Trust in Awakening: A Zen Teaching on Accessing the Absolute

by Stephen Snyder, Mark Sando Minniberg (Foreword)

A unique and fulfilling map to realization and Awakening offered by one of today’s finest spiritual teachers.

With Trust in Awakening, Zen and Theravada Buddhist teacher Stephen Doetsu Snyder presents a fresh and powerful reworking of the 7th century Zen poem, the Xin Xin Ming. This poem has guided and inspired serious Zen practitioners on the path to Awakening for centuries. Structuring its stanzas in koan-like meditations, Snyder interprets the poem’s directions to seeing the Absolute, the source, fully manifesting in each of us—to Awakening.

In addition, Snyder gives an insightful line-by-line commentary and questions us after each stanza, provoking an internal examination. He points us in the direction of the Absolute, in its many expressions, the source of all universes and realization. This distinct approach creates the space for us to dwell on each line, open ourselves to its significance, and take another step on the path of no path.

Trust in Awakening transmits the reality of the Absolute while encouraging us to keep following its map, unfolding the path to Awakening.

116 pages, Paperback

Published September 20, 2022

About the author

Stephen Mugen Snyder, Roshi, began practicing daily meditation in 1976.Since then, he has studied Buddhism extensively—investigating and engaging in Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, and Western nondual traditions. He was authorized to teach in the Theravada Buddhist tradition in 2007 and in the Zen Buddhist schools of Sōtō and Rinzai in 2022. Stephen is a senior student of Mark Sando Mininberg, Roshi, and a transmitted teacher in the White Plum Asanga—the body of teachers in the Maezumi-Roshi lineage.

Stephen’s resonant and warmhearted teaching style engages students around the globe through in-person and online retreats, as well as one-on-one coaching. He encourages students to turn toward their true nature and, with realization of their true nature, embody their true identity. Stephen is the author of five books, including Liberating the Self, Trust in Awakening, Demystifying Awakening, and Buddha’s Heart. He coauthored Practicing the Jhānas. For more information, visit awakeningdharma.org.

Reviews

[Linus]

A short and pithy guide to awakening, written by a very seasoned practitioner of both Zen and Theravada. Highly recommended to any serious spiritual seeker out there!

[Polina Borisova]

Trust in Awakening is unlike any other dharma book. At its heart is the Xin Xin Ming, a 7th century Zen poem that reads like a koan: it doesn't give anything away, yet expresses everything you need to know with sharp clarity and perfect completeness. What makes this book so distinctive is its structure. At the end of the book Stephen Snyder offers his commentary on each stanza and then asks a question. That question does something remarkable - it causes the stanza to land in a completely new way, one that wasn't available on first reading. You pause, and the meaning deepens in real time. I feel deeply inspired by the meeting of creativity and spiritual teaching conveyed by the poem. I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone, regardless of where they are on the path, or whether they consider themselves on a path at all. It is the kind of book you will return to again and again, and always discover something new.

[Tom Booker]

It's nice, he has a good and unique way of describing Zen. His translation is very minimalist, which I quite liked, though made the commentary basically essential to understand what is being said, e.g., "openly unconditioned". The illustrations were also beautiful.


But it's not a "map" as described, and it's very short and unnecessarily spaced out. If you have listened to Synder's talks on YouTube/podcasts or read his other books then there is not much new. The koan-like questions after each stanza is a nice idea, but they are rarely profound. This could have been added to his previous book, or he could have done more commentaries on different sutra's or maybe his roshis's teachings.

[Jessica]

Trust in Awakening

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. It's a really quick, yet, deep Zen teaching. Lots of gold nugget information here! I enjoyed it and will keep it as reference. Thank you for my copy!

[Sofia Arias]

Interesting way to be introduced to those teachings, the explanations can help you see it in a different manner.