The way of Zen after being shipped to the US and Europe The rest is 20th century history. It is important to read between the lines in this book if the full benefit of the spiritual practices of the East is to be had. (David quote) Taoism and Zen confuse westerners because we thinking “conventional” knowledge, what we can define with words. Although some people have criticised Watts' take on Buddhism -specifically his understanding of the role of zazen, "The Way of Zen" is still an excellent overview for the Western reader. Both the parts were equally critical and with this thorough introduction through the eyes of a westerner. I have finally read one of Alan's books! An experience of sitting in the presence of Alan Watts, feeling his passion for Zen along with the beautifully described essence of other Eastern cultures. Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2018. This book is easily as good as anything I've read on spirituality, and probably the very best. I brushed through quickly the parts where there was mention of historical dates , names and events though majority of the content has the potential for unwinding the mind through seemingly complicated expression of invaluable wisdom. Eastern religion is very difficult for the Western mind to understand. Both the parts were equally critical and with this thorough introduction through the eyes of a westerner, I have become even more curious to learn and understand the Zen state, the process, and the way of life. If awakening is possibly gradual, then this book very much did so as I progressed. Watts saw Zen as “one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world,” and in The Way of Zen he gives this gift to readers everywhere.“Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’”—Los Angeles Times Aside from a few generalizations I'm not very knowledgeable about Buddhism, Zen, or any of its other manifestations. The way of zen British billionaire Sanjeev Gupta, owner of Whyalla steelworks, sold Zen Energy back to Australian economist Professor Ross Garnaut in August. In his definitive introduction to Zen Buddhism, Alan Watts explains the principles and practices of this ancient religion to Western readers. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 16, 2020. The Way of Zen is a good short introduction to Zen. ©1957 Pantheon Books (P)2015 Macmillan Audio Featured Article: The … He twists the usual way of psychological functioning to ironically arrive at a simpler perspective of ideas/concepts. Please try again. Suzuki, Alan Watts stands as the godfather of Zen in America. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. One of a kind. But if Zen, and Buddhism in general is about avoiding extremes, then it's not the heresy it appears to be. This is the first real exposure I've had to Alan Watts. One must remember that the primary objective of both is the reduction of suffering in this life and freedom to enjoy life as it is. Please try again. p.s. Unable to add item to List. Zen definition is - a Japanese sect of Mahayana Buddhism that aims at enlightenment by direct intuition through meditation. Of course, Japanese studies have advanced considerably from those days, important texts have been translated, some even several times, and there are many more competent introductions to the topic (Kasulis, Zen Action/Zen Person for example). Luvvie Ajayi Jones—author, cultural critic, digital entrepreneur—might be best described as a professional truthteller. But if a decision itself were voluntary every decision would have to be preceded by a decision to decide - An infinite regression which fortunately does not occur. Statistics point directly at the beginning of the collapse as day one with the large part of the population in ignorance populating the planet at an ever increasing rate.l, Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2018. A way of liberation can have no positive definition, it has to be defined by what it is not, as how a sculptor reveals the image by chipping away what it isn’t. Great and beneficial overview of both the history and philosophy of Zen. Alan Watts has cleaved the book into two halves, the first half explains the (possible) origins of Zen and the second half is about practices, forms, masters, and art. We just have to remember that a book, like anything else, is not the thing itself. Far from finding a satisfactory answer, I hardly ever even found a satisfactory question! With that in mind, I thought Watts' relatively short book was a good introduction to Zen. Born in Chislehurst, England, he moved to the United States in 1938 and began Zen training in New York. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published We can of course form and assign, I have read this book in the hopes of gaining some background knowledge on Zen Buddhism, to help me in my studies of Japanese Art. My impression of Watts before reading this book was he was sort of this weird guy who just said deep-sounding things that appealed to stoners. I was familiar with some of Alan Watt's books from way back and had found him a bit "new agey", even flippant in his approach. Do you understand how to breathe? It provides history, philosophy, practice and art criticism - in 201 pages total! Discover how the understanding and practice of Zen can bring peace and enlightenment into your daily life in this classic work. Highly recommended, Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2020. I've read a lot about Zen over the years, beginning during my Asian Studies degree at university 40 years ago. It's a measurement, an aspect of "conventional" wisd. Zen à propos of something else–psychology, art, or cultural history. He covers a lot of ground in a little bit of time and he's a really gifted communicator. “When we attempt to exercise power or control over someone else, we cannot avoid giving that person the very same power or control over us.”, “We feel that our actions are voluntary when they follow a decision and involuntary when they happen without decision. Zen is--after all--a 'liberation from time'. Not all of it was entirely new material for me, but it's presented and discussed in that inimitably 'Alan Watts' way that offers a clear perspective. Even switching formats I couldn't help but read it in Alan's voice. Do less. Half way through the book it starts skipping pages (you can see the page number skipping, not just the obvious text jumps), sections of pages repeating, and text skipping (not page numbers skip but jumps in the text between pages where you don't know if it dropped a line or how many paragraphs). 