Book Description
So succinct are the author's insights that these writings have outlasted the dissolution of the samurai class to come down to the present and be read for guidance and inspiration by the captains of business and industry, as well as those devoted to the practice of the martial arts in their
modern form.
Customer Reviews:
I like Takuan's Zen..........2005-11-04
...I'd like to meet him. But not in a duel. The title of the book is appropriate. Do not park your mind. Zen is a no-parking zone. It is alright to park your tail on a cushion, though. To understand this book, you need to be a bit of a martial artist, and a bit of a zennist to begin with. Not for beginners, or for those who like their gruel thin.
the unfettered pickle.......2005-10-30
i know this is completely unhelpful and i'm going to be berated for this review, but i think it's funny. in japan there's a kind of pickle named after takuan.
also (on the horrific side of things), the idea of combining buddhism and warrior values is kind of scary to me. really what it leads to is "mindless" killing. ideas along this vein were used during WWII to encourage just that.
hate me if you want.
Neither zen nor sword.......2003-05-11
I got interested in the book because of its references to swordsmanship and Buddhism, two seemingly incompatible subjects. I knew for a fact that the Japanese used Buddhism as a vehicle for training the warrior class, and learning that the book consisted of letters from a Zen monk to a swordsman, expected the book to contain reasons why Buddhism and swordsmanship were compatible.
I found no satisfactory answers. Instead (within the first and second letters) was Soho's (the Zen monk) teaching to swordsmen to fulfill the master/servant contract. "...Therefore it is better not to inquire who this lord or that might be, but to simply think 'the lord,' and consider right-mindedness towards him without mentioning his name." I found Soho's such Confucianism-oriented(!) teachings puzzling.
For those of you whom are approaching this from the spiritual (Buddhism) side like myself, there are parts of the book that touches the five skandhas (things of temporal existence), how consciousness arises, and the importance of not fixating one's mind in any one thing (this became the Sino-Japanese title of the book), but there are much elaborate and better Buddhism references available. For those of you want to approaching from the business side, I suppose you may gain some insight about the Japanese way of viewing the world, but there are too few maxims in this book that you could ponder over. This is no Sun Tzu.
There might be misunderstandings on my part, but to me the importance of the book seems historical.
A Great Translation.......2001-09-08
This book contains a collection of three letters/essays from Takuan Soho to masters of the sword arts. They contain some incredible gems. This book should not just be read; but reflected upon.As another reviwer said, "The ideas of the interval between striking flint and steel to the production of the spark, or the visual and mental image of the glint of light on the blade of a sword become captivating and even revelatory." I could not have said it any better myself. This is a must read book.
For those seeking The Way, this book is great.......2001-07-10
If you are a martial artist or Zen student seeking new ways of understanding the "enlightenment" of mastering an art, then this book can offer different angles from which to think about your practice. It can help you acknowledge the frustrations you feel as you reach that plateau where the harder you try the worse you perform, and it can give you the encouragement to get beyond that.
If, on the other hand, you're not into Zen texts, this book will bore you into a coma.
I found most enlightening Takuan's remarks on the stages of learning a skill, each with its own challenges; from the beginner struggling to teach his muscles the postures and movements, through the sophomore trying to "unstick" his mind from such details and focus on strategy, to the master who gives his actions no more thought than an adult gives standing up and walking across the room. These apply not only to martial arts, but to any activity that requires both physical skill and tactical thinking, from swordfighting to tennis, judo to golf.
The book is in three sections, which are actually translations of three letters written by Takuan to Yagyu Munenori. If you read this book, you should also read The Sword and the Mind, by Yagyu Munenori; they could almost be considered companion texts. Both have their interesting sections and their obtuse, no-longer-apparently relevant sections; and both at their most helpful address how to approach your practice and therefore your life.
Book Description
When Zen Flesh, Zen Bones was published in 1957 it became an instant sensation with an entire generation of readers who were just beginning to experiment with Zen. Over the years it has inspired leading American Zen teachers, students, and practitioners. Its popularity is as strong today as ever.
Zen Flesh, Zen Bones is a book that offers a collection of accessible, primary Zen sources so that readers can struggle over the meaning of Zen for themselves. It includes 101 Zen Stories, a collection of tales that recount actual experiences of Chinese and Japanese Zen teachers over a period of more than five centuries; The Gateless Gate, the famous thirteenth century collection of Zen koans; Ten Bulls, a twelfth century commentary on the stages of awareness leading to enlightenment; and Centering, a 4,000 year-old teaching from India that some consider to be the roots of Zen.
Customer Reviews:
Strangely comforting.......2007-01-23
I don't know why I find this book such a comfort. But it is one. I have read and reread it for over thirty years now. Zen is very foreign to American life. And it is hardly the answer to that life. But it is a partial answer -- if its influence on me is any indication.
Expand Your Mind.......2007-01-06
Zen Buddisim doesn't have an official set of scriptures like all the other great religions of the world, but I consider this little dandy my set of Zen scriptures. These wonderful little Koans will considerably expand your mind and give you plenty to ponder upon or not to ponder upon. Each one can be read over and over again with new meaning sprouting forth each time. The book itself is a nice size and feels good to hold. I recommend this to anyone wanting to be at better peace with themselfs and everything around them. Beautiful.
An endless treasure.......2006-10-11
I still own my battered, much-read paperback copy of this sublime little book, which I bought in 1971. To this day it seems to me the single best introduction to Zen available, not as theory or philosophy or even daily practice, but as direct experience. Like most of the previous reviewers, I can return to its pages again & again, finding wisdom & food for thought ... or non-thought, if you will. :)
Here is the paradox of mystery composed of absolute clarity & purity, as expressed through often humorous, even (seemingly) ridiculous stories ... yet they make sense at a very deep level, one that bypasses rational, logical thought or conscious understanding. Behind the sometimes giggling face of the monk is a most rigorous, utterly focused mind, one that cuts preconceptions & ego to ribbons.
