind and what need be done or not done about it. He even includes a diagram of the action of the mind getting caught up in thoughts and alternatively falling asleep. He speaks of zazen as neither developing thoughts, nor hating them, but releasing them (hence the title Opening the Hand of Thought). Zazen is opening the hand of thought (not grasping thought) and returning to seeing the wall millions of times.

"Opening the Hand of Thought" addresses the vast world of seated meditation and the religious and personal underpinnings behind it. It is as though Uchiyama Roshi is your own grandfather, telling you about his life, and your life, too. It is about living the "most refined way". This is not a detached dry retelling of ancient stories about someone else, but the vital story of ourselves living the life of ourselves (which he says is the very life of the buddhas, patriarchs and matriarchs). It is the way of "not being dragged around by our thoughts" and living our lives based on this even-mindedness. We take this into our daily lives in every encounter.

"From the Zen Kitchen to Enlightenment- Refining Your Life" at first appears to be a popular cookbook appending Zen to the title for more interest. Again, not so. This is Uchiyama Roshi's commentary on another of Master Dogen's texts: Tenzo Kyokun (Instructions to the Zen Cook) which was part of Dogen's manual for his monks. Translator and practitioner Thomas Wright says in the introduction: "Now, what possible connection could a text written for a group of male monks some 750 years ago have for present-day Europeans and Americans, neither living in a monastery nor particularly familiar with the society or way of looking at life which differs totally from our modern Western societies? That is the question to which Kosho Uchiyama Roshi addresses himself when he began writing the commentary that accompanies Dogen's text". I would say that the emphasis of this book is on Master Dogen's "three minds": magnanimous mind, joyful mind and parental mind. Through meditation we come to the place where we see that the world is none other than the self and that we take care of others because they are really ourselves. Everything which arises in your life IS your life.

"The Wholehearted Way" is Uchiyama Roshi's commentaries on Master Dogen's Bendowa, his early manifesto about the practice of zazen. It is followed by questions and answers (probably asked by his chief disciple, Ejo) directed at various misunderstandings of what Dogen felt to be the true significance of zazen.

Sitting is itself the practice of the buddha. Sitting itself is nondoing. It is nothing but the true form of the self. Apart from sitting there is nothing to seek as the buddha-dharma.

Eihei Dogen, Shobogenzo-Zuimonki

Uchiyama Roshi's commentaries are in the same vein as the other books, bringing these ancient teachings to us in a fresh and vital way so that they function in our daily lives. The translations and introductions are done by three of Roshi's close disciples and long-time practitioners, Tom Wright, Daniel Taigen Leighton and Shohaku Okumura. Their comments in themselves are worthy of our study.

There is for me tremendous appeal in the great scope and depth of Roshi's teachings expressed in his straightforward and engaging way. Although carefully thought out, I get the feeling, (as I expressed earlier) of being spoken to directly. He takes great pains to really look into and study certain Buddhist terms that can cause confusion if we are unclear about them. For example, he devotes several pages to the term "buddha-dharma".

I consider these three books to be essential in the deepening of my practice of Zen and meditation. Here are Uchiyama's closing words in his foreword to "Opening the Hand of Thought":

"Above all, I hope that when you read this book, (Opening the Hand of Thought) you will forget your sentiments about exotic foreign lands and read with a completely fresh mind. I hope that, as you read, you will look at your own life and apply what I have written to your everyday life. That is the only place where the real world of Zen is".

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Symphonious silence, July 1, 2005

By 

J. adams (Salt Lake, UT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wholehearted Way (Paperback)

This is a book on Dogen's Bendowa. Commentary by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi. Translated by Shohaku Okamura and Taigen Daniel Leighton. These guys are all masters in thier own right.

The Whole Hearted Way is Dogen's view on the importance of zazen. He gives a short talk followed by answers to questions - probably to his main disciple Ejo. Dogen's dharma talks are often confusing and hard to understand. The biggest reason lies in the fact he was a genius. And partly Due to the fact he lived 800 years ago and dedicated his life to the Bhudda-dharma. Good thing for people like me there is a Zen master like Uchiyama out there.

The commentary by Uchiyama to me is the best part of this book. This isnt a knock on Dogen at all. This book is based on Dogen's Bendowa talk, but it is quite short. After the initial talk by Dogen, Uchiyama makes this book his own. He is down to earth, very funny and highly realized/profound. What more could you ask of a modern day Zen master translating an almost millenia old masterpiece?

Uchiyama doesnt stray from his commentary on the Bendowa. Yet he weaves his own life and zazen experiences into it (its rich in down to earth wisdom from two highly gifted zen masters, cant beat that). He teaches what to aim for in zazen and how to maintain compassion for oneself and the difficulties one may encounter. Uchiyama takes Dogens Bendowa line for line and explains it. He blends his own teachings with it in a way that not only talks of the virtue of zazen, but gives one motivation to continually engage it. Yet Uchiyama doesnt give you a fish and feed you for a day (its not typical motivation). Rather he says heres the ocean, heres your life and heres your zazen. There is no seperation between them. Everything sustains everything. Zazen is the realization of this universal truth.

After reading this book my 'idea' of zazen seems lighter and fresher. I still have continuous questions about this practice wich I think is natural (but it's best to let "secretions secrete as secretions" I've learned). This book did help me see zazen as less of a obligation, and more as an expression of life manifesting life (theres no seperation or duality in pratice/enlightenment). Due to Uchiyama's stories, metaphors and engaging imagery no doubt. I guess you could say I recommend this book. I dont think you can go wrong with this gem. Peace...

12 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and illuminating, September 2, 1998

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[e-mail] (Seneca Falls, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wholehearted Way (Paperback)

The organization of the book was exceptional. The commentary did not interfere with the translation, as occurs with many books of this type. One could simply choose to read Bendowa with or without the commentary.