Zen and the Psychology of Transformation: The Supreme Doctrine

by Hubert Benoît

Man cannot live fully until he has considered the great questions of life. It is for this reason that we turn to Western psychology and metaphysics for help in solving our problems.

The approach of psychology and psychotherapy is based on "statistical normality," or the behavior of the greatest number. In an effort to conform, we focus on our problems rather than our possibilities, emulating a norm that falls drastically short of our full capacity for development.

Oriental thought, and Zen thought in particular, seeks to activate the true potential of men and women--to transform our lives, and thereby enable us to shed our problems and suffering.

The Supreme Doctrine applies the essence of Oriental Wisdom to the pursuit of self-knowledge and transcendence. The first step in a holistic psychology is to begin examining the true “state of man”, rather than its aberrations. In so doing, we can give new direction and purpose to our lives.

The author does not advocate “conversion” to Eastern thought, but rather an integration of East and West, wherein Western psychological thinking and reasoning can be enriched and clarified by Oriental wisdom.

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

264 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1990

About the author

Hubert Benoit (1904–1992) was a 20th-century French psychotherapist whose work foreshadowed subsequent developments in integral psychology and integral spirituality.[1][2] His special interest and contribution lay in developing a pioneering form of psychotherapy which integrated a psychoanalytic perspective with insights derived from Eastern spiritual disciplines, in particular from Ch'an and Zen Buddhism.[3] He stressed the part played by the spiritual ignorance of Western culture in the emergence and persistence of much underlying distress. He used concepts derived from psychoanalysis to explain the defences against this fundamental unease, and emphasised the importance of an analytic, preparatory phase, while warning against what he regarded as the psychoanalytic overemphasis on specific causal precursors of symptomatology.[4] He demonstrated parallels between aspects of Zen training and the experience of psychoanalysis. He constructed an account in contemporary psychological terms of the crucial Zen concept of satori and its emergence in the individual

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A challenging and wonderful book. Nothing really like it.

Benoit attempts a quasi-scientific explanation of samsara/nirvana, or the causes of our suffering and the path of liberation according to the Zen tradition. Maybe existentialist-psycho-physiological is a better description than “quasi-scientific” of Benoit’s unique mind and approach.

Benoit is like Freud, with a background in biology and medicine, attempting to stretch the thermodynamic-mechanical language of 19th century science to account for unusual or hard-to-describe experience. I like the results. (Benoit was a surgeon, and was injured in by a bomb in WWII. He was partially paralyzed for a long-time. The injuries ended his career as a surgeon and he became a psychiatrist. The few and short biographical accounts of Benoit I’ve found on the web contribute to imply his injuries and paralyzation inclined him to the exploration of Zen, in a very pragmatic manner—how to put an end to suffering, or as he puts it, our “metaphysical distress”).

Benoit’s begins with a radical claim: Zen Buddhism is the only practice and doctrine that can get at the root of our suffering and show the path to complete freedom (Satori, or enlightenment). All other methods, especially Western psychology and individual therapy, aim at merely adjusting our neurosis to socially normative levels of anxiety and distress. Zen Buddhism proposes an uncompromising engagement with and acceptance of our suffering which, pursued to its end, exterminates it. Benoit translates Zen’s account for the cause of our suffering thus—that we maintain a false pretense that we are the center of the universe, a unique, independent, and absolute Being.

But we are not a Being, we are Nothing, like the rest of every-“thing” in the universe. But, pretending all the time towards this absolute Being that we strive to become secure in, we struggle against everything that we experience as not this Being, or that threatens it or demonstrates its non-absoluteness.

We constantly irk and fidget against the world that humiliates our pathetic pretense towards absolute Being. Liberation arises from the patient practice of relaxing and thwarting this pretense. Rather than push away from the world we usually experience as a threat to our Being and Its projects, we embrace these obstacles, investigate them. We remain with, rather than avoid pain. We let the world humiliate us.

Benoit uses different concepts and words, different images and examples, all circling around the same dynamic. Each chapter roughly stands on its own, see the problem from a different angle.