For anyone interested in the essence of Zen, for anyone wanting to step outside of the world of ten thousand shallow, mass-produced things, this book is indispensable. Most highly recommended!
Finding A Diamond..........2006-09-20
No doctrine, no methods really: but the literature of Zen, and great world literature - Paul Reps compiles, in ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES, a great compendium of Zen stories, all very short and drawn from 500 years worth of the varied experiences of Zen practitioners from Japan and China.
Add to this the koans of "Gateless Gate," "10 Bulls" - a translation of a 12th century poetic text, and "Centering," an early Sanskrit guite to study and practice.
ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES in totality isn't going to blow you away; rather this is something you discover, and the insights within will come alive within you. After the passage of much time, it's ever more valuable to access and get to know.
-David Alston
Excellent!.......2006-09-07
"Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" is probably the best introductory book to Zen Buddhism available in the United States. It is an anthology containing Zen stories and riddles. The prose is light; "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" is not a weighty read that will discourage readers from delving into the subject matter. Read this book before any other on Zen!
Book Description
Eihei Dogen (1200-1253), among the first to transmit Zen Buddhism from China to Japan and founder of the important Soto School, was not only a profoundly influential and provocative Zen philosopher but also one of the most stimulating figures in Japanese letters.
Kazuaki Tanahashi, collaborating with several other Zen authorities, has produced sensitive and accurate translations of Dogen's most important texts. Moon in a Dewdrop contains the key essays of the great master, as well as extensive background materials that will help Western readers to approach this significant work. There is also a selection of Dogen's poetry, most of which has not appeared in English translation before.
Dogen's thought runs counter to conventional logic, employing paradoxical language and startling imagery. It illuminates such fundamental concerns as the nature of time, existence, life, death, the self, and what is beyond self.
Customer Reviews:
Of course you are........2007-03-05
If you are the same person after you read this book, you didn't read this book. I'm not saying this as some sort of zen-thing. I'm serious. If you read this book with a serious mind, if you ponder it, you won't be able to think about anything it touches as you thought about it before. Or not think about it as you didn't think about it before. On the other hand, if you are the same person after you read this book and you did read this book carefully, then of course you are, of course you are.
No review.......2006-12-20
To review this book at length would ignore its lessons. My only advice is to read it and discover the Dogen for yourself. You might come away thinking he's an idiot. He'd say he'd succeeded mightily in your education.
A sure pleasure.......2006-11-04
Great book which contains a big collection of Dogen's wisdom. In order to understand it without much difficulties, I would suggest that the reader will start by learning about Mahayana Buddhism in general, and then start to investigate Dogen texts. Because the wisdom of Zen Buddhism is often written in Chinese or Japanese, this book is very handy for the westerner user,especially because the translation is brilliant.
As a student of Japanese language for the last 6 years, I know how hard it is to translate the 12-13th century Japanese into nowadays English, so it has really impressed me. A sure pleasure.
Five Star all the Way.......2006-07-09
"moon in a dewdrop" is a collection of writings by Eihei Dogen, the founder of Soto Zen. The text is divided into four sections, which are clear and easy to understand. There are notes and a glossary so that the meaning of the text can be clearly grasped. The book is a five star raft.
Now to the writing, Dogen speaks from experience, insight gained through deep meditation, lived every day. The text is not meant to be intellectually grasped as a doctrine. This can be understood by the presentation of the first section being "Practical Instructions" and the first writing being "Zazen-Gi" or Rules for Zazen. Sitting with "moon in a dewdrop" is like sitting with Dogen himself, at every turn Dogen is pointing to reality and inviting us to fully enter it and taste it for ourselves. The text is a practical manual to be used in conjunction with Zazen, Dogen wrote for all those, who truly wish to taste the essence of Buddhism and reality.
The writing is five star.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any one who is interested in Zen and a greater depth of reality.
The Best Single Volume of Dogen's Writings.......2006-04-15
Eihei Dogen is without a doubt the greatest writer in Zen history. His masterwork, the Shobogenzo, represents one of the most comprehensive, fascinating, and valuable works of Buddhist literature. In Moon in a Dewdrop, Kazuaki Tanahashi has compiled the best single volume Dogen in the English language. This contains the best translations I have ever read of several of Dogen's seminal works - Genjo Koan, Uji, Yuibutsu Yobutsu, Sansuikyo, Zenki, and the Tenzo Kyokun.
Amazon.com
In One Continuous Mistake, Gail Sher applies the teachings of Zen Buddhism to the creative-writing process. Though there are a few writing exercises here, this is less a workbook than a series of meditations on how to be a writer. "When you read Zen literature," says Sher, "you must read each sentence with a fresh mind." And so should you write. "The real work of writing is, day after day, to discover how to maintain freshness." To do so, Sher advises (among other things) a single-minded focus, a daily writing period, sitting with a straight spine, and "letting words fall freely, without editing or censuring." By doing so, says Sher, your body "gives birth ... to what you never expected, predicted, could have thought up." Only then, adds Sher, should you revise. And when you do, revise boldly. "As Suzuki-roshi used to say about getting up when the alarm rings," she says, "'Never make the same decision twice.'" --Jane Steinberg
Book Description
Based on the Zen philosophy that we learn more from our failures than from our successes, One Continuous Mistake teaches a refreshing new method for writing as spiritual practice. In this unique guide for writers of all levels, Gail Sher-a poet who is also a widely respected teacher of creative writing-combines the inspirational value of Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way with the spiritual focus of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. Here she introduces a method of discipline that applies specific Zen practices to enhance and clarify creative work. She also discusses bodily postures that support writing, how to set up the appropriate writing regimen, and how to discover one's own "learning personality."
