Taking the Path of Zen (Taking the Path of Zen Ppr)

Rating:
Summary: A good introduction, but not quite my flavor
Review: I'll start by saying that, yes, Aitkin does a nice job of introducing some of the basic concepts of Zen Buddhism. If you're interested in Zen and want a quick rundown of what the practice involves, coupled with a simple summary of the basic tenets of Buddhism, this isn't a bad place to start.

That said, coming to this book as someone fairly familiar with Zen in particular and Buddhism in general, I don't particularly find Aitkin's flavor of Zen exactly to my taste. For several reasons. For one, as some have mentioned, Aitkin seems particularly concerned with what I'll call, for lack of a better term, 'American Zen.' He's not only trying to make Zen accessible to the average American, I'd argue he's trying to establish a distinctly American spin on Zen, distinct from the Korean and Japanese approaches.

And there's nothing wrong with that. One of the great things about Buddhism is how it can morph and warp and take on new characteristics from whatever culture it finds itself in. But this process a) takes rather a long time and b) perhaps shouldn't be so consciously directed - as Aitkin seems tobe attempting. I'd argue that, a few hundred years down the line, we'll see an American Zen (as well as an American Vajrayana and an American Therevada) emerge. I don't think it will neccessarily appear much like what Aitkin's trying for here.

I also feel as though a great deal of Aitkin's approach is, written as it was in 1981, a bit of a reaction to the previous decade or two. Zen, Buddhism and eastern spirituality in general had been whole-heartedly embraced by the so-called American counter-culture. With mixed results, to be sure. There were both excesses and abuses in the meeting. I feel as though Aitkin is reacting, very stringly, to the more negative aspects of the interaction, trying to bring things back to a more . . . measured? approach.

Which again, is commendable and understandable. I just don't feel, 25 years later, as though this is quite the skillful mean that we, or rather I, happen to need at the moment.

That's not to say you should avoid this book. As I said, it's a nice intoduction to Zen, written with a particularly American spin. If that sounds like your cup of tea, go for it. If not, you might want to have a look at some of Philip Kapleau's earlier work, which is more integrated in the Japanese side, or perhaps Seung Sahn, who presents a Korean perspective with uniquely good humor (and who, to me, ends up saying far more about 'American Zen' than Aitkin manages here).

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as it may seem...
Review: "Taking the Path of Zen" offers very little information on actual Zen Buddhism. Instead, Robert Aitken tries to make Zen appeal to the average American who wants to call themselves a Zen student wihout actually knowing what they are practicing.

There are two ways to read "Taking the Path of Zen": with a scholarly approach or as an instructional manual. If you read Aitken's book with a scholarly frame of mind I regrett to inform you that you will be dissapointed. Aitken transforms Zen Buddhism into an American cultural phenomenon. At times Aitken attacks people in his book who do not believe the same principles as himself, which in my opinion is not the true way of Zen.

As an instructional manual, "Taking the Path of Zen" offers minimal instruction in the practice of Zen, either philosophically of religiously. Aitken focuses on zazen, meditaion, which indeed is very important to any Zen study. However, Aitken does not describe the beliefs of Zen Buddhism in a clear manner which leads to an incomplete education.

Overall, "Taking the Path of Zen" should be read with other materials in order to see the discrepancies between Aitken and other Zen practitioners. When reading this book keep in mind that this is Americanized Zen and not original Zen Buddhism.

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as it may seem...
Review: "Taking the Path of Zen" offers very little information on actual Zen Buddhism. Instead, Robert Aitken tries to make Zen appeal to the average American who wants to call themselves a Zen student wihout actually knowing what they are practicing.

There are two ways to read "Taking the Path of Zen": with a scholarly approach or as an instructional manual. If you read Aitken's book with a scholarly frame of mind I regrett to inform you that you will be dissapointed. Aitken transforms Zen Buddhism into an American cultural phenomenon. At times Aitken attacks people in his book who do not believe the same principles as himself, which in my opinion is not the true way of Zen.