One of the images for our situation that I like best is of a wobbly wheel. A wheel wobbles when it’s motion is not in line with it’s true axis. But the wobble is also on the way towards regaining true balance (Satori). We can experience this oscillation (from “wobbling” to relatively more balance), if not complete Satori, often. If we practice turning our awareness back from our habitual running image-stories or habitual mental or physical reactions to our experience, and towards the very arising (and falling away) of those stories and reactions.

Another great analogy of Benoit’s is that of a movie theater. Our True Mind, enlightened awareness of the universe=the projector. The light beam=our habitual stories/neurosis/reactions. The screen=our experience and the world. The path to liberation consists of moving the screen ever closer to the projector until finally there is no difference between the two. Of course the images will get blurred and confused as the screen moves in, but when projector and screen are coincident, they appear in the true form, unfiltered now. This is Dogen’s ‘for the monk before enlightenment, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers; for the monk on the path, mountains are rivers and rivers are mountains; for the enlightenment monk, mountains are mountains again and rivers are rivers.’

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already love this book, yet another one that I've had for years and just now taking the time to read. This one needs to be savored. It's very dense but worth it! I've already taken the life-saving meditation of drawing a line between existential and imagined pain. A habit that is amazingly easy to pick up.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gave up, despite Charlotte Joko Beck's high opinion of the book - I'll come back to this when I retire....

[Doug L · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I was marooned on a desert island and could only bring one book, this might be it.

Zen Buddhist thought is sometimes communicated in the form of koans, which are a sort of wisdom-riddle. Because words conjure images, Zen masters tend to use words sparingly, and the idea of a "Zen doctrine" is not merely paradoxical but inconsistent with the fundamental tenets of Zen Buddhist thought.

Hubert Benoit attempts to offer the Westerner a more direct and more precise analysis of how Zen thought has the potential to transform the mind. What emerges is an incredibly dense text - like, 5 minutes per page, re-read a sentence 8 times dense. There are sections of this book that I would be hard pressed to summarize or explain. The fact that this was a 1955 translation from French to English (allegedly done by the mysterious Wei Wu Wei?) does not make the text any more accessible.Yet, while reading, I did have the feeling that Benoit was communicating some very deep truths about the universal mechanisms that underlie our thoughts, actions, and identities.

Other reviewers have said there's "nothing quite like this book", and I must agree. If you are attempting to clearly explain the universal psychological origins of all suffering, you can attempt to use simple language, but then you risk that the deeper meaning is lost and your ideas are perceived as vapid. Benoit takes the opposite tack, using very precise language and working through his philosophy very slowly and deliberately. Despite his occasional use of visual metaphors, I am not convinced I internalized everything in here. And even given a lifetime on a sandy beach, I feel this book would always have more to offer from its depths.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the Zen concept of satori (sometimes translated as awakening, other times as enlightenment) can be challenging for the novice student to understand, it must certainly be quite the challenge for the experienced teacher to attempt to explain it. This is the task undertaken by the author of this classic book, first published in France in the early 1950s, and remarkably still in print today, nearly seventy years later.

Benoit was a psychotherapist with a strong interest in the parallels between the teachings of Zen and the psychoanalytic methods of Freudian psychoanalysis. Not surprisingly, then, the book is written in a highly formal academic style, with the author confidently presenting himself as the all-knowing professor lecturing to a classroom of students assumed to have little or no knowledge of his field of expertise. As he himself states in his preface: “The reader to whom I address myself in writing this book must admit that his understanding of the state of man is capable of improvement; he should be good enough to assume also that my understanding therein is greater than his.”

Clearly, Benoit felt himself up to the challenge – and for the most part, I think he was. But I do have a few reservations, which I will get out of the way first.

First of all, for a book whose central concept is satori, there is surprisingly little direct discussion of what this mysterious concept actually refers to. Of the twenty-four chapters which comprise the contents, only one (chapter 19) even features the word itself in its title (“The Immediate Presence of Satori”). And in consulting my notes from this chapter, I find only this mostly unhelpful description of “the state of satori itself … is from the present moment my state, has always been my state, and is my eternal being” (from p.175 in my softcover edition). Rather than satori itself, the primary focus throughout the book is on the psychological factors which get in the way of our achieving this “state of satori”. It’s Benoit the therapist, rather than Benoit the authority on Zen, who’s in control of the authorial voice.

