We want to draw everyone’s attention today to four new books out this month by different Zen teachers. Each month we’ll be spotlighting different publications that should be of interest to our readership.
New Books Out This Month
Off the Path, The Zen of Mountains and Deserts (Western Legacy Series) by Sydney Musai Walter (January 1, 2014)
The author says: ”I began my Zen practice in the midst of a life crisis, under the guidance of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. When I asked that Zen Master what I should do about my life dilemmas, he responded, ‘Do zazen. Life without zazen is like winding your clock without setting it. It runs perfectly well, but it doesn’t tell time.’ I have been following that advice for over four decades. I have turned to wild places for reassurance and adventure since I was a child. When I moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1980 I found, in the Four Corners states, vast areas of mountain and desert wilderness where I could wander year-round, shedding the concerns of life in society and opening to the earth. These two fundamental streams of my life merge in my hikes and solo wilderness retreats. I hope in these photos and journals I can share some of the wonder and release I have found in this Buddhist wilderness practice.”
Idiot’s Guides: Zen Living by Domyo Burk (January 7, 2014)
In today’s harried, ultra-connected, technology-laden society, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. The term “zen” is used freely by those seeking to calm and simplify their lives. But to truly reap the benefits of Zen, one must understand what it is and how to change his or her thinking and actions to achieve it. Zen monk and sensei Domyo Burk shows readers how to get started on the path to enlightenment and peace, regardless of cultural or religious affiliations. In this book, readers get:
- An introduction to what Zen is-and what it isn’t.
- A foundation for how to get started in Zen practice.
- Explanations of the essential teachings of Zen and how they can free readers from the dissatisfaction that is inherent in modern life and improve mental and physical health.
- Step-by-step instructions for engaging in Zazen meditation.
- Guidance on increasing mindfulness, seeking clarity and enlightenment, and living by the Zen moral code.
- Tips for maintaining daily Zen practice, using it to deal with difficult and painful situations, and mastering the art of living.
Winter Moon: A Season of Zen Teachings (Four Seasons of Zen) by Bonnie Myotai Treace (January 16, 2014)
A collection of dharma talks by Zen teacher Bonnie Myotai Treace, Sensei touching on topics from koans to poetry, ancient Buddhist masters to contemporary issues. Challenging yet accessible, will be of interest to those new to Zen as well as seasoned practitioners. Print Edition Available in January, 2014.
Still Standing: Three Stones Haiku by Seiso Paul Cooper (2014)
A collection of haiku written by Seiso Paul Cooper, demonstrating the evolution of style, sensibility and content over the course of his development as a psychoanalyst and Zen practitioner to Soto Zen priest. The book includes a brief introduction on the relation between Zen practice and haiku writing and an afterword on the history of haiku and its relation to the classical Japanese waka form. The text is embellished with a number of ink brush drawings. Seiso is the author of the critically acclaimed The Zen Impulse and the Psychoanalytic Encounter.
Other Buddhist Books This Month
The Mahamudra Prayer by the Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje is a short yet thorough and profound text which presents all the essential points of Mahamudra teaching in terms of view, practice, and fruition. It is a classic that, especially in the tradition of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, has been and is widely used whenever a disciple is given a first introduction into Mahamudra. The Third Karmapa shows how to recognize our ultimate potential as a buddha. The short root text is further explained by Khentin Tai Situpa Pema Donyo Nyingje Wangpo, the twelfth incarnation of the Tai Situpa lineage, which is one of the most important lineages of the Kagyu tradition. His deep understanding of Western culture, especially of the Western psychological perspective, allows him to expound the Dharma with a clarity and directness that is truly inspiring.
Buddhism in Japan: A Cultural History (Wiley-Blackwell Guides to Buddhism) by William Deal and Brian Ruppert (January 7, 2014)
A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism presents a vivid, nuanced, and chronological account of Buddhist religion in Japan, from its emergence in the sixth century right through to the present day. Authors William Deal and Brian Ruppert, both experts on Japanese religions, explore each period of Japanese history to reveal the complex and often controversial histories of Japanese Buddhists and their unfolding narratives.
Incorporating the most recent Japanese and Western scholarship, the book explores the contexts that made possible the introduction of Buddhist texts and images in the sixth century; traces their development through the Nara and early Heian eras; and reveals the increasing influence of Buddhism into the Kamakura Era. It addresses the increasing competition between Buddhist, Shinto, and Neo-Confucian world-views through to the mid-19th century, and following Japan’s emergence as a world power, explores Buddhist thought and practice from World War II through to the present day. Offering readers more than a simple historical review, the authors also reveal the seemingly contradictory ways that Japanese people are able to draw upon Buddhist ideas to help create a more meaningful world, whilst at the same time justifying multiple and competing perspectives. With scholarly precision, A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism offers an illuminating glimpse into the evolution of a complex and often misunderstood religious tradition.
The Spread of Tibetan Buddhism in China: Charisma, Money, Enlightenment by Dan Smyer Yu (January 5, 2014)
Focusing on contemporary Tibetan Buddhist revivals in the Tibetan regions of the Sichuan and Qinghai Provinces in China, this book explores the intricate entanglements of the Buddhist revivals with cultural identity, state ideology, and popular imagination of Tibetan Buddhist spirituality in contemporary China. In turn, the author explores the broader socio-cultural implications of such revivals.
Based on detailed cross-regional ethnographic work, the book demonstrates that the revival of Tibetan Buddhism in contemporary China is intimately bound with both the affirming and negating forces of globalization, modernity, and politics of religion, indigenous identity reclamation, and the market economy. The analysis highlights the multidimensionality of Tibetan Buddhism in relation to different religious, cultural, and political constituencies of China. By recognizing the greater contexts of China’s politics of religion and of the global status of Tibetan Buddhism, this book presents an argument that the revival of Tibetan Buddhism is not an isolated event limited merely to Tibetan regions; instead, it is a result of the intersection of both local and global transformative changes. The book is a useful contribution to students and scholars of Asian religion and Chinese studies.