At the age of thirty, Kaoru Nonomura left his family, his girlfriend, and his job as a designer to undertake a year of ascetic training at Eiheiji,...
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Mar 25, 2010
Kristen
rated it: 
very interesting book, but i think you need to be in the right mindset to read it. i was coming off of a yoga retreat, and was ill so had a good chunk of time to delve in - this isn't the kind of book you want to read in random pieces, though it does go rather quickly.
the author is headed to a Japanese zen temple, so that is interesting in that it is two stages removed from the original zen founding (India, then China, then Japan). i wish i knew a little bit more about the distinction be More...
the author is headed to a Japanese zen temple, so that is interesting in that it is two stages removed from the original zen founding (India, then China, then Japan). i wish i knew a little bit more about the distinction be More...
Jun 06, 2011
Robert
rated it: 
I read this book after spending nearly two years living and working in Nagoya Japan. The book helped to complete my quest for insight into what constitutes genuine "Japanese" culture - in the traditional sense. Nonomura-san could not have imagined the subtle doors that he opened for those who sympathize with his quest for real meaning in the cultural slurry of modern living, but lack the opportunity to commit, as he did, the time, the resources, or the fortitude to making the bold mo
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May 13, 2011
Hudson
rated it:
"Accept each moment as it comes."
-Nonomura. Eat, Sleep, Sit.
As the river flows, so does life. This is the message that is given to us by Nonomura (age 30 at the time) in this short book of his year long stay at Eihei-ji, Japan's most rigorous Soto-Zen temple. With every page, the message 'without suffering and hardship in this moment, there cannot be peace and happiness in subsequent moments' flows out. The message, however, is very subtle, and if you don't look close More...
-Nonomura. Eat, Sleep, Sit.
As the river flows, so does life. This is the message that is given to us by Nonomura (age 30 at the time) in this short book of his year long stay at Eihei-ji, Japan's most rigorous Soto-Zen temple. With every page, the message 'without suffering and hardship in this moment, there cannot be peace and happiness in subsequent moments' flows out. The message, however, is very subtle, and if you don't look close More...
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Apr 24, 2009
Laurel
rated it:
Interesting look at the life of training to be a Zen Buddhist priest in Japan. No startling revelations or life-changing insights, but not at all what I (or apparently, the author!) expected. Nice, elegant translation. Good looking book.
Aug 24, 2009
Kris
rated it: 
Very interesting to get a glimpse into the life of a Zen monk, but ultimately I skimmed the pages because it was kind of boring.
Feb 28, 2010
Michael
rated it:
While there is a bit of the listing of things going on there are some wonderful descriptions of the day to day life that I found quite fascinating. I knew the daily routine of the monks could be quite difficult at times but this really brought it all into focus for me. Could I make it through such a trial. I'm not so sure. Very happy to have run across this book. Was sad when I reached the end of it.
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