8 talking about this. It may be the wider reading I have done recently or my daily "practice" of meditation or Watts' incisive and distinctive style of writing or a combination of all and other factors. About The Way of Zen. Each on the surface appears different but upon close examination are not just similar but exactly the same about Knowing, Not Knowing, Ignorance and Bliss. But stay away from the kindle edition. by Vintage. A Zen monk doesn’t lead a lazy life: he wakes early and has a day filled with work. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. It is true that they are still hard to take in, but this book provides the clearest guide I have come across. It was a pleasure to read and I learned a very great deal. 4. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! I wasn't interested in reading about Zen specifically, but then it's not something I know a ton about and the book was a pretty reasonable length, so why not? Watts saw Zen as “one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world,” and in. Any other books for Western audiences on Eastern philosophy/ religion? It’s really the outcome of a wrong premise: that it’s likely to feel just the good, with none of the bad. I see the Way of Zen not so much as an exposition of a secularized version of Zen Buddhism (or Eastern thought more generally), explained in a manner easily understood by Westerners (which it is), but more as an accoutrement to Eastern spiritual practices like meditation and other numinous experiences derived from Eastern thought. Something went wrong. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 236 pages and is available in Paperback format. Often taken to task for inspiring the flimsy spontaneity of Beat Zen, Watts had an undeniably keen understanding of his subject. Watts was the author of some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion that have been published in many languages throughout the world, including the bestselling The Way of Zen. Consistently admired since its first publication in 1957, and reprinted many times, The Way of Zen is that rarest of books, a popular and academic success. With a rare combination of freshness and lucidity, he delves into the origins and history of Zen to explain what it means for the world today with incredible clarity. Conventional Knowledge Zen tangles, paintings, sayings, haiku, made me ever so curious about Zen. There was a problem loading your book clubs. I love the topic. This is a very good introduction to Zen. “Paradoxical as it may seem, the purposeful life has no content, no point. Who cares? It is a great overview of Zen Buddhism in the large context of Indian and Mahayana Buddhism and his insights and great writing will keep you spellbound until the end of the book. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Whenever I read this book I am overcome by a profound feeling of the numinous, comparable to, but not quite reaching the highest hights of, the most profound spiritual experiences of my life. It might be that I am a little too generous with my stars here, but this was the first book on Japanese (and Chinese) philosophy that I ever read. Alan Watts was an Englishman who spent a lifetime studying religion and philosophy, principally as a lecturer and teacher in the United States. The book is easy to consume but satisfying in its content. Ken Wilber might be an interesting read, for example No Boundary. It's amazing how many books have been written about Zen in the West, since almost all of them admit right off the bat that Zen cannot be explained, at least in words. Oddly enough, if we had to decide to decide, we would not be free to decide”. This is a grea. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. This is a remarkable achievement. Standing apart, however, from sectarian membership, he has earned the reputation of being one of the most original and “unrutted” philosophers of the twentieth century. Aside from his gripes with Soto and Rinzai Zen practice resembling boarding school discipline, I loved it, especially Zen's Chinese and Indian philosophical root. One that must be read several times to even begin to take in the sheer breadth of information. An avid lecturer, Watts appeared regularly on the radio and hosted the popular television series, Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life, in the 1960s. It's amazing how many books have been written about Zen in the West, since almost all of them admit right off the bat that Zen cannot be explained, at least in words. One must not forget that the points of enlightenment are not new. Not going to lie, a lot of it was over my head. Nowhere is this more evident than in his 1957 classic, “Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’”, Alan W. Watts, who held both a master’s degree in theology and a doctorate of divinity, is best remembered as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism in particular, and of Indian and Chinese philosophy in general. He presents ideas … But if Zen, and Buddhism in general is about avoiding extremes, then it's not the heresy it appears to be. The first edition of the novel was published in 1957, and was written by Alan W. Watts. It's a measurement, an aspect of "conventional" wisdom as Watts puts it, and not the wisdom of the Tao or Dharma. Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2018. Watts has been an inspiration to me and I turn to his work to gain perspective when times are tough, or even when times are going well and I need something to focus my mind again. In his books he relates his experience to scientific knowledge and to the teachings of Eastern and Western religion and philosophy. Great exposition of Zen Buddhism, its history, philosophy, practice, and cultural/artistic influences. The Way of Zen by Alan Watts, narrated by Alan Watts. I'm a big fan of Watts, and have listened to lots of his lectures and audiobooks but have never sat down to read his words rather than listen to them. It takes a philosophical topic that is in every way foreign to the modern Western mind. With a rare combination of freshness and lucidity, he delves into the origins and history of Zen to explain what it means for the world today with incredible clarity. It is all too common for those who make attempts at this question to (intentionally or unintentionally) replace what is commonly called ``the hard problem of consciousness" with something that conveniently omits the core of the problem, namely how subjective experience comes to be, present a theory dealing with whatever they feel matters in the remaining husk and declare triumph. Alan Wilson Watts was a British philosopher, writer and speaker, who held both a Master's in Theology and a Doctorate of Divinity. This is the first real exposure I've had to Alan Watts. Alan Wilson Watts was a British philosopher, writer and speaker, who held both a Master's in Theology and a Doctorate of Divinity. Chapter 1 - The original basis for Zen Buddhism was set by the Chinese Taoist philosophy. Aside from his gripes with Soto and Rinzai Zen practice resembling boarding school discipline, I loved it, especially Zen's Chinese and Indian philosophical roots as well as its influence on Japanese and Chinese arts (Sado, Kendo, Sumi-e, and poetry). The Way Of Zen Summary September 21, 2020 Luke Rowley Happiness, Mindfulness, Psychology, Religion, Self Improvement, Spirituality 1-Sentence-Summary: The Way Of Zen is the ultimate guide to understanding the history, principles, and benefits of Zen and how it can help us experience mental stillness and enjoy life even in uncertain times. Watts was the author of some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion that have been published in many languages throughout the world, including the bestselling The Way of Zen. Famous for his research on comparative religion, he was best known as an interpreter and popularizer of Asian philosophies for a Western audience. Watts provides a good history and summary of Zen's origins and its practices. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2016. This is a great book. Wow! Whatever! But you don't have to go from where you are to Zen Buddhism to find "the Way". It boggles the mind how people claiming a monist, scientific, and materialist viewpoint can make such dualist, fantastic, and frankly inane assertions as ``the whole is more than the sum of the parts." My discoveries and new must-reads include: Bankei, Takuan, Hakuin, and Ryokan. I was very much taken with Watts' attitude - respect without too much enthusiasm, no effort to convert the reader into anything, but also no self-inflicted distance that would view the subject matter entirely as a topic of purely academic interest. An avid lecturer, Watts appeared regularly on the radio and hosted the popular television series, Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life, in the 1960s. I've read a lot about Zen over the years, beginning during my Asian Studies degree at university 40 years ago. Far from finding a satisfactory answer, I hardly ever even found a satisfactory question! Sufism includes a lot of Zen principles, especially the Mullah Nasr-ad-Din stories. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. This is a fairly serious scholarly work, it seems, on Zen Buddhism, both theoretically and practically. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. In the second half, he tr Yet here the Way of Zen is presented without needless mystification, tracing its genesis and evolution through Indian metaphysics, early Buddhist thinking, Taoism and thus into China and Japan. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Start by marking “The Way of Zen” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Watts takes the reader back to the philosophical foundations of. Meditation and mindfulness are at the core of Zen practice, but are also an essential part of many other systems. Also, the comparison of learning language in an immersive and challenging way versus than the traditional approach found in schools. As Spinoza wrote is all comes in waves which at the zenith begins the collapse upon itself and dissolves back into the the sea of unknowing and unknown. In default, then, of a fundamental, orderly, and comprehensive account of the subject, it is no wonder that Western impressions of Zen are somewhat confused, despite all the enthusiasm and interest which it has aroused. Despite the fact that The Way of Zen is a book about “religion”, I found the first chapter of the book to be incredibly relevant to everyday life, and in my opinion, by far the best section of the entire book.. Quite simply the book that changed my life. The Way of Zen presents an understandable, inspirational, and spiritually rewarding exploration of Zen Buddhism - a way of liberation - that may be one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world. Often taken to task for inspiring the flimsy spontaneity of Beat Zen, Watts had an undeniably keen understanding of his subject. I wanted to read this book to see how a counter-culture guru such as Watts would explain Zen to a Westerner, and was glad I did so. Also African folk tales like Ananse Tales, Ananse being a clever spider, with an upside down interpretation of things like a spider would naturally have. