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On Zen Practice: Body, Breath, and Mind
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This updated landmark volume makes available for the first time in decades the teachings that were formative to a whole generation of American Zen teachers and students. Conceived as an overarching primer on the practice of Zen, chapters in this volume address every aspect of practice: beginning practice, shikantaza, chanting, sesshin, working with Mu, and the nature of ko
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Paperback, 208 pages
Published
April 1st 1999
by Wisdom Publications
(first published January 1st 1975)
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This book is a collection of essays and teachings about various aspect of Zen practice; I found it to be the closest I have read so far to a handbook on Zen. The book explores the motivations behind practice, the physical techniques (proper posture, breathing and bowing, etc.), retreats, as well as koans and sutras.
The authors of the various essays all write in a very inspiring, easy to grasp and encouraging tone: the importance and simplicity of Zen is explained with equal measures of wisdom an ...more
The authors of the various essays all write in a very inspiring, easy to grasp and encouraging tone: the importance and simplicity of Zen is explained with equal measures of wisdom an ...more

Oct 01, 2014
Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!}
rated it
it was amazing
Need to be reviewed.

Excellent manual, with one of the best explanations I have seen of the most important Zen concepts. I would say it is the perfect complement to the also excellent "The Three Pillars of Zen".
If I had to recommend two books on Zen Buddhism, these two would be, with "The Three Pillars of Zen" for beginners, and "On Zen Practice" for the more advanced disciple. ...more
If I had to recommend two books on Zen Buddhism, these two would be, with "The Three Pillars of Zen" for beginners, and "On Zen Practice" for the more advanced disciple. ...more

I had let my Zen practice lapse, and wanted a refresher to start my practice up again during the Covid 19 Pandemic. This book was awesome! I enjoyed reading Rossi Bernie Tetsugen Glassman and Roshi Taizan Maezumi's words on Zen practice to get me going again.
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A wonderful little book which I have read through twice and go back to specific pages more than that. "Not knowing is the most intimate." Keishin
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When I first learned that this book was being used for our fall ango, I thought it might be a bit basic, but it was so incredibly nourishing. It touches on so many points: zazen, sesshin, bowing, koans, and more. It's well worth the read. Since it is a collection of essays, it does have some redundancy, but it is bearable.
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This volume provides good practical advice on zazen and some worthwhile essays on zen in general.

first read this in the late 70's for an Eastern Religions course, Still have the original 1975 edition! While the pictures are "dated" the concepts probably still hold true.
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Hardcore. Everything you wanted to know about Zen, but were afraid to ask. More for the serious practitioner than the beginner (if you haven't read Shunryu Suzuki, I'd head there first).
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According to some historians, the month of April is actually named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, by way of the Romans....
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