In the tradition of such classics as Writing Down the Bones and If You Want to Write, One Continuous Mistake will help beginning writers gain access to their creative capabilities while serving as a perennial reference that working writers can turn to again and again for inspiration and direction.
Customer Reviews:
A writers duty well done.......2006-06-05
All writers apart from writing their 'magnum opuses' should make their 'key to their art' available in the form of writing or recors for interested readers who wish to know what writing meant to the authrs, how they went about ideas etc.
Gail Sher has done a good job of letting us know not only the above things but also how other authors like woof,thoreau and so on interacted with writing.
While writing about the four truths for writers, she also tells us how writing a haiku has got her stated on writing, the common fallacies like getting discouraged by feedback,how to deal with the well known writers block and well sated 'writers anorexia' that writers are bound to get stuck with, how much of reading is good or bad for writing, the importance of a making a habit of writing.
Five Pillars of writing is an excellent chapter on how to start with 'flat writing' of everyday events and tring to build something out of it in phases.
Her truths all echo 'write' which is a message well sent across in the book.
Great Book on the Writing Process.......2005-12-25
This book is a great merging of Eastern thinking and Western literature. An unusual and surprisingly cogent inspirational writing help book. Highly recommended for the open-minded thinker!
An inspiring and delicious read..........2002-03-21
I opened this book intending to browse the first few pages. Instead, I finished the book and went right to work writing. I've never thought of myself as a an actual "writer," but now I do! She blows away the concept of "writer's block," inspiring the reader with clear and simple suggestions for writing as a daily process. Even if you are NOT interested in writing, chances are that you will be after reading this book. Her prose resonates like poetry.
so much inspiration in one little book.......2001-11-02
I was so inspired after reading the first couple pages of "One Continuous Mistake" that I had to stop reading to go about the business of writing (of all things).
Gail Sher has merged her years of experience as a writing teacher (who has clearly listened to the issues her students confronted) with her years of practicing, studying and teaching Zen Buddhism to make a very simple demystifying guidebook to a writing life. If you are looking for a workbook, there are wonderful exercises and a very useful guide to writing haikus in the appendix. But even more, if you aren't looking for ideas about the specific "what" or "how" of writing, but are concerned with the continual challenge of maintaining a writing life, this is a great book to have on hand. I plan to re-read this book throughout my writing life and give it as a gift to all my writerly friends.
Inspiration rising!.......2001-01-31
Gail Sher is a master baker, author of the inspirational 'From A Baker's Kitchen', which like the better known 'Tassajara Bread Book' describes less a set of recipes than a way of life.
The same can be said of 'One Continuous Mistake'. With writing as with baking, what is offered is not a set of prescriptive guidelines, for this is not a simplistic 'how-to' manual. Rather this is a highly accessible and attractive collection of insights into what it is to be a writer.
Sher is a member of the San Francisco Zen Center, and her approach is guided by an interpretation of Zen principles. For her, writing, like meditation, is a 'practice'. The path is itself the destination.
I would take issue with the Amazon review posted here, which says, 'Though there are a few writing exercises here, this is less a workbook than a series of meditations on how to be a writer.' Actually there are plenty of 'exercises' if you want them. For instance, the book is particularly helpful in guiding the reader through the writing of haiku (short poems)as a way into writing. Sher's approach is intensely practical. She proposes 'four noble truths' of writing, of which the first is 'writers write'! However, rather than haranguing readers into despair over the paucity of our own written words, she invites us to see how exactly the writing life can become for us immesurably enriching.
Actually, there is another book on a similar theme - writing as interpreted by a Zen perspective - and it's called 'Writing Down The Bones' by Natalie Goldberg. Don't ask me to choose between them. Read them both. After all, writers need all the friends they can get.
Book Description
The Long Discourses of the Buddha is an invaluable collection of the teachings of the Buddha, revealing his gentleness, compassion, and penetrating wisdom. These thirty-four discourses are among the oldest records of the Buddha's original teachings. This book is a companion to The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha, and The Connected Discourses of the Buddha.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent teachings, excellent translation........2007-01-16
A well-printed, well-annotated tranlation of one of the major collections of Buddhist suttas. Priceless.
You should get this if you want to know what the Buddha really taught.......2006-12-14
I admit it: I find most of the books written by monks interpreting the Buddha easier to read and more "inspiring" than the Buddha's actual words, or what we have available as memories and translations of Buddha's words.
However, after sitting down with this book for awhile, I am really liking it. At first it is a little strange, kind of dry. But the more I read it the more I like it. It's as if it was written in such a way that if you open up to it, it just kinda sinks in.
I have seen several other such books of the teachings of the Buddha, but this one is my favorite so far. Highly recommended.
The Digha Nikaya.......2004-01-31
This book is a modern translation of the Long Length Discourses of the Buddha, a seminal collection of early Buddhist texts. The Digha is part of the scripture of the Theravada school of Buddhism. The Theravada school is is the oldest surviving form of Buddhism and is still practiced in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, and elsewhere. Together with other forms of Buddhism, Theravada has attracted a great deal of interest in the West, and this book will be invaluable in making its teachings accessible. This collection of discourses is considered canonical by all other schools of Buddhism. Subsequent understanding of the Buddha's teachings built upon it, even when they seemed to depart from it.
