Customer Reviews

Zen Master Raven: Sayings and Doings of a Wise Bird

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book is a delight. ... Finest value for my dollar of any purchase I can recall making. I am now on my fourth reading, and see no reason to stop. Aitken Roshi has given us a compendium of dozens of original American koans--or as the animals say, "turning points." Raven hears the story of Shakyamuni's realization when looking up to see the morning star from beneath the Bodhi tree. Raven somehow feels something is missing. What?

How to comment on a book of Koans? For me it seems this book contains the essence of Aitken Roshi's teachings. This is not a soft Zen book, musing about the Zen-of-whatever. It is something quite different, a work book pointing "beyond the beyond".

The little drops in my eyes bow to Raven and Porcupine and thank them, with a smile, for sharing the punch line.

I appreciate Robert Aitken much more after reading this unique little creation of his. And I think you will, too, if you have some familiarity of Zen practice. The book consists of connected succinct stories that refreshingly present key realizations in Zen Buddhism -- without the usual old Chinese or Japanese monks.

This is a beautiful little book. I've read a few Zen books by Japanese, Korean, and American Zen teachers, and I think this book captures the spirit of Zen as much as any book can. It doesn't take long to read, but it shows how Zen can become the practice of a lifetime.

I greatly enjoyed this little book and often return to it, randomly picking a page or two to reread. I am new to Zen, but I find it complements my Taoist philosophy and this book is both enjoyable and challenging in a very natural way. A 'wise bird' indeed.

Appropriately raw, weird, and compelling, this is the one of the most pure and authentic texts to emerge from the nascent Zen tradition of the West. On the other hand, it may be complete nonsense. Either way, this stays in the book pile next to my bed for a few years at least.

A wonderful book and a great non-threatening introduction to the zen koan. The insight, wisdom and humor found in these stories are like a blend between zen master Seung Sahn (a personal favorite!) and the practical wisdom of Winnie the Pooh (Tao of Pooh, Te of Piglet). I go back to this book again and again and always feel like I've learned something new.

I love this book it's the perfect addition for anyone interested in Zen as well as eastern culture.

It's possible that this book may be too oblique for complete beginners, but its charm may carry it through even with complete newcomers to Zen.

For those with a little more exposure to Zen and its shared language, this book shines like a star. In places it echoes Aitken Roshi's own efforts over the years to find a new way of teaching Zen, and of some of the struggles and difficulties of his sangha. In others, it is timeless and cuts directly to the core. Page after page speaks directly to the heart of my practice and my struggles.

"Porcupine came to Raven Roshi and said, 'What is Raven Roshi?' Raven said 'I have this urge to prey on newborn lambs.' Porcupine said 'How do you deal with it?' Raven said 'I'd be disoriented without it.'"

Deep teaching indeed. Now that Robert Aitken has gone, to quote Raven, "where cedar roots stand bare in the stream", I am grateful he has left us this guidance.

I hope that in a few hundred years this will still be read and taught as one of the jewels of Zen.

I received this book as a gift, and read it cover to cover in about forty minutes. Then I spent weeks just randomly picking it up and rereading my favorite parts. Every time I read it, I felt like I was taking a refreshing shower, and my worries just would not stay attached to me.

A few days ago, a girl asked me what I was reading, and a moment later, the book had become a gift again. I will buy another one, because I need my own, but I suspect I will not hold on to that one for very long, either.