Customer Reviews

The Zen Eye: A Collection of Zen Talks

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The Zen Eye presents a delightful and fresh look at Zen from one of its most original voices. Sokei-an, who first made his way to these shores in 1906, was the first Zen Master to make his home in America. In good company, with the likes of Soyen Shaku, D.T. Suzuki and Nyogen Senzaki, Sokei-an, played a key role in the transmission of Zen to the West. Although a somewhat lesser known figure in contemporary Zen circles (due in part to his untimely death in 1945 after release from a Japanese internment camp), through Sokei-an's talks on Zen and a true-to-life rendering of his life in the introduction by Mary Farkas, we come to intimately know Soke-an's mind. In his own words: "I am of the Zen sect. My special profession is to train students of Buddhism by the Zen method. Nowadays, there are many types of Zen teachers. One type, for example, teaches Zen through philosophical discourse; another, through so-called meditation; and still another direct from soul to soul. My way of teaching is the direct transmission of Zen from soul to soul." This sets the tone of the entire book, and is one that distinguishes Sokei-an from so many other teachers. Sokei-an, and other early 20th century pioneers who helped plant the seeds of Zen in America were disillusioned with the rutted, monastic style of Zen practiced in Japan at that time, and were looking for ways to pump fresh blood into the practice. Throughout the book the reader is offered many glimpses of the mind-to-mind transmission and sudden awakening traditions that characterized so well the original spirit of Chan (Zen) in China, as expressed by Hui-neng (Eno), the 6th patriarch and his heirs.

Sokei-an comes across being completely authentic, yet at the same time, unpretentious, without any airs. He seems utterly at home in America. His lectures were given in English, learned from his own efforts by working and traveling across America in supporting himself during his early years here. There's much more to The Zen Eye than at first meets the eye, (as well as the outstanding companion book "Zen Pivots," published later) and it is easy to casually gloss over things because of the simple and unadorned, down-to-earth style. For those just starting to inquire into Zen, as well as those who have already traveled it's pathless road, I would whole heartedly recommend the Zen Eye. My hat goes off to Mary Farkas and those members of the First Zen Institute of America for making Sokei-an's teachings available to a wider group of people. Like "Zen Mind, Beginners Mind" by Shunryo Suzuki, (still the most widely read book on Zen) this book deserves a place on every Zen minded person's bookshelf and zafu cushion! Best summed up by Mary Farkas from the introduction to The Zen Eye:

"It is not necessary to know anything about Sokei-an's personal life to understand his wisdom as expressed in his own words. Nor is it necessary to know anything about Zen's theory or practice to receive his Dharma transmission. If you listen with your inner ear, your Zen Eye will open, and as your mind clears, your own wisdom will appear. For years people have been carrying pages of Sokei-an's words around in their pockets as well as their minds. It is time to put them in more permanent form."

This book is different in flavour, tone and texture from anything else I have read on Zen. Sokei-an, trained in the Rinzai School, was the first Zen master to teach in America, arriving in California as early as 1906, living a rootless and extemporised life for years before founding the Buddhist Society in New York in 1930. He died in an Internment Camp for Enemy Aliens, and was all but forgotten as the post-World War II wave of Zen arrived.

His kind of Zen may have vanished from the earth; or may linger in obscure temples in Japan. He talks about himself, his early life, his training and his spiritual experiences frankly and directly, always calling to mind the long-vanished Japan chronicled by Lafcadio Hearn. Sometimes his attitudes are disturbing: a phenomenon often noticed when Japanese speak frankly to Westerners. (No doubt the converse is equally true.)

These are Dharma Talks given to New Yorkers interested in Buddhism, not records of Zen instruction strictly speaking. A variety of subjects are covered; only a part of the book could be labelled "Meditation" or even "Buddhism." But among the casual talk are some teachings that move me as deeply as anything I have ever read. If you want to sample the book, read the chapter called "The Transcendental World".

"The Zen Eye" grows with reading and re-reading. When you put it down you have the sense of emerging from a corona of light. I don't know if Sokei-an was "Enlightened", but I can tell he lived in a place I would like to get to, from which I'm always eager to hear messages. This quiet book would suit those beginning on Zen, but I recommend it to anyone, at any level.

Booth Woodruff's review of this collection of talks is dead-on. This is a very good book, one of my favorites on Zen.

Sokei-an has a knack for taking abstract, eastern concepts and translating them into something that western minds can understand. Even though he's been dead for 60 some odd years, when people ask me who my Roshi is, I say "Sokei-an". He is, without a doubt, the single greatest source of my attaining Kensho.

If you are serious about Zen, read this book and it's sister, Zen Pivots. You won't regret it.

Talking about Zen is interesting: the moment it sounds like you know something, anyone who knows, knows you know nothing. Talking about dogs is easier. No one gets a dog thinking it is going to sleep on the bed. Sokei-An is like that. You get the book thinking about zen. But over the years it moves around the house and ends up beside the bed and Sokei-An one of your friends. He tells you he is a salesman, a salesman who is selling Nothingness. Great Nothingness. I am not sure how you buy Nothingness. But suspect it's like the dog. You begin letting the dog sleep with you and end up you sleeping with the dog.