Minding Mind: A Course in Basic Meditation

by Thomas Cleary

Some types of meditation are aimed at promoting a sense of confidence and well-being in everyday life, while other types focus on producing altered states of consciousness, transcending the world, or developing skills for serving other people. The instructions in this book focus on the highest type of all, "pure, clear meditation": a state of true objectivity that enables the practitioner to use all the other types of meditation freely and consciously, without becoming fixated or obsessed.

Minding Mind is based on traditional texts by renowned teachers from various Buddhist schools of China, Japan, and Korea, covering a broad range of topics,

   •  The practice of basic meditation
   •  Techniques for improving concentration
   •  How to correct problems that arise during meditation
   •  Differences between methods of sudden and gradual enlightenment
   •  The practice of koan meditation
   •  Meditation in action

Genres: Buddhism, Meditation, Zen, Nonfiction, Religion, Psychology, Philosophy

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Dr. Thomas Francis Cleary, Ph.D. (East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University; J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley), was a prolific translator of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Muslim classics, with a particular emphasis on popular translations of Mahāyāna works relevant to the Chan, Zen, and Soen systems.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minding Mind is a great collection of essays in Buddhist meditation from a nice variety of Zen and other schools. While this book leads more toward a Zen flavor, it covers some of the deeper ideas of meditation and work beautifully. I wouldn't recommend it as a first read, especially since some of the essays rely heavily on a deep understanding of Buddhist philosophies. That said, the endnotes provide adequate explanation of the references to other works and traditional Buddhist metaphors.

If you want to learn the basics of meditation, this isn't the book. If you've got the basics down, or even if you feel yourself moderately successful in your zazen practice, this book is a great intermediate teaching. It focuses solely on zazen, the sitting meditation, and the works reflect this focus. If you are accustomed to zazen, this book is the perfect compendium of instruction of renowned Masters in perfecting your sitting practice.

[Luca Andreol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coltivare la mente
🚀 Il #libro in 3 Frasi

1.In questo contesto, 'lottare' significa non provare paura e non farsi coinvolgere, ma stabilire la concentrazione della vera con-
sapevolezza. Se vi tuffate immediatamente e direttamente, tanto il dolore che i pensieri errabondi si trasformeranno in una massa di spirito, in lavoro unificato sulla Via.
2.Con la concentrazione soffocate l'immaginazione disordinata, e con la visione profonda soffocate l'insensibilità.
3.Se sapete nutrire una fede assoluta, i dubbi si arresteranno di colpo permettendo l'apparizione di un desiderio salutare;

🎨 Impressioni
Libro interessante sulla ricerca dell’illuminazione tramite la pratica zen.
👤 Chi dovrebbe leggerlo?
Chi fosse interessato alla cultura zen
☘️ Come il libro mi ha cambiato?
Questo libro non mi ha dato spunti pratici da applicare nella meditazione quotidiana, ma mi ha permesso di capire meglio come andare oltre le percezioni sensoriali di ogni giorno.
✍🏻 Le mie tre frasi preferite

1.  Studiando lo Zen, non dovete rilassarvi neppure un attimo.
Rendendo vigile e attento il vostro spirito vitale mentre espira te ed inspirate, osservando i vostri passi mentre camminate avanti e indietro, comportatevi come se galoppaste da soli, armati soltanto di una spada, contro un esercito di un milione di uomini.

1. Dopo essere emersi dalla concentrazione, applicate qualunque espediente in ogni momento per preservare la forza della con-centrazione, così come ci si prende cura di un bambino. Allora sarà facile perfezionare il potere della concentrazione.

1. Aver cura del popolo mantiene la nazione in pace, risparmiare energia mantiene il corpo sano.

📒 Sommario + Note
Introduzione
Trattato sul veicolo supremo del maestro chan Hongren.
Modelli per la meditazione seduta del maestro chan Cijiao di Changlu
Istruzioni per la meditazione seduta del maestro chan Foxin Bencai
Un modo di sedere in meditazione raccomandato a tutti
del maestro zen Dogen
Segreti della coltivazione della mente del maestro son Chinul . . : .
Assorbimento nel tesoro di luce del maestro zen Ejo : . . . .
Discorso elementare sullo Zen di Man-an
Note
#libri

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Translated works of various Masters yields the entries difficult to understand. It seems to be a literal translation. An interpretation would have been easier to comprehend as the text would explain itself better with the English translation. Clearly that wasn't the point of the author. He would have had to put in some understanding of the message, the context and any subtext not explained in the sampling of instruction. Though the subtitle says basic meditation, it is not a source for initial meditation instruction.

[Victoria Wilde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough to make me want to read more about meditation. Some of it was a little hard for me to follow, but I especially enjoyed the last section, “An Elementary Talk on Zen” by Man-an. This won’t be my last study of meditation. It has whetted my appetite.

[Gjalt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een boekje waarin verschillende meesters zen beschrijven. Doordat ze dit op verschillende manieren doen, wordt het fenomeen “verlichting” van meerdere kanten bekeken, net als de allegorie “de olifant en de blinden”.

[Ruston Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

barebones, keeping this one in the front for the inevitable slippage

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've only just begun this read although there where a few good points that made an impression on me. In the sitting Zen meditative mode, clear your mind of all thoughts to attempt to think nothing. Not good, nor evil thoughts, but nothing at all. If thoughts somehow manage to enter your mind, try to leave them behind. This way you can focus more on understanding the mind and how it is structured. Understanding and then quieting the mind is a crucial step in attempting to achieve an enlightened state of being, or revealing the Buddhahood within us all. I must read further into this book at a later time to really discuss more what it is about...Although, I do believe it is a good subject for research or for learning something new.

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really old book so pretty hard to understand. Don't really think it's for as much of a beginner as I am.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent primer!