Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Review & Competition

"In a beginner's thoughts there have been most possibilities,
but in a expert's there have been few."Review
'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' is a wonderful tiny book. In it, a Soto Zen Buddhist Master Shunryu Suzuki presents us with an ever uninformed view of Zen Buddhism, based on zazen practice. Again as well as again, he brings our thoughts to recognize a importance of a beginner's mind, an viewpoint to use which does not assume, consciously or unconsciously, which we know it all, let alone which we've done it all as well as gotten a t-shirt. In Zen, there is no t-shirt, only what Suzuki called a big thoughts (as opposed to our selfish tiny mind). In a transcribed lectures which have up a categorical territory of this book, he equates this big thoughts with a ignorance of a beginner's thoughts which approaches a imagining pillow (and life) with an open, nonetheless focused attitude.

"Big thoughts is something to express, not something to figure out.
Big thoughts is something we have, not something to seek for."
Suzuki mixes advice on how to meditate with a realization which to meditate is enlightenment, during slightest when which imagining is a Soto version of zazen, or 'just sitting.' He references a great Zen Master Dogen via a book, though additionally mentions Rinzai (the owner of a other vital group of Zen Buddhism). This illustrates Suzuki's non-denominational approach to Buddhism, which he emphasizes when he echoes Dogen in dogmatic which there's no such group as Soto, as well as which loyal Buddhists have been simply Buddhists, as well as nothing else. In a last territory of a book, Suzuki addresses issues connected with a establishment of Zen in America, though even this potentially worldly issue is discussed from a contemplative perspective, ever gripping Zen in mind.

"I feel Americans, especially young Americans, have a! great o pportunity to find out a loyal approach of hold up for tellurian beings. You have been utterly giveaway of material things as well as we proceed Zen use with a really pure mind, a beginner's mind."
Shambhala's 40th anniversary edition of 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' additionally retains a prologue by Huston Smith as well as Introduction by Suzuki's Dharma successor Richard Baker, as well as adds an engaging afterword by David Chadwick, an additional of Suzuki's students. In it, he not only chronicles a story of this extraordinary tiny book, though additionally includes anecdotes from those who knew, or met, Shunryu Suzuki. One such anecdote which stands out regards which great namesake as well as associate promoter of Zen Buddhism in a West, Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, who has featured on these pages previously. When on a bus, Shunryu Susuki was asked if he was D.T. Suzuki, to which he replied, "No, he's a big Suzuki, I'm a tiny one!" As Huston Smith states in a book's afterward, it's nearer a truth to see a dual Suzuki's as complementing one an additional in their efforts to spread a knowledge of Zen Buddhism in a Occident. And, in this regard, 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' has played an important role itself in disseminating Zen across a world. Let's finish this short examination with one some-more allude to from Shunryu Suzuki:

"Moment after moment, everyone comes out from nothingness.
This is a loyal joy of life."Competition
Now to a 'juicy' part of this blog entry. Shambala Publications have really pleasantly pronounced which they will send a giveaway copy of their 40th anniversary imprint of Shunryu Suzuki's 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' to a winner of a foe run here on 'Buddha Space.' So, to win a book we contingency answer a following question, posting your answer in a comments section, linked to during a bottom of this article. The winner will be announced in a same section. Now, to a subject itself: What does your beginner's thoughts look similar to right now? (The judge's decision ! will be last as well as no dialogue will be entered in to after it is announced, unless some sort of bribery is discussed.) The shutting date for entries is 31th December; so write on!

Note: All quotations have been taken from 'Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind' by Shunryu Suzuki, as well as published by Shambala Publications, 2010.