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. It may be the wider reading I have done recently or my daily "practice" of meditation or Watts' incisive and distinctive style of writing or a combination of all and other factors. Definitely worth a read. I felt like the first part was better than the second part, but both parts are good and worth reading. It might be that I am a little too generous with my stars here, but this was the first book on Japanese (and Chinese) philosophy that I ever read. The Way of Zen - Ebook written by Alan Watts. Who cares? Alan Watts has cleaved the book into two halves, the first half explains the (possible) origins of Zen and the second half is about practices, forms, masters, and art. Highly recommended. Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2021, I found that going directly to Part Two labeled Principles and Practice to be the most expedient means of illuminating Buddhism and Zen. (I read. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. A powerful book that merits several reads. Alan Watts is definitely an awesome writer who's capable of not only clearly explaining the intricate concepts foreign to Western sensibility but also respecting and handling fine linguistic and conceptual differences between cultures. Watts's style is reasoned and reasonable, clear and authoritative, but without a hint of affectation. This book is easily as good as anything I've read on spirituality, and probably the very best. I found the book facsinating, the story of what is Zen and the history of all different schools is told with an inspiring voice. The main characters of this philosophy, religion story are , . This a powerful book and provides a direct pointing to the questions most have on the subject of the objective of Buddhist and Zen enlightenment. In his definitive introduction to Zen Buddhism, Alan Watts (“the perfect guide for a course correction in life” —Deepak Chopra), explains the principles and practices of this ancient religion. I was very much taken with Watts' attitude - respect without too much enthusiasm, no effort to convert the reader into anything, but also no self-inflicted distance that would view the subject matter entirely as a topic of purely academic interest. I've read a few books about Buddhism this year and I feel like this was, far and away, the best. purple?) Watts saw Zen as “one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the wo, In his definitive introduction to Zen Buddhism, Alan Watts explains the principles and practices of this ancient religion to Western readers. It incorporates a lot of Eastern as well as Western philosophies, from meditation to psychoanalysis. All since time began discuss the world of things as opposed to world of no things, The void, Form and Emptiness, Yin and Yang, Prusha and Maya, etc, etc. The Way of Zen (1957) is a classic work that lays out the historical origins and core principles of Zen Buddhism. This book is BRILLIANT. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. He wrote over 25 books and numerous articles on subjects such as personal identity, the true nature of reality, higher consciousness, the meaning of life, concepts and images of God and the non-material pursuit of happiness. Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2017, Of those available in English, this is still the outstanding combination of introduction, history and guide to Buddhism. Watts was the author of some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion that have been published in many languages throughout the world, including the bestselling. I think I picked a good one to start with too, seeing as how packed with information it is. This little book is amazing in its efficiency. And for a book published in 1957 it holds up remarkably well. Whatever! Refresh and try again. I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It is wonderfully readable without ever glossing over the complexity and profundity of the ideas presented or the historical, cultural and linguistic challenges of interpretation and translation. I recommend this book to those who are in a hurry, to those who want to accomplish goals and look at the future as the purpose of life. I've never been clear on how the various strains of Buddhist thought interrelate—the cultural forms/expressions of it in India, China, and Japan are each so nuanced—but Watts makes the puzzle pieces easier to see, even if scholars may still disagree on how exactly they fit together during certain time periods. Zen tangles, paintings, sayings, haiku, made me ever so curious about Zen. In the first half of the book, Watts explores the Taoist and Buddhist roots of Zen and describes how Zen developed from those roots. The Way of Zen is a 1957 non-fiction book on Zen Buddhism and Eastern philosophy by philosopher and religious scholar Alan Watts. Maybe he is, but in this book I didn't really get that feeling. It might seem like a futile endeavor, and yet we can't help both writing and reading them. Considering most diehard fans of his I've met can be pretty head-in-the-clouds and/or dogmatically New Agey, I really appreciated how his treatment of Zen Buddhism was done in a down-to-earth, open-pa. I have read this book in the hopes of gaining some background knowledge on Zen Buddhism, to help me in my studies of Japanese Art. However, … Nowhere is this more evident than in his 1957 classic The Way of. Buddhism being as it is foreign to most Westerners, the Indian vocabulary that goes with it is an obstacle for many, and this book, although excellent for the quality of its information, does a poor job at vulgarizing it for lay people. Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2018. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Zen, Chinese Chan, Korean Sŏn, also spelled Seon, Vietnamese Thien, important school of East Asian Buddhism that constitutes the mainstream monastic form of Mahayana Buddhism in China, Korea, and Vietnam and accounts for approximately 20 percent of the Buddhist temples in Japan.The word derives from the Sanskrit dhyana, meaning “meditation.”.” Central to Zen teaching is the belief … Alan Wilson Watts (6 January 1915 – 16 November 1973) was a British philosopher, writer and speaker known for interpreting and popularising Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism for a Western audience. I brushed through quickly the parts where there was mention of historical dates , names and events though majority of the content has the potential for unwinding the mind through seemingly complicated expression of invaluable wisdom. One gets the feeling that Alan Watts understood his readership as well as he understood what he was writing about. Free download or read online The Way of Zen pdf (ePUB) book. Zen in the conceptual world of Hinduism, follows Buddhism's course through the development of. I wish I had read this years ago. Written in Watts' eminently readable attractive prose style, concise and provocative, The Way of Zen has annoyed American practitioners since its 1957 publication. Our world is changing at breakneck speed, and it often seems that the old rules cease to apply as soon as we’ve gotten used to them. This is a seminal work and a great intro to taoism, zen and everything in between and who better to explain it so clearly than Mr. Watts. Also, a few books I read recently set in China and Bhutan, and a few non-fictions gave a glimpse of the liberal and understanding religion of Buddhism. Watts is the man, I will be reading much more of this man's work; a truly great thinker and a writer of lucidity. One of the first books that taught me how to think philosophically about the world around me. This was the kind of book that I found myself highlighting or notating nearly every other page, and I know that revisiting those highlights will be something I do quite often. Alan points to the fact there is nothing metaphysical or mysterious about the practice and the goal. It is important to read between the lines in this book if the full benef. He twists the usual way of psychological functioning to ironically arrive at a simpler perspective of ideas/co. The writing style is accessible and the explanations clear (though that doesn't mean they are universally easy to get a grip on). I've read a few books about Buddhism this year and I feel like this was, far and away, the best. Considering most diehard fans of his I've met can be pretty head-in-the-clouds and/or dogmatically New Agey, I really appreciated how his treatment of Zen Buddhism was done in a down-to-earth, open-palm way. Buddhism being as it is foreign to most Westerners, the Indian voca. Although the book is indeed very thorough and supplies a wealth of knowledge of the origin of Zen and of Buddhism as a whole, before moving on to the specifics of its appliance to the arts in China and Japan, it is written in such a way that is often hard for the uninitiated to follow and understand. In Dogen’s words, “You experience immeasurable hundreds of eons in one day.” 1 The “circle of the way” is a translation of the Japanese word dokan, literally meaning “way ring.” Although this word, which Dogen coined, appears only four times in his writing, it … Watts was the author of some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion that have been published in many languages throughout the world, including the bestselling The Way of Zen. This book delivers that sense of connection. Alan Watts' "The Way of Zen" influenced me in my 20's. It feels very different to other books that I have read and is written in quite a unique way. Not hurrying, the purposeless life misses nothing, for it is only when there is no goal and no rush that the human senses are fully open to receive the world.”. - The tradition of Za-Zen (meditation) and the Koan - The integration of Zen into every aspect of life. You might liken the quest of happiness to moving from left to right on a hard bed. He wrote over 25 books and numerous articles on subjects such as personal identity, the true nature of reality, higher con. Nonetheless Watts deserves all the praise for this book, even if we should not forget that it has been written more than half a century ago and under quite different circumstances. 19:08 – (Tangent #2) Some thoughts on the similarity between the books on the podcast so far and some thoughts on why Zen is not considered a philosophy. I have always had a good intellectual grasp of what was being put to me but somehow I didn't really have a sense of connection. The best work of Alan Watts I have read to date, this book is highly recommended for anybody interested in Eastern spirituality. This book is BRILLIANT. Heady concepts become really understandable in his hands. The answers that most Translators of Buddhism Omit forgetting that giving meaning is the intent. After D.T. The problem, then, is to write such a book– You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. The book has been awarded with , and many others. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2017. Suzuki, Alan Watts stands as the godfather of Zen in America. It is all too common for those who make attempts at this question to (intentionally or unintentionally) replace what is commonly called ``the hard problem of consciousness" with something that conveniently omits the core of the problem, namely how subjective experience comes to be, p, For close to ten years I had had the question of what consciousness is on my mind and been looking for a satisfactory answer.

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