Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Book Description

3 Reviews

• "According to the traditional Buddhist understanding, our human nature is without ego. When we have no idea of ego, we have Buddha's view of life. Our egoistic ideas are delusion, covering our Buddha nature. We are always creating and following them, and in repeating this process over and over again ... (continue)

  "According to the traditional Buddhist understanding, our human nature is without ego. When we have no idea of ego, we have Buddha's view of life. Our egoistic ideas are delusion, covering our Buddha nature. We are always creating and following them, and in repeating this process over and over again, our life becomes completely occupied by ego- centered ideas. This is called karmic life, or karma. The Buddhist life should not be karmic life. The purpose of our practice is to cut off the karmic spinning mind. If you are trying to attain enlightenment, that is a part of karma, you are creating and being driven by karma, and you are wasting your time on your black cushion. According to Bodhidharma's understanding, practice based on any gaining idea is just a repetition of your karma. Forgetting this point, many later Zen masters have emphasized some stage to be attained by practice.
  More important than any stage which you will attain is your sincerity, your right effort. Right effort must be based on a true understanding of our traditional practice. When you understand this point you will understand how important it is to keep your posture right. When you do not understand this point, the posture and the way of breathing are just a means to attain enlightenment. If this is your attitude, it would be much better to take some drugs instead of sitting in the cross-legged position! If our practice is only a means to attain enlightenment, there is actually no way to attain it! We lose the meaning of the way to the goal. But when we believe in our way firmly, we have already attained enlightenment. When you believe in your wayj enlightenment is there. But when you cannot believe in the meaning of the practice which you are doing in this moment, you cannot do anything. You are just wandering around the goal with your monkey mind. You are always looking for somethingwithout knowing what you are doing. If you want to see something, you should open your eyes. When you do not understand Bodhidharma's Zen, you are trying to look at something with your eyes closed. We do not slight the idea of attaining enlightenment, but the most important thing is this moment, not some day in the future. We have to make our effort in this moment. This is the most important thing for our practice."

  (Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, pp. 100-101)

  Is this helpful?

  mauroo said on Oct 23, 2010 | Add your feedback

• 

  It involves the reader into rough spots!

  Is this helpful?

  kaliya said on Dec 9, 2009 | Add your feedback

• Interesting and quite readable

  I'm a bit sceptical about self-help but this seemed to add to my store of techniques in dealing with stressful situations and how to deal with life in general.

  Is this helpful?

  StevieFBoy said on Mar 24, 2009 | Add your feedback

Book Details

• Rating:
  (20)
  • 5 stars
  • 4 stars
  • 3 stars
  • 2 stars
  • 1 star
• English Books
• Paperback 138 Pages
• Edition: 34
• ISBN-10: 0834800799
• ISBN-13: 9780834800793
• Publisher: Weatherhill
• Pub date: Jan 01, 1995
• Dimensions: 1355 mm x 839 mm x 65 mm Just how big is that?
• Also available as: Hardcover, Audio CD and Audio Cassette

Prices Change currency & sellers