Reviews (4)

"Just let them go out and play and have fun."

Yogi takes time out from life to explain it all for you
When it comes to the wit and wisdom of Yogi Berra you have to realize that are two types of Berraisms that you have to keep separate.First there are his classic examples of logic, where they sound wrong but they make sense, such as "Ninety percent of this game is mental and the other half is physical" and "It ain't over `till its over."For example, the latter works because "over" has two different meanings in that sentence, which reflects the fact that baseball does not have a clock.Second there are those that are simply the man misspeaking, such as "I want to thank everybody for making this night necessary" and "You saw Dr. Zhivago? Why?Aren't you feeling well?"Do not mistake the two forms because there is a major difference.The first category is the important one because it proves that while he was uneducated Lawrence Peter Berra was one of the smartest people to ever walk on a baseball diamond.You be sure to distinguish between the two types of sayings that serve as the basis for this book "What Time Is it? You Mean Now?: Advice for Life from the Zennest Master of Them All."(The title would fall in the second category for my money.) Yogi's thoughts on many topics . .. including life
Read and enjoyed Yogi Berra's WHAT TIME IS IT? YOU MEANRead more

Subjects:  1. Athletic Sports And Games    2. Baseball - Essays & Writings    3. Baseball - General    4. Baseball coaches    5. Baseball players    6. Biography    7. Conduct of life    8. Eastern - Zen    9. Motivational & Inspirational    10. Philosophy    11. Speculative Philosophy    12. Sports    13. United States    14. Sports & Recreation / General   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Eastern - Zen    3. Religion    4. Religion - World Religions    5. Buddhism    6. Religion / Buddhism   

Reviews (15)

now listen here

Dharma Chewy
With palms together, This wonderful book is like a Dharma Chewy. Readers must sit with it, chew on it, and maybe even spit it out a few times to 'get it.' It has been a favorite of mine for some time.Master Sahn's relaxed and expansive manner, command of the subject and language, makes each page a gate to the True Dharma.The book addresses Zen in a comprehensive manner, walking us through various traditional sources, using ancient poetry when needed, and paints a picture of the universde that is both whole and part at the same time. Wherever you are along the Great Wayt, this compass will assist you with your next step.I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
don't know....
don't know what you are looking for, but this is the book.It is comprehensible and enjoyable reading for people at all 'levels', and you can feel Sahn's compassion and humanity.I am buying this book because I keep giving away my copies:This will be my sixth copy of the book.
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Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. Eastern - General    4. Eastern - Zen    5. Philosophy    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions    8. Zen Buddhism    9. Religion / Zen Buddhism   

Editorial Review

The Blue Cliff Record is a collection of Chinese koan, cryptic Zen stories that point the way to enlightenment. Monks would (and still do) spend days, months, even years on a single koan, ruminating over it, plumbing its depths--not trying to figure it out, but letting it open a door inside of them. Over the centuries, masters have attempted to help the process along by adding their own remarks. Translator Thomas Cleary tells us that two of the most important commentators on the Blue Cliff Record have been the Japanese Hakuin Ekaku of the Rinzai lineage and Tenkei Denson of the Soto. In Read more

Reviews (3)

A complementary study to the Blue Cliff Record
While it would be unfair to generalise - not everyone views Zen practice as something set in wood, according to lineage etc. (Yasutani Roshi, for instance, embraced a joint Rinzai-Soto fusion), centuries of tradition have left their mark. In some quarters at least, there is a tendency for Rinzai and Soto followers to define their schools by their differences (e.g. use of the koan, jakugo, koan-colections etc. as against 'shikantza' etc).
Diamond cutting sword!!!
Once again Thomas Cleary has delivered a masterpiece!! Hakuin and Tenkei comment on THE Zen text of the ages. What a refreshing break from so much drivel by most of our contemporary (though voluminous) pseudo Zen masters. A welcome translation
Thomas Cleary translated The Blue Cliff Record many years ago.In this new book Secrets of the Blue Cliff Record he makes available commentaries by Rizai master Hakuin and Soto master Tenkei. This book will be welcomed by those who have read,re-read and studied The Blue Cliff Record in detail. I recommend this books to students of The Blue Cliff Record everywhere! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - Zen    2. Eastern - Zen    3. Religion    4. Religion - World Religions    5. Religion / Zen Buddhism    6. Zen Buddhism   