The Digha is a collection of 34 discourses (suttas), originally written in Pali. The form of the teaching differs from that of later Buddhist teachings in that in the Digha, the Buddha is presented as a person wandering through India and teaching his disciples, followers of other sects, kings, princes, gods, and anyone who is open to listen. The teachings are difficult but the emphasis in this collection is on psychology more than metaphysics. The Buddha described his dhamma as designed to end suffering and to teach people how to be happy. That is the core of this volume.
Many scholars believe that the Digha was written specifically to introduce the Buddha's teaching to lay followers. Most (but not all) the suttas in the collection involve discussions between the Buddha and various lay people or followers of other sects. The suttas in the collection include a great deal of mythology and story-telling. These factors, together with the content of the discourses, tend to show it was designed for a large audience, rather than only for close followers of the Buddha's teachings. They remain an outstanding source for those wanting to make a serious effort to study the Buddha.
Many of the Suttas in the collection present important expositions of the Buddha's dhamma (teaching). The first sutta in the collection, translated here as "What the Teaching is Not" is basic but difficult. The reader coming to the Digha might want to begin with the second sutta, "The Fruits of the Homeless Life". This sutta is widely studied and is a beautiful exposition of the Buddha's teaching and its value.
Sutta 15 of the collection, the "Great Discourse on the Origination" is the most detailed single discussion in the Pali Canon of the Buddha's fundamental and uncompromisingly difficult teaching on dependent origination -- impermanence, selflessness, and interconnectedness. Sutta 22, "The Greater Discourse on the Foundation of Mindfulness" is the basic meditation sutta which should be studied by those wishing to develop a meditation practice. Sutta 16, the longest sutta in the Pali Canon, tells the story of the Buddha's last days and of his passing. In it the Buddha exhorts his followers to "strive on with diligence" to achieve their goal of enlightenment. Sutta 31, the Sigala Sutta, differs markedly from the remaining suttas in the collection in that it consists of the Buddha's rather worldy advice to a worldly young man.
I have the good fortune to belong to a Sutta Study group led by an able teacher where for the past year or so (the group has been meeting much longer) we have explored this collection in depth. We generally have one person assigned to lead the discussion of a Sutta (our group averages about ten) and we all read and discuss it over a two-hour session. (The longer, more difficult suttas require several sessions.) This is an ideal way to study the text. If such a group is unavailable to you, the best way to proceed, I think, is to read the collection slowly -- do not try to rush or to do it at once -- concentrate on the sections that seem to speak to you and go back to them. This is a text that is not meant to convey history or dogma but to encourage reflection, meditation and study.
The translation of the text is by Maurice Walshe, a scholar and a distinguished Buddhist lay practioner who also translated the works of the Christian mystic, Meister Eckhardt. Walshe wrote a useful introduction covering key Buddhist concepts, a summary of each sutta, and brief notes. His translation is homespun, colloquial, and accessible. It serves its function of allowing the reader to approach the text and the Dhamma.
Walshe and Wisdom Publications have done great service in making this volume available to interested readers in the West. (Wisdom has also published companion volumes of the Middle-Length Discourses and the Connected Discourses.) This is a difficult book but will repay the effort many times. May this book help the interested reader to understand the teachings of the Buddha.
Butchered Translation.......2003-08-11
It is amazing someone would spend so much time to translate a text like this only to not translate it in it's entirety. I have seen this before with Conze's translations of Buddhist texts which are equally appalling. This being a ancient religious text, it has repetition. But it is there for a reason. One, often an important point is repeated so that you remember it. Two, with Buddhist texts, many of them are meant to be a meditation, the repetition is part of that. Third it is a poetic device. But again when you buy a translation of a text don't you expect to get the WHOLE text and not have it edited at whim by the translator. The Sutras are the equivalent of the Bible in Buddhism. Wouldn't you think something is wrong if every time a translation of the Bible repeated itself (as the synoptic gospels do) that you just got a note instead of the actual text. I can't believe Wisdom even published it, no one would publish a bible that way. Worse still, Walshe doesn't note the majority of the items he leaves out but just gives you a ... to indicted he didn't feel the point was important enough to translate. And these often come a point where it really interferes with the reading of the text. I want my money back.
Very modern translation, some flaws.......2003-04-14
Digha Nikaya contains discourses are the longest when compared to other Nikayas of the Pali Canon. Hence, probably it's less authentic (word by word of the Buddha) than other shorter suttas or Vinaya (rules). There are 2 discourses that I like: One is discribe the death (paranirvana) of the Buddha - reveals the deepest compassion and encouragement from the Buddha; Another one is the Mahasatipatthana sutta - it discribe the "heart" of Buddhist meditation, the kind of meditation the Buddha practiced himself. I believe this is the most important sutta of in the Canon (for practice).
I disagree about some of the writing about the origin of human in one sutta near the end. I don't believe everything I read, or heard. I think the Buddha encourages us to see things through experiences not mere beliefs.
I think this translation is very readable yet not adding any flavors (ethics, believes...etc.). However, I have the feeling that the author could not conveyed all the deepest meanings in the Nikaya (maybe because he's just a scholar). Beside that, this is the best translation to English of this Nikaya up to date (compare with the Pali Text Society version).
Average customer rating:
- Joy of writing
- a gift that keeps on giving...
- A Must For Any Aspiring Writer
- A gift from a master
- Guidance from a Genius
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Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You
Ray Bradbury
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On Writing
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ASIN: 0553296345
Release Date: 1992-03-01 |
Book Description
"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a land mine. The land mine is me. After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the pieces back together. Now, it's your turn. Jump!" Zest. Gusto. Curiosity. These are the qualities every writer must have, as well as a spirit of adventure. In this exuberant book, the incomparable Ray Bradbury shares the wisdom, experience, and excitement of a lifetime of writing. Here are practical tips on the art of writing from a master of the craft-everything from finding original ideas to developing your own voice and style-as well as the inside story of Bradbury's own remarkable career as a prolific author of novels, stories, poems, films, and plays. Zen In The Art Of Writing is more than just a how-to manual for the would-be writer: it is a celebration of the act of writing itself that will delight, impassion, and inspire the writer in you. In it, Bradbury encourages us to follow the unique path of our instincts and enthusiasms to the place where our inner genius dwells, and he shows that success as a writer depends on how well you know one subject: your own life.