A second, and in my opinion a much more grievous, fault rests in Benoit’s repeated references to such philosophical and/or theological abstractions as “Independent Intelligence”, “Absolute Truth”, “Divine Reason”, “Cosmic Intelligence”, “Absolute Principle” , and “Divine or Absolute Substance”. Every one of these aforementioned terms is included in one stunningly incomprehensible paragraph (p.32 in my edition) which purports to, in the author’s words, “sketch the state of the man who has attained realization, who is perfect, enjoying his divine essence.” Not one of the terms is explained, or in any other way justified as a concept to which the reader ought to give any credence whatsoever. But they appear again and again throughout the book – always as mystifying as in the aforementioned paragraph.

In spite of these serious criticisms, there is much to be gained from a close reading of this book, even for someone who – like this reviewer – is not all that familiar with Zen. For example, something that resonated strongly with me, as a practitioner in the Theravada tradition of Buddhism, was Benoit’s distinction between what he terms “living” and “existing”. The latter refers to our basic bodily requirements for food, shelter, companionship, etc., while the former refers to our mental aspirations for success, social status, power, etc. Benoit continually points to our fictitious “living” goals as a root cause of the mental anguish we inflict upon ourselves, which blocks our attainment of the elusive state of satori. I found this to be a very useful way of better understanding the difficult Theravada concept of “bhava tanha”, the craving to become something more than one is, a craving that drives so much of our daily strivings, and one that so often leads to suffering.

Also helpful to me was Benoit’s constant assertion that there is no set “path”, or prescribed program of training, that can lead one to the moment of satori, which he often describes (again, mysteriously and hence inexplicably) as a sudden “explosion” of personal transformation. While I don’t personally subscribe to such a seemingly momentous mystical experience, Benoit’s warning against devoting oneself to a regimen of self-improvement in order to attain satori reminded me, usefully, of Theravada Buddhism’s teaching (and warning) that one can get too attached to one’s practice and then confuse that with enlightenment, when in fact it’s simply a cleverly-disguised form of clinging. At best, in my tradition, we can have moments of awareness, but we continually fall short of permanent enlightenment (the satori of Benoit’s aspiration).

And finally, while there are many aspects of contemporary Western Buddhist thinking that are missing from this book, in particular the central role that generosity and compassion play in living one’s life skillfully, so as to alleviate suffering for oneself and for others, I was continually aware of Benoit’s own deep compassion, both as an author for his readers and as a therapist for his patients. The professorial style of his writing may be a bit cold and off-putting, but the educational and therapeutic intent behind the writing comes across as warm and inviting.

So, while Benoit did not convince me of the soundness of this perhaps inexplicable concept of satori – this sudden and mysterious crossing over into some sort of lasting state of enlightenment – he did strengthen my commitment to the ongoing task of living in accord with the Buddhist intention of alleviating suffering through the cultivation of mindful awareness.

Perhaps he would have considered the first half of the preceding paragraph as a failure on his part, but if so, I would appropriate one other term from my Theravada Buddhist teachings, and call it “a noble failure” – one worthy to have been in readers’ hands for seven decades now.

[Jacopo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Senza dubbio, ad oggi, questo è il libro più profondo e denso che abbia mai letto.

L'autore ha compreso e fatta propria la complessa filosofia alla base del Buddhismo Zen e l'ha rielaborata di modo che risulti comprensibile agli occhi di un occidentale. Nonostante ciò non è affatto una lettura consigliata a chi si avvicina per la prima volta a questo stile di pensiero: quando si cerca di rappresentare il territorio (la Realtà) su una mappa (il linguaggio) in modo tale che la proporzione sia il più possibile vicina ad 1:1, inevitabilmente risulta necessario elaborare concetti decisamente ostici che richiedono un grande sforzo da parte del lettore.

Benoit è stato costretto ad elaborare ex-novo un sistema metafisico per poter rappresentare ciò verso cui i maestri Zen puntano il dito, rifiutandosi — comprensibilmente — di descrivere a parole i loro insegnamenti. Tale metafisica risente molto dell'impronta occidentale e mi ha ricordato in diversi punti le modalità usate da Kant per esprimere i propri pensieri, ciò si concretizza in filosofia di altissimo livello (solo apparentemente scollegata dalla realtà quotidiana); un tentativo, insomma, di usare la logica aristotelica per tracciare uno schema della dottrina Zen.