Editorial Review

It is no surprise that Read more

Reviews (6)

Enlightenment through your skillet
This is THE Zen book by Edward Brown that should be in print. Alas, it is not! Yes, I know that Edward Espe Brown is famous for the Tassajara Bread Book and "Not Always So," his lovingly edited lectures by Shunryu Suzuki. And yet, while the bread book was steadfastly telling us how to make bread and Suzuki roshi is sharing with us talks on the zen life, this is the book that puts them together. Can we use cooking to find our original mind in everyday life? Chopping firewood and carrying water... Here in "Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings," the food is not only prepared, but the food prepares us. Together we realize the way, and make beautiful music in the kitchen.

Excellent autobiography of a chef
As someone who a) loves autobiographies and b) reads everything I can about chefs, food and cooking, I loved this book through and through. It is a surprisingly humble story about how Edward Espe Brown became the great chef and teacher that he is. He writes in the same simple style that won me over years ago in the Tassajara Bread Book. I don't believe he intended this book of "Recipes and Reflections" to be considered a cookbook (since he's already done so many of those by himself and with others), but to inspire cooks and would-be cooks to explore the wonders of the Universe, via food or any other avenue they might choose. For me it was very inspiring, both personally and professionally, and for some reason I often think of this book and the things he's said, though I read it over a year ago. Since I didn't try any of the recipes scattered throughout (although I found some good ideas in them) I cannot comment on that. Just, I've found this to be one of the most enjoyable and encouraging reads on cooking, teaching and life in general.

Highly Recommended Food for thought.
As much a manual on how to live Zen as a cookbook, Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings guides the reader through a philosophy of cooking based on a philosophy of enjoying life.Brown teaches the reader to trust her own instincts and follow her own tastes, rather than be a slave to his wonderfully simple recipes.Following recipes is not about achieving someone else's idea of perfection -- it's about guiding oneself to new tastes and territories, about gaining new insights and knowledge, and using one's common sense to mediate. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery    2. Cooking    3. Cooking / Wine    4. Eastern - Zen    5. Essays    6. General    7. Religious aspects    8. Zen Buddhism    9. General cookery   

Reviews (5)

This ones for the scholar, not the seeker...
While an incredibly intelligent work, Zen and the way of the sword is a book of primarily scholarly merit. In that regard it is a masterpiece.For the seeker, however, it's a rather dry read with only a thin smattering of real spiritual value. As Always
Another wonderful book about the Japanese Buddhist mind from a one of a kind scholar and teacher. Winston King is, as always, honest, accurate, informative, balanced, engaging, and right on target - as he was in class.If you can't learn from him, you can't learn.

A Good Book on Zen, Samurai, and Japan
Though at times this book can be tough to read, it never stops being quitefascinating.The idea of getting into the mind of the Samurai was quiteinteresting.The book does a nice job explaining the ideas of Zen Buddhismand their influence on Japan.I really liked the chapters linking theSamurai mentality to WWII and the Japanese military.It can be a toughread, but worth it.Also, the illustrations are great. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. Clinical Chemistry    4. Eastern - Zen    5. Medical    6. Philosophy    7. Religion    8. Religion & Theology | Buddhism    9. Religion / Zen Buddhism    10. Religious rites & ceremonies    11. Social classes    12. Zen Buddhism   

Reviews (5)

why is the book $173 ?
i would like to buy this book but i think the price is a typo.