Customer Reviews:
Joy of writing.......2007-07-20
This book may be more for the word than the Zen practitioner, but it is for anyone wanting affirmation and inspiration for the craft of writing. Herein Bradbury provides us with the techniques and processes he used since the age of 12 to bring life to words; his deep love of writing and incredible memory, pour from each page making the reader almost drunk (on Dandelion Wine.) After reading this book you too will feel like you can and should write anything albeit with patience and practice.
Whether Bradbury realizes it or not, the discipline of writing is akin to the discipline of Zen as seen in consistent practice of that which we want to achieve, be it a novel or enlightenment. He shows us his method of confronting his childhood fears and shadows while also recommending that not thinking is essential to the creative flow of words that becomes a written product and how wonderful to read of his experiencing the sacred muse.
This book seemed like it would make great high school reading material to encourage young people who so need to express themselves, and it made me feel like using an old fashioned typewriter again, his pre-word-processing tool of hand to paper. It is short and easy to read, full of zest for life and of course the thrill of writing!
a gift that keeps on giving..........2007-04-04
how well do you know your own life? this might just determine how well of a writer that you are..this celebration of writing..a gem of a book..it's a gift from a great writer to all us wannabees, or trying to be's or writers breaking free of the mental blocks..or successful writers..this is a gift that just keeps on giving..inspiring..encouraging..
A Must For Any Aspiring Writer.......2005-12-15
Written by one of the truly great writers of our time, Ray Bradbury encourages and imparts some solid tips for writing well. Definitely a must for any aspiring writer, Bradbury gives advice on how to come up with marketable story ideas and how to approach writing them. It's like being guided along by a great writer who you would never meet any other way. One of the tips he offers is that quantity leads to quality. So his advice: keep writing. He also tells us that fiction can be more truthful than nonfiction. Then he shows us how to write down meaningful words in our lives that could possibly lead to compelling stories. It's definitely worth your time to spend a few hours with a fiction master. You never know what you may take away from it. Great book!
A gift from a master.......2005-11-17
Zen in the Art of Writing is a collection of essays written over the long career of Ray Bradbury. Each essay is like a little gift to the reader. He teaches us about writing on what we love, and what we hate and to always stay drunk on writing, because it saves us from reality.
Bradbury's single best piece of advice concerns, well, writing. He devotes a chapter on the mechanics of writing, the way he learned it. To become a successful writer according to Bradbury, one must write at least a thousand words a day until the process becomes automatic and the hand is no different from what it writes. It is simply fascinating to delve into the mind of one of the greatest science fiction writers on how the craft is done. This chapter alone is worth buying the book which seems to be quite cheap.
I am using this book as a reference for my research essay on fiction at Oklahoma State. It contains anecdotes and wisdom which will make you want to go out and write about everything you see. I couldn't recommend anything better for a beginning writer.
Guidance from a Genius.......2005-10-13
If ever I came across an author who was a master of both the art of writing AND life, it is Ray Bradbury. This small work summarizes where his inspiration, continuing motivation, and love and excitement of life all stem from. This isn't just a book encouraging and goading beginning and long-time writers alike; Bradbury presents his philosophy for life. The two go hand-in-hand and if you haven't figured that out yet.....read the book. That may be the key you're still seeking as a writer.
The very way you choose to live your life affects all of your goals and dreams alike. Take charge of it all, and your writing achievements are limitless.
If only I had the time to read everything this man has written. If only I could shake his hand and say, as just another admirer, "You've figured it all out; thanks for sharing it with the rest of us."
Customer Reviews:
Soul Transfusion.......2007-09-25
This book is like getting a transfusion. Not of blood, but of Ray Bradbury's enthusiasm. His motto was "Exactly one-half terror, one-half exhilaration." Well, this book takes out the terror of writing, and leaves us with pure exhilaration.
Even if you are not a writer, you may want to get this book just for Bradbury's zest.
This book is a tight tapestry of several ideas. It is part autobiographical, with the story of him ripping up his Buck Rodger's comics because his friends (like Job's friends) mocked him. Later he ripped up his friends as he stood strong for his conations and returned to his true bliss.
Bradbury also retells the story of his meeting Mr. Electrico at the carnival. Besides being the basis of "The Illustrated Man" and "Something Wicked This Way Comes," this meeting with the carne was Bradbury's equivalent of First Communion. He was never the same afterwards.
He also has some "nuts and bolts" tips for writers.
1. Let yourself explode. There are two types of explosions. One is the IED (improvised explosive device), where you just go to pieces. But there is also the explosion of popcorn. Be popcorn. Drop your restraints and inhibitions.
2. Write 1,000 words a day. This is not a whole lot, the equivalent of one full Amazon.com review. Trust me it works--it gets the garbage out of system. Practice makes perfect.
3. Follow a weekly regimen. Monday write. The next few days rewrite what you have written. This is crap filtration. Saturday send off the manuscript. Wash, rinse, repeat.
4. Don't think. That is, don't over think. Listen to your subconscious--that shadowy figure in the back of your heart that keeps talking to you. She tells you what is right or wrong. She's the same being who tells you things you had never thought of before. This is the muse. Without it, you cannot write.