As an instructional manual, "Taking the Path of Zen" offers minimal instruction in the practice of Zen, either philosophically of religiously. Aitken focuses on zazen, meditaion, which indeed is very important to any Zen study. However, Aitken does not describe the beliefs of Zen Buddhism in a clear manner which leads to an incomplete education.

Overall, "Taking the Path of Zen" should be read with other materials in order to see the discrepancies between Aitken and other Zen practitioners. When reading this book keep in mind that this is Americanized Zen and not original Zen Buddhism.

Rating:
Summary: On taking and follwing
Review: After reading many books that attempted to explain Zen, I stumbled on this work by Robert Aitken. By far, Aitken puts into words what many authors have failed to. His easy-to-understand writing style makes what was once an impossible task; putting Zen into a western context, seem natural. Aitken helps those of us who do not understand Japanese get a glimpse into the world of Zen and its philosophies. There are many books on the topic, but few offer as much information to the beginner.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book on getting started with Zen
Review: This book is the written form of the introductory speeches given at Aitken's Zendo. It is an excellent book on getting started in Zen. If you haven't yet decided to visit a Zen center or other place where you get instruction, but you want to start sitting and want to kind of know what to expect, this is a great book. It was a welcome change from many books that are a collection of koans, and from the books that are a collection of inspirational stories. This one is very much a how to do it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book on getting started with Zen
Review: This book is the written form of the introductory speeches given at Aitken's Zendo. It is an excellent book on getting started in Zen. If you haven't yet decided to visit a Zen center or other place where you get instruction, but you want to start sitting and want to kind of know what to expect, this is a great book. It was a welcome change from many books that are a collection of koans, and from the books that are a collection of inspirational stories. This one is very much a how to do it.

Rating:
Summary: if you've set foot on the path ...
Review: This is a Zen book for the beginning Zen practitioner, by which I mean someone who has already decided to try zazen meditation practice and may have been practicing for a few weeks or months. Note I do not say it is for the Zen scholar or the Zen wannabe, but for the person who plants their rear on the cushion every day and wants to know what to do if their feet are falling asleep or who's noticing background noise in the mind. If you want to be hip and know "about" Zen, there are flashier books. But as one who had finally tired of reading cookbooks and hungered for the meal, this book pointed me in the right direction (or, at least, ONE right direction) and helps me actually "cook," so to speak.

Like the saying goes, "Meditation: it's not what you think," so if you are attracted to Zen but aren't actually sitting zazen, give up the critiquing and dabbling, find a teacher, and get to work. This book helps both in choosing a teacher and in addressing random questions and common pitfalls for the beginning meditator.

Rating:
Summary: if you've set foot on the path ...
Review: This is a Zen book for the beginning Zen practitioner, by which I mean someone who has already decided to try zazen meditation practice and may have been practicing for a few weeks or months. Note I do not say it is for the Zen scholar or the Zen wannabe, but for the person who plants their rear on the cushion every day and wants to know what to do if their feet are falling asleep or who's noticing background noise in the mind. If you want to be hip and know "about" Zen, there are flashier books. But as one who had finally tired of reading cookbooks and hungered for the meal, this book pointed me in the right direction (or, at least, ONE right direction) and helps me actually "cook," so to speak.

Like the saying goes, "Meditation: it's not what you think," so if you are attracted to Zen but aren't actually sitting zazen, give up the critiquing and dabbling, find a teacher, and get to work. This book helps both in choosing a teacher and in addressing random questions and common pitfalls for the beginning meditator.

Rating:
Summary: PT Barnum: a sucker born every min. and 2 to take him!
Review: WOW... i cant believe its not Buddhism! Dry, trite, has nothing to do with Genuine Buddhism laid out in the Scriptures.Pathetic new ager revisionist Sectarian non Buddhist fluff.