Not sure this one works
I have several of the boks from this series and I do like most of them - apart from this one. This book contains the more idiosyncratic Zen stories. The main problem is that if you haven't understood those stories before you might not really understand them after having read this book. This is mainly due to the stories' nature and, of course, not due to the way the artist presents them. I did know some but not all of the stories before I read this book. I found that the ones I knew were presented in a nice way but I had doubts the comics made them clear. So if you want to learn more about Zen you might want to get the "Shouts of Nothingness" book from the same series and another book, maybe one by Suzuki. Zen is a hard topic to talk/write about in the first place and putting the hardest bits into a format like this doesn't really seem to work. Start Here
Just getting started on your desire to understand eastern philosophies?Have you stood at the bookstore for hours pouring over where to start and what to buy? Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Caricatures and cartoons    3. Cartoons and caricatures    4. Eastern - Taoism    5. Eastern - Zen    6. Essence, genius, nature    7. General    8. Philosophy    9. Zen Buddhism    10. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - Sacred Writings    2. Early works to 1800    3. Eastern - Zen    4. Philosophy    5. Religion    6. Zen Buddhism    7. Religion / Buddhism / Sacred Writings   

Reviews (1)

Every Now And Zen
"What is suffering? The desire for things to be other than they are. What is contentment? Accepting everything as it is." - From the book
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Subjects:  1. Eastern - Zen    2. Philosophy    3. Mind, Body, Spirit    4. Philosophy / Zen   

Subjects:  1. Eastern - Zen    2. Philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. China    4. Eastern - Zen    5. History    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions    8. Zen Buddhism   

Reviews (16)

Zen can not be learned only experienced.
Through this delightful and profound text the concept of Zen is presented as the facets in a diamond. Suzuki does so by presenting Zen in a variety of ways: from a swordsman's perspective, painting and other art forms.
Zen in a broader context
DT Suzuki sometimes is dismissed for having a somewhat abstract approach to Zen rather than a zazen-centered approach.I love his books because they celebrate the ancient Chinese masters for whom every act and perception was nothing less than the totality of the universe.

Look smart feel great
If you'd like to look like you are all fancy and smart then I suggest buying this book. It will give you an air of authority when the conversation inevitably turns to zen things. The chapter on swordsmanship is (as the British might say) spot on. Oh, and get you some of that sweet, sweet haiku analysis from a zenorific perspective. After you read this book you will be prepared to quickly forget all of the knowledge that the tome contained and empty your mind in the style of the zen masters. Really, you must read about the tea ceremony and consider for yourself the zenishness of setting some tea leaves in some hot water. In short, I applaud this book loudly with one hand. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Eastern - Zen    3. Philosophy    4. Religion    5. Zen Buddhism    6. Asian and Asian American Studies    7. Cultural studies    8. Japan    9. Mind, Body, Spirit    10. Religion / Buddhism   

Reviews (4)

Symphonious silence
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.
Letting Go
After I read this book, I felt like I was beginning to lose my grip. Read it yourself and watch your fingers open.

Three Books by Kosho Uchiyama
"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 ofthe same work, since the subjects interweave to produce a wonderful fabricof integrated Zen practice viewed from different perspectives. Atfirst glance all of these books might seem "lightweight".Ithought so at first because of their covers. Especially "Opening theHand of Thought- Approach to Zen". It suggests a new-age type of quickfix book about Zen.Nothing could be further from the truth.This wasjust the book I needed, though I didn't yet know it.Having come to Zenmeditation 2 years before reading this book, I was still unclear aboutmeditation (zazen). Many of us reach the point where we realize that weneed and want to practice meditation.Then we get to the same point of themonk in Master Dogen's (1200-1250) quote in Fukan Zazen-gi: Read more

Subjects:  1. 1200-1253    2. 1200-1253.    3. Bendowa    4. Bendåowa    5. Buddhism - General    6. Doctrines    7. Dogen,    8. Dåogen,    9. Eastern - Zen    10. Philosophy    11. Religion - World Religions    12. Shobo genzo    13. Shåobåo genzåo.    14. Sotoshu    15. Såotåoshåu    16. Buddhism    17. Dogen    18. Japanese   

Reviews (2)