This review cannot do justice to Ray's prose and sage advice. All I can do is whet your appetite, and hope you'll bite. The book is delicious!
ACTUNG: !!!BE SURE YOU GET THE EXPANDED VERSION!!!
Care and feeding your Muse.......2007-07-04
This book is a wonderful collection of essays on writing by Ray Bradbury. The essays span about 20 years. They are mostly about the creative process. He provides inspirational advice on how to care for and feed your Muse. He discusses the methods that work for him. He tells us stories about how he came to write some of his more famous short stories and novels - e.g. how he was driven to tears, writing his first great short story "The Lake".
The book is probably most valuable for accomplished writers, because he assumes that the reader has already mastered the mechanics of writing and story structure. There is no discussion of plotting, character development, how to sell your work.
If the book has a fault it is that Bradbury is too talented. In the book, he tells the story of writing the first draft of Fahrenheit 451. He wrote it over a few days at a pay typewriter, a dime at a time, in a UCLA library! What works for a genius such as himself, may not work for other writers. He can sit down at a typewriter, commence a prose poem on a noun and miraculously have a story appear on the page. Most other writers do not have the natural command of storytelling. They need to work in a much more structured fashion.
A Ray of Sunlight; Tapping Spirit Inside.......2007-06-05
This book is the real deal, Bradbury nails it. Call it parapfrasing what we all once knew, or tap into from time to time - but from Rainman it's a recipe, an axion, a reliable methodology! Never (almost never) have I felt connected, validated and understood at every page. Writing, like most of life and learning, is by nature. As we grow older and more analytical, and as we grow more attached to the physical world we move farther from the original spirit of our passions, as we learn, we forget. Bradnury makes it so easy to remember our dreams and live in the world that we as childrem, create for ourselves.
I bought this book and brought it into an adult writing class to show everyone. To my surprise, but not really, the teacher bought the book that same day!
Bradbury Can Write, But He Doesn't Know Zen.......2006-12-30
I've read Bradbury's short stories, The Martian Chronicles, and Farhenheit 451 and as always, I'm interested to see what a famous author has to say about the experience of writing.
The essays in this collection tend to be repetitive with many of the same ideas propounded over and over again: word association, childhood memories, and writing a short story a week. Maybe this is what Bradbury had in mind when he said Zen in the writing -- constant, meditative, mind numbing repitition. Along with the essays on writings, he throws in some poetry, which I found lacking, wishing he'd stuck with prose.
The strongest essay in the book is the title piece, in which Bradbury discloses that he knows almost nothing about Zen Buddhism, but found some parallels in the art of writing and the practice of Zen. To fully flush out the Zen/writing connection, the books of Natalie Goldberg are excellent, particularly Writing Down the Bones.
The strength of Bradbury's essay though isn't on the comparison of writing to Zen, but on the observation that the writer yearning for commercial success and the writer yearning for acceptance in literary circles are still both yearning and that desire affects their ability to create art. I've always struggled and felt torn in my own writing between my desire for a literary masterpiece and a commercial success. Bradbury suggests that you forget about either and focus on the craft and in creating something that is uniquely you and if your talent and your work ethic are sufficient, then you may just achieve both. Bradbury, himself, has done this on occasion with his work, transcending pop science fiction culture into literary realms, which gives his argument validity.
A different Zen book.......2006-11-18
His writing does come across as something that results from the way he wakes up with a thought explosion in his head each morning.
Reading about how he wrote many of his stories shows how he learnt his skill and how he enjoyed doing that. His way of writing doesnt associate with isolation or tiredness or block. In this sense its a different Zen.
He writes down all the situations that he found inspiring and leaves the reader there to start off writing.
Customer Reviews:
A Most Enjoyable Read.......2007-05-26
David Chadwick is a long time zen student. What particularly stands out in this excellent account of his time in Japan is his utter honesty and straightforwardness. The book is rather entertaining, as only David can be, as well as informative of the struggles and joys of an American trying to practice Zen in Japan. I know you will enjoy reading this account by David, an ordained priest in the Soto Lineage of Shunryu Suzuki roshi.
Incredibly observed and written........2006-05-23
It is a sad sign that such an amazing book should be out of print. This is one of my favorite books of all times. David Chadwick chronicles some of his experiences living in Japan, first in a country temple being refurbished by him and a few other Japanese and American monks, and then living in a larger city where he lives next to a monastery while teaching English on the sly. (He intertwines the two periods in alternating chapters, so it is not a linear story. It works much better than it should.) He has a remarkable eye for detail; his descriptions of the birds signing, of the flora by the side of the road, of the Japanese biting catepillars, and of the various comical and not-so-comical people he encounters are wonderful and help make you feel as if you are right along side him, walking down the country road or witing to be digested by and pass through the Japanese bureacracy. This is Zen in action - not mystical philosophy, just living and fully experiencing every day! I laughed out loud many times (occasionally so hard tears came to my eyes), and was deeply moved by various stories, most importantly his experiences with Katagiri Roshi, his friend and teacher who dies before the book is over. I have thrust my copy of this book into a lot of hands over time, and I am only sorry that it is not easily available to buy for more people so I can share this wonderful experience with them.
The Worst Book Ever Written On Japan.......2005-04-17
This book goes to prove the point that failures shouldn't write books about things they don't know much about because, obviously they failed at it. Mr. Chadwick has very little insight into Japan than any other English teacher whose worked there for a few months. It is full of stereotypes and dull to read, making hard to even believe that Mr. Chadwick has ever even been to Japan. Basically this is a scam to cheat you out of your money and destroy perfectly innocent trees. Read books written by the masters, and not the half-wit also-rans.
