Open Mouth Already a Mistake

Rating:
Summary: Great book - should be back in print
Review: A great book - down to earth and completely unpretentious. Zen is not easy and this book doesn't claim that it is.
How interesting that "zen buddhist" at earthlink
in an earlier review is self-described as a theravadan buddhist. It's a little like a Protestant reviewing a book on Catholicism.
For somebody who claims in another review that Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (a classic by anyone's standards as "degenerate", I give up. Before knocking the book, try to get rid of your "600+" books and give sitting in stillness and silence a chance as this book advises. And to all who highlight untiil their pens run out of ink - it's zen - not an academimc discipline!!!

Rating:
Summary: Great book - should be back in print
Review: A great book - down to earth and completely unpretentious. Zen is not easy and this book doesn't claim that it is.
How interesting that "zen buddhist" at earthlink
in an earlier review is self-described as a theravadan buddhist. It's a little like a Protestant reviewing a book on Catholicism.
For somebody who claims in another review that Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind (a classic by anyone's standards as "degenerate", I give up. Before knocking the book, try to get rid of your "600+" books and give sitting in stillness and silence a chance as this book advises. And to all who highlight untiil their pens run out of ink - it's zen - not an academimc discipline!!!

Rating:
Summary: Skillful means
Review: Pithy and trite.Another example of wolf in Masters robes Reviewer: [e-mail] from kentucky Another trite and pithy book written by one among a plethora of so called transmitted Masters of Seung Sahn Sunim. His masters only understand their dont know chant just as this book is. Sutras from the Nikayas and Agamas of the Buddha himself are supposedly trash compared to reading pithy commentary books such as this one.I got 1/2 of the way through this book before throwing it in the corner. My highlighter pen ran out of ink marking all the boldface contradictions to the Buddhas teachings found in the Tripitika. Seung Sahns plethora of masters get their worthless Inka papers it seems if they can parrot their Master closely enough to hoax him into beleiving they have achieved something. Pat answers to Kong ans are the norm for this lot "only this" and "dont know" among them replace the profound wisdom of the Buddha as outlined in the Nikayas. Another sad book on shikentaza , zafus and koan study as opposed to insight into the nature of Dukkha as the Buddha instructed.

Rating:
Summary: Skillful means
Review: Wu Kwang is a versatile teacher, not afraid to be scholarly, not afraid to be eloquent, not afraid to be blunt. He uses classic Buddhist and Zen stories when necessary, in addition to contemporary teachings when necessary. Exemplifying the Buddhist teaching ideal of "skillful means," Zen Master Wu Kwang brings both a wide-reaching wealth of knowledge and a strong foundation of practice to his teaching, both of which are evident in this book. It's a good read besides.

Rating:
Summary: Kudos
Review: Zen Master Wu Kwang, as a below reviewer has pointed out, is a Zen Master of the West who recieved inka from the 78th Zen Patriarch Seung Sahn. Don't know. Some people want it more complicated then that I suppose. It isn't. If the Buddha knew, he would not have sat for all those years, before the day he viewed the morning star and attained enlightenment.

Wu Kwang (Richard Shrobe) is a very clear teacher, I had the privelage of hearing him speak in Chicago once at a convention of the Kwan Um School. I believe it's possible that some could disregard him because he doesn't have the "romantic face of the East"-that's fine, they won't get anywhere. I will never understand someone saying, "Such and such is not Zen, such and such is a horrible teacher." With that sort of I like this, I don't like that-I am an expert on Zen attitude, they expose their own ignorance. It's quite humorous to watch, because we have all been there.

Anyway, this book is straightforwad and to the point as far as Zen practice is concerned. You are quaranteed to take quite a bit out of this. That said, I would recommend The Compass of Zen by Zen Master Seung Sahn first. Well, enjoy this book!