Zen for Beginners (Paperback)

by Judith Blackstone (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Zen from its foundation in China of the 6th Century AD, has always been more than a religion. It is an intriguing system of principles and practice designed to give each individual the experience of eternity in a split second, the knowledge of divinity in every living thing. To create a book about Zen, however, is risky. It is one thing to describe the factual history of this exotic strain of Buddhism. It’s quite another to successfully convey the crazy wisdom of the Zen masters, their zany sense of their uncanny ability to pass on the experience of enlightenment to their students. The authors of Zen For Beginners have clearly overcome these considerable risks. The books uses an engaging mix of clear, informative writing and delightful illustrations to document the story of Zen from its impact on Chinese and Japanese culture to its influence on American writers such as Japanese culture to its influence on American writers such as Ginsberg and Kerouac. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Writers & Readers Publishing; 2nd edition (May 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0863161162
• ISBN-13: 978-0863161162
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,182,195 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful, quirky introduction, February 19, 2001

By A Customer

If you like your religion serious and grim, this probably isn't the book for you. But if you are drawn to Zen Buddhism in part because of its warmth, humor, and apparent contradiction, it's an excellent place to start.

The authors make it clear from the start that although they have studied Zen for many years, they are students, not enlightened masters. For some writers, this would be a liability; their humility transforms it into an asset: their willingness to admit their imperfect knowledge make this much more approachable than other Zen books I have read. They impart a fair bit of basic information, while also conveying the flavor of something that "cannot be described in words [...] an experience more basic than the level of conceptual thinking."

The book, like other books in this series, is a quick but broad introduction to a complex topic. If you are looking for a serious, detailed reference book, look elsewhere. But out of the dozen books on Buddhism on my shelf, this is the one I first loan to friends who are curious about Zen.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Accessible Basic History of Zen, February 19, 2004

By	cvairag (Allan Hancock College) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Zen for Beginners (Writers & readers) (Paperback)

Surprisingly, this volume in Documentary Comic Books Series from Writers and Readers publishers turns out to be a pearl of great price: a readily accessible, fun to read, History of Zen Buddhism. In a delightful series of line drawn cartoons (which the subject lends itself to) we follow Gotama Buddha through his magistral Life, Nagarjuna thru his teachings, Bodhidharma into China, Dogen back to Japan, and every major figure in between. The contributions of these great teachers and patriarchs are reduced to a few key sayings, koans, and concepts. In 160 pages, mostly pictures, the reader garners a coherent picture of the history, identity, meaning, and purpose of Zen, that would otherwise have taken the reading of many volumes, thick ones, to imbibe. This effort is a brief, informative recovery of the original face of Zen history and a wonderful teaching tool. My friend, the late Paul Reps, would have LOVED this slender masterpiece. Or, as Ikkyu puts it in the book:

'And what is it, the heart?
it is the sound of the pine breeze
in the ink painting.'

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very enlightening book on the basics of Zen Buddhism., March 1, 1999

By A Customer

I really enjoyed reading this book. The reading went quickly, because there are pictures as well as words to express ideas. The illustrations were well done, and usually quite humorous. The book does not go into any serious dogma, just explains at a very basic level what Zen is and where it came from. I'd recommend this book to anyone; I can't pick out anything I didn't like.