Deceptively well-written.......2002-10-04
It wasn't until I finished this excellent book that it occured to me how really good Chadwick's writing is.
Presented as a first-hand account, the text is surprisingly free of personal bias. Chadwick writes about himself as a detached observer, something many authors attempt to do but few succeed at.
I'm no disciple of Zen, but I've read this book twice and can highly recommend it to anyone interested in modern Japanese society.
Very fun book to read.......2002-08-27
I really enjoyed hearing all of the author's stories about living in Japan as an Amercian. What was also great was that he didn't just write about life as an American in a Zen setting, but also about the day to day beauracacy that he faced in Japan.
Book Description
Here is the most complete single-volume collection of the writings of one of the great luminaries of Asian literature. Basho (1644-1694)âwho elevated the haiku to an art form of utter simplicity and intense spiritual beautyâis best known in the West as the author of Narrow Road to the Interior, a travel diary of linked prose and haiku that recounts his journey through the far northern provinces of Japan. This volume includes a masterful translation of this celebrated work along with three other less well-known but important works by Basho: Travelogue of Weather-Beaten Bones, The Knapsack Notebook, and Sarashina Travelogue. There is also a selection of over two hundred fifty of Basho's finest haiku. In addition, the translator has provided an introduction detailing Basho's life and work and an essay on the art of haiku.
Customer Reviews:
A trip to the past.......2006-11-06
I am not a scholar or a critic, I am just a person who really enjoys haiku and as such am familiar with Basho's poetry. I bought this book because it was cited in so many other books that I have read that I just had to read it for myself. I am very glad I did.
A good portion, but not all, of the haiku contained in this book you have read countless times before, though they are translated slightly differently here. To me the real value of this book is that the poems are put in context of Basho's larger world by the prose that surrounds them. Basho's haibun tells of his various journeys around Japan, the people he meets, the sites he sees and how this all affects him.
I love history as much as haiku, and this book is a real window on the past through the eyes of a man who could relate his world in a way that is both clear and yet filled with beautiful imagery, so that 17th century Japan comes alive for you.
If you like haiku and are interested in what goes into a great poet's creative process, I feel you will enjoy this book, I know I did.
*The Great Matsuo Basho Leads Us INWARD*.......2006-09-11
Matsuo Basho's "Narrow Road to the Interior" is translated by Sam Hamill, an accomplished poet who also translated the haiku of ISSA in "The Spring of my Life" (isbn # 1570621446) As B. Watson, professor at Columbia University has said, "Hamill achieves a kind of luminosity of language that I find unparalleled in other translations of the work."
Basho lived from 1644-1694 and achieved acclaim as the greatest writer of haiku and.this book of his last travels is a classic in Asian literature. His stature must have made the task of translating more difficult, even intimidating. The title is of course a metaphor for traversing life to find one's spiritual center or soul.
Amateur western writers who become enamored of writing haiku soon realize there are depths to which their studies may never take them. The sounds, the Zen way of thinking --bring much more to the equation than mere playfulness (as in senryu), or a built-in sense of syllables, and fondness for epigrams.
Basho set off on his long journey & early in his travels was loaned a horse because "it is easy to get lost." The horse carried the poet, then stopped, and returned home without the rider but carrying Basho's gift tied to the saddle. The route of Basho's travels is printed inside the covers -- he describes "pines shaped by salty winds, trained into sea-wind bonsai." In other centuries men walked hundreds of miles, giving & receiving haiku as gifts - many about history, and some memorials. His lodgings were often noted, probably because they were more often miserable than not. His writings often included geographical 'markers' -- these speak of much more than PLACE to Japanese readers. One who had been a companion on the road wrote:
"All night long
listening to the autumn winds
wandering in the mountain"
Basho himself wrote for another companion as he turned back:
"Written on my summer fan
torn in half
in autumn"
And so he gave his thanks to those who shared his journeys and the quest for answers each of us asks on our own "narrow road."
nice of Hamill to try.......2004-11-30
There is only one other book where you can find these four of Basho's "travel diaries" in one volume and that is Nobuyuki Yuasa's. This compilation also includes a generous selection of Basho's hokku. These are the book's pluses. Unfortunately though, Hamill is much too intent on presenting you with Basho as a sort of haiku-zen master, an identity that Basho himself created as a voice through which to narrate. Mr Hamill would have us believe that Basho wrote poetry for the sake of zen, but the truth is that Basho studied zen for the sake of poetry. Also, Hamill's insistence upon translating in the 5-7-5 form ruins quite a few poems: you get sort of overexplanatory, prosaic verses much of the time. It is almost as if he were translating the explanations you will find in Japanese collections of Basho's verse. For example:
Hamill translates "fuyu no hi ya bajou ni kooru kageboushi" as
Crossing long fields,
frozen in its saddle,
my shadow creeps by
though it should probably (more accurately) be rendered:
winter sun...
on horse's back
a frozen shadow
Hamill dropped the phrase "fuyu no hi ya" entirely and replaced it with "Crossing long fields." I don't know why Hamill rids Basho of suggestion and nuance. Maybe he doesn't think the western reader can find poetry in hokku/haiku as they truly are.
The verse quoted by another reviewer
Your song caresses
the depths of loneliness,
high mountain bird.
might as well not be considered a translation at all. There is almost nothing of the original poem remaining except for the notion of loneliness and the kankodori, which is translated as "high mountain bird." "uki ware o sabishi-garase yo kankodori" would be translated literally as
make this sorrowful self feel lonely, cuckoo!
sabishi-garase is the imperative form of the verb that means "to cause to feel lonely." As a translator one of the worst things you can do is to try to improve upon a poem, though, personally, I don't think Hamill's versions actually do. If you don't trust the poet you're translating, then why are you doing it at all?