Great Introduction to understanding Yidam/Deity Yoga
This book is an interesting combination of myth, ritual, meditation, and symbolic explanation of the rite of Vajrakilaya, "the deity of enlightened activity" (page 31).Vajrakilaya is a wrathful "Buddha" who dispels obstacles to Dharma practice.His rites are used primarily in Nyingma and Sakya traditions (2 of the 4 contemporary Tibetan Buddhist schools).Following the Introduction by Sogyal Rinpoche and photos of famous Rinpoches (e.g. Dudjom Rinpoche), it begins with a legendary history of Vajrakilaya which could be interpreted at a number of levels: symbolically, psychologically, traditionally, etc.Chapter 3 delineates the actual practice.This includes an interesting explanation (pages 45-8) of the Ground, Path, & Fruition of the practice--very reminiscent of Dzogchen and Mahamudra.Further, the Path includes 4 aspects such as: wisdom awareness of Phurba (i.e. Vajrakilaya), enlightened mind Phurba (wisdom of completion stage), immeasurable compassion Phurba, and substantial Phurba (the actual ritual).This explanation resembles a complete Vajrayana path including compassion, Bodhichitta, etc.!Indeed, "The fruition Vajrakilaya is the primordial wisdom awareness of the mind of all the buddhas" (page 48).The actual ritual (visualization/meditation) practice is then described in detail, similar in nature to "Machik's Complete Explanation..." by Sarah Harding (1559391820).However, Khenpo Namdrol includes some astute explanations--especially in his analysis of Vajrakilaya's mantra--a word by word analysis in two versions (pages 68-9).Finally, on page 71, he provides an explanation of why such rituals are ended in the traditional way--to prevent the extremes of nihilism and extremism.All in all, this is a helpful book, much deeper than it might appear on the surface.

Excellent teachings for tantric advancement
The contents of this book explained the indepth visualization of the Vajrakilaya tantra in ever detail.Although personal instruction is best, this book covers almost every needed aspects to practice in solitary.It reviews all the needed preliminary and ending practices which allows the internalization of the diety.Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - General    3. Buddhism - Zen    4. China    5. Cult    6. Eastern - Zen    7. Religion    8. Religion - World Religions    9. Rituals    10. Rnin-ma-pa (Sect)    11. Räniçn-ma-pa (Sect)    12. Tibet    13. Vajrakilaya (Buddhist deity)    14. Vajrakåilaya (Buddhist deity)    15. Religion / General    16. Tibetan Buddhism   

Reviews (5)

Culitvating the Empty Field
A delightful poetic and prose expression of the Soto Zen approach to practice referred to as 'silent illumination.'This is the first significant English version of some of the writings of Zen Master Hongzhi, a Chinese precursor by several generations to the important thirteenth-century Japanese Soto Zen master Dogen.Hongzhi formulated in an organized manner the central principles and poetic expression of the Soto school, which Dogen was later to inherit, deepen, and expand in Japan.This selection and translation of Hongzhi's writings by Taigen Dan Leighton, himself a monk in the Soto tradition, is a wonderful addition to the growing stock of literature in English on the Soto Zen tradition.The well-developed introduction and very useful textual annotations on unfamiliar Chinese cultural allusions in the text make this work an excellent and accessible gateway into the literature and practice of silent illumination Zen.

Great early Chan writings
I read this shortly after it first came out.It seemed OK and I put it aside.Several years ago --and after more sitting practice and retreats-- I reread it and now I think it is a treasure.In the translated passages/poems, Hongzhi is speaking consistently from a deeply enlightened experience. Inspiring and Insightful
This is one of the best books I've ever read -- on Zen, Buddhism or Spirituality in general. Hongzhi was obviously as clear as they get, and his subtle and powerful language and insight is an inspiration to any practicioner, from any tradition. This book is a must read for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of Reality. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asian    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. Early works to 1800    4. Eastern - Zen    5. Enlightenment (Zen Buddhism)    6. Meditation    7. Philosophy    8. Zen Buddhism    9. Chinese    10. Works by individual poets: classical, early & medieval   

Subjects:  1. Blank Books / Diaries / Memory Books    2. Blank Books/Journals    3. Buddhism - Zen    4. Diaries And Journals    5. Eastern - Zen    6. Literary    7. Philosophy    8. Zen Buddhism    9. Stationery items   

Reviews (1)

Outstanding scholarship again in print!
I don't know why it hasn't made it into Amazon's inventory yet, so I thought I'd mention that this much cited and excellent piece of scholarship by Indiana University's John McRae is again in print: available in cloth for 42 USD online from University of Hawaii Press. (Sorry, but Amazon does not permit URLs in reviews--just Google to the press's website.)
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Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Eastern - Zen    3. Education    4. General    5. Philosophy   

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