Come conseguenza di questo approccio si ottiene, a mio avviso, l'unica pecca di quest'opera eccezionale: si dà molta importanza alla comprensione intellettuale e troppo poca alla pratica. Avendo (scarsa) esperienza di meditazione, mi sono scontrato più volte con l'importanza di comprendere in primo luogo tramite l'esperienza dei sensi ciò di cui parla il Buddhismo (in generale, non solo lo Zen); benché Benoit rimarchi quanto sia essenziale una corretta comprensione, di modo da non inseguire degli ideali scambiandoli per realtà, trovo che questo pericolo sia conseguenza intrinseca di opere simili.

Ad ogni modo: 5 stelle, lode, bacio accademico, e numerose riletture a seguire.

[Jason Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely not for a beginner of Zen philosophy or the fainthearted. Hubert Benoit must have spent quite some time mulling over the mystery and paradox of the Zen masters. If one is sincere about understanding the depth of their mind and how they relate to the universe, then this book cannot be overlooked. If you were to select "An Introduction to Zen Buddishm" by D.T. Suzuki, "The Way of Zen" by Alan Watts, and this book you will have a complete picture of Zen and its ability to bring you into the direct experience of enlightenment beyond the concepts and images that form in our mind. One of the greatest aspects of this book is it is intellectually challenging and for good reason. Benoit explains that the intellect is imperative for the satori-occurence to take place, meaning that we need to actually "understand" before the prolonged state of satori can take place. Take your time with this book and please read the other two books I recommended before this one because it will touch something deeper if they are. Benoit has definitely wrote a book that is of an elite caliber in philosophy, psychology, and spirituality.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very challenging and dense but ultimately rewarding. It amazingly mostly does what it claims it will do: "explain" or elucidate Zen philosophy and the canons of Zen Literature for a "western" mind. It only manages this by being almost as opaque and paradoxical as the Zen masters themselves. It straddles the line between the nonsensical and the just-barely-comprehensibly fascinating, but successfully.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this book around 1992 I take it from the bokshelf every now and then. Deep and profound. Sometimes I DO understand what he's saying...

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

just started it. Loved the intro by Huxley. I am a christian who is seeking eastern infusions. Pretty dense stuff. What do you know, he is a French intellectual. I love the pragmatism of his writing. He is evidently from the ancient Chan Zen tradition. One thing I like is his humility and seeming willingness to not claim to possess a certain package of knowledge with which he will bestow on you. This makes for a certain openness to his thought which allows me to have a conversation with his thoughts from my point of view. I did want to get a sense of the overall structure of the book so I visited the following site: http://www.selfdiscoveryportal.com/bz... seems like a good summary of his thought.

One thing I like is that He contrasts a person's use of traditional psychology as a way of bringing him or her to a norm. By contrast, Benoit's zen does not do this but rather sees a more transformative path where the creation that was begun progresses, perhaps akin to sanctification.

[Augusto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and as other people mentioned, it's not an easy read. It took me a good 6 to 8 weeks to read and I could rarely digest more than 2 pages a day (I read them in the morning). Those couple of pages would give me more than enough to assimilate during the rest of the day.

I've read the Spanish translation of this book (ISBN 978-9501603675) which I think was quite good.

I do hope to read it again, probably another translation in case the one I've read missed something.

[Bernd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the 3 best books I've ever read. Difficult to understand on first reading but full of wisdom as it combines eastern philosophy with western psychology. Human existence, the tragedy of eliminating death from our life, the question of sense in life, all this is seriously and most intelligently dealt with.
Worth working through!!!

[Mostyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite finshed. But here is account of author...

[http://www.selfdiscoveryportal.com/bz...]

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's what I unlearned that really mattered. Not an easy read but if you don't hurry and spend time with each sentence you will make some remarkable discoveries.

[Tess Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for the serious spiritual seeker, but can be tough going at times too. It's a book to revisit again and again as your understanding and experiences grow.