At the moment I am in the middle of translating Basho's "Oi no Kobumi" ("Backpack Notes") into English, and when I get stuck on an obscure phrase it helps to consult other translations to see how that translator interpreted it, but oftentimes Hamill (Yuasa is guilty of this too) just glosses over a phrase, which in the end robs the text of any of the interesting quirks in Basho's prose. I wonder if Hamill hit the same tough spots as I and just decided to gloss rather than really try to understand it.
I do not mean to be overly critical of Hamill. It is obvious that he is a good writer and some of his translations are successful but I wonder how much he really considered his renderings. In the end we are reading Hamill, not Basho.
Unfortunately, there are not many alternative translations of Basho's other haibun, but there are plenty of his "Oku no Hosomichi." Hiroaki Sato's is probably the best, since it is very faithful and it gives the most background info (including linked-verse sequences written during the journey), but Cid Corman's is nice too because he does a pretty good job at reproducing Basho's prose style. Also, if you're looking for a good collection of Basho's hokku, check out Makoto Ueda's work. For a good critical study of Basho look at Haruo Shirane's Traces of Dreams. A good internet analysis of Oku no Hosomichi: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~kohl/basho/
The Definitive Source.......2003-12-02
Perhaps the most brilliant offering of Basho's beloved poetry. Excellent in composition, translation, as well as the breadth of Basho's work presented.
Clouds of Cherry Blossoms.......2002-08-01
Narrow Road to the Interior and other writings
by Matsuo Basho
translated by Sam Hamill
This is the most complete collection of Basho's writings translated into English available in a single volume. Aficionados of Japanese culture keen on exploring the haiku literature would be hard-pressed to find a better book to start with.
Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) lived during the Genroku period in Japan. The Tokugawa shogunate had unified the country and it was a time of relative peace, which allowed those so inclined a freedom of travel not usual in many periods of Japanese history. Basho was so inclined. At the age of forty his restless feet led him on several walking tours of Japan, and he left behind collected impressions of these journeys in both prose and haiku.
Thoroughly versed in the Chinese and Japanese poetic traditions prevalent among the literati of his time, Basho was also an ardent disciple of Zen. He devoted his life to refining, clarifying, and simplifying his poetry. In the brief haiku form he found the perfect vehicle through which to realize his poetic ideals, and the poems he wrote have inspired and captivated readers and poets throughout the world with their elegance, insight, and simple brilliance.
This volume collects together four travelogues (Narrow Road to the Interior, Travelogue of Weather-Beaten Bones, The Knapsack Notebook, and Sarashina Travelogue) and over 250 of Basho's haiku. The translator has provided an introductory essay and an afterward revealing many aspects of Basho's life, work, and the haiku form itself. Also included are a chronology of Basho's life, a map detailing his journeys, and a bibliography.
Sam Hamill's translation is marvelously clear and uncluttered, and allows the glow of Basho's awareness to somehow peek through the words in his poems. The book itself is a Shambala edition, and so quite beautiful: printed on high-quality paper in a gorgeous typeface with lovely endpapers. This book is a gem.
Your song caresses
the depths of loneliness,
high mountain bird.
Book Description
This unprecedented and unparalleled volume offers essential guidance—from the most influential Buddhist masters, and from many of modern Zen's preeminent teachers—on one of Zen's two most central practices. The second edition contains three new translations by renowned scholar-practitioners. This is essential for readers interested in meditation or Eastern religion. There is no other book devoted solely to the very important Zen practice of Shikantaza (literally, "just sitting").
Customer Reviews:
Thomas Cleary removed from the 2nd Edition........2006-05-24
The book is identical to the First Edition, with the one difference being that all of Thomas Cleary's translations have been yanked out and replaced with versions by other translators. I assume there is some doctrinal or sectarian infighting going on that made such an editorial decision necessary. But if you're buying the book because the Editorial Reviews section on Amazon mentions Cleary's name, AND you are a Cleary fan, then order a copy of the First Edition, still readily available.
Both editions are impeccable and adamantine of course. One is just Clearyless.
A shining collection of writtings from various masters.......2004-12-13
For those who fear being crushed under the weight of John Daido Loori's arrogance - fear not. This book is a fasinating display of writings from various masters. While the theme of each essay is the practice of Shikataza we are also offered a smorgasbord of other insights. The excellent editing of this book provides the reader with an assembly of some of the best Zen writings to be found under one roof.
A nearly compleat treatment of shikantaza.......2004-01-20
This is certainly not a book for somebody looking for a general introduction into zen budhism. But for those more accustomed with zen writings there is really much to find in this book. Everybody will enjoy to find new aspects of "shikantaza". The classical writings are welcomed, too, although not all are about the art of just sitting. So the book looks just compleat. Or is it? One point left me slightly annoyed: not one of the numerous modern authors comes from Europe. Seems like the Bush administration, J. Daido Loori is fine with the US and the old Europeans do not count. But there is a large and active school of Soto Zen in the tradition of Dogen in Europe, thanks to many years of teaching of T. Deshimaru Roshi, a disciple of Kodo Sawaki. A pity that none of his successors from Spain, Italy, France or Germany was invited to participate. Future editors of such books should do better.
A Collection of seminal teachings.......2002-11-06
Roshi John Daido Loori has assembled the single most comprehensive treasury of writings on the subject.
Often misunderstood, the practice of shikantaza is authoritatively presented and carefully examined in two dozen essays by Chinese, Japanese, and American masters, along with an appendix of six seminal classic texts.
This volume, spanning the centuries since Shakymuni Buddha to the present day, will prove indispensable to meditators and scholars alike.
John Daido Loori has given us a rare treasure.
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