Four (really Seven!) Book Recommendations - by Jundo

[Jundo]

I have just updated my review of ...

3 - The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism by Kazuaki Tanahashi

UPDATE FROM JUNDO: NOW THAT I HAVE FINALLY READ TANAHASHI SENSEI'S BOOK , I actually am hesitant to recommend this book to newer folks, and I even would hesitate to put it at the top of my list for Heart Sutra discussions for other folks (I will recommend the below books by Red Pine and Okumura ahead of it). Unfortunately, it is a very meandering, personal, sometimes too detailed (on linguistic matters and many historical tangents), frequently disjointed and poorly explained although wide ranging treatment that somehow never gets into much discussion of the heart of the Heart Sutra despite all its detail. His new translation is surprisingly a bit loose and free too. I will go back and reread it at some point, because there is much interesting material in there too, but one must be patient.

Sorry if people ran out to get it ahead of other books mentioned.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

[Risho]

Damn, I actually thought my initial feelings were misgiven about this. I love his work, but I thought having a new word for Emptiness is really unnecessary -- just my very humble opinion.

In any case, this is what libraries are for. hahahahah

Gassho,

Risho

[Mp]

3 - The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism by Kazuaki Tanahashi

UPDATE FROM JUNDO: NOW THAT I HAVE FINALLY READ TANAHASHI SENSEI'S BOOK , I actually am hesitant to recommend this book to newer folks, and I even would hesitate to put it at the top of my list for Heart Sutra discussions for other folks (I will recommend the below books by Red Pine and Okumura ahead of it). Unfortunately, it is a very meandering, personal, sometimes too detailed (on linguistic matters and many historical tangents), frequently disjointed and poorly explained although wide ranging treatment that somehow never gets into much discussion of the heart of the Heart Sutra despite all its detail. His new translation is surprisingly a bit loose and free too. I will go back and reread it at some point, because there is much interesting material in there too, but one must be patient.

Thanks for the update Jundo. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday

[Anshu Bryson]

I have just updated my review of ...

3 - The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism by Kazuaki Tanahashi

UPDATE FROM JUNDO: NOW THAT I HAVE FINALLY READ TANAHASHI SENSEI'S BOOK , I actually am hesitant to recommend this book to newer folks, and I even would hesitate to put it at the top of my list for Heart Sutra discussions for other folks (I will recommend the below books by Red Pine and Okumura ahead of it). Unfortunately, it is a very meandering, personal, sometimes too detailed (on linguistic matters and many historical tangents), frequently disjointed and poorly explained although wide ranging treatment that somehow never gets into much discussion of the heart of the Heart Sutra despite all its detail. His new translation is surprisingly a bit loose and free too. I will go back and reread it at some point, because there is much interesting material in there too, but one must be patient.

Sorry if people ran out to get it ahead of other books mentioned.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

I also have some issues with the Tanahashi translation; very difficult to get a grip of... Red Pine is meticulous and to-the-point, while Okumura Roshi brings an understandable Zen reading to bear on the text.

I am sitting a course starting next week, using the Tanahashi book as the reference; I hope that brings some of my issues with the translation into better light. I'll let you know how it goes... ;-)

Gassho,
Anshu

-sat today-

[Kyonin]

Thank you Jundo.

Will wait

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Talib]

Namaste,
Was wondering although a Rinzai book if An Introduction to Zen Training by Omori Sogen. Was a okay book to use .
As for the Heart Sutra by Kazauaki Tanahashi. I jus realized I had two of them.
Love the mind of Clover by Roshi Aitken.
I was wondering what are may be the best starting points for Soto. I am currently reading the Essential Dogen.

Sent from my SM-G360P using Tapatalk

[Jundo]

Hi Talib,

As I recall, the book by Omori Sogen presents a rather hard Rinzai approach ... rather different from Soto. As I always say "precisely the same, yet often very different; quite different, yet just the same".

For our Soto/Shikantaza way I recommend for newer folks all the books with a "**" on our recommended list ...

SUGGESTED BOOK & MEDIA LIST for TREELEAF SANGHA

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?5711-SUGGESTED-BOOK-MEDIA-LIST-for-TREELEAF-SANGHA

Especially for brand new folks, any of the books by Uchiyama Roshi (especially "Opening the Hand of Thought") or Okumura Roshi are highly recommended.

Gassho, Jundo
SatToday

PS - I have posted a couple of other shorter essays, available for download, to help make some sense of all the "Buddhisms" and even all the "Zens" (different Lineages and Teachers have various flavors and approaches, and one might get confused picking up all the "Zen" books that sometimes seem to be saying rather different things) ... "Same, but sometimes very different. Frequently different, but always precisely the same).

Special reading - once born twice born zen (part 1)

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?6514-Special-reading-once-born-twice-born-zen-%28part-1%29

Special reading - (more) once born twice born zen
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...twice-born-zen[/B]

[B]Special reading - eight types of enlightenment

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?6567-Special-reading-eight-types-of-enlightenment

[Talib]

_/\_ Gassho

Sent from my SM-G360P using Tapatalk

[Shokai]

_/\_ my bookcase is full for now

gassho

#Sattoday

[Kaishin]

Any idea if the Sawaki commentary book will see a Kindle release? (they are also out of stock on Amazon at the moment)

[Jishin]

Unfortunately, it is a very meandering, personal, sometimes too detailed (on linguistic matters and many historical tangents), frequently disjointed and poorly explained although wide ranging treatment that somehow never gets into much discussion of the heart of the Heart Sutra despite all its detail.

That's what I thought too.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Kaishin]

I just finished reading the re-print of the Homeless Kodo book, and it is really wonderful. Sawaki's style really speaks to me, and I definitely consider him one of my teachers. I was a bit disappointed that the book didn't include the "To You" series, which has some of his (imho) most insightful, acerbic, and downright hilarious commentary. Here's an example:

You talk about your troubles and worries, but what do your troubles and worries really consist of? Isn’t it like someone who catches his own fart with his hand, smells it and bursts out saying, “Oh no, that really stinks!” The more time you have, the more time you spend with your farts. At some point, you should get to know real suffering. You want to hang or drown yourself in desperation? Come back down to earth and wake up to reality!

Fortunately, you can find the "To You" essays here:

http://bit.ly/1Eef5VT

Enjoy!

-satToday

[Risho]

Thank you for that Matt!

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Jeremy]

Fortunately, you can find the "To You" essays here:

http://bit.ly/1Eef5VT

Enjoy!

Thanks for the link - these are great

step lightly... stay free...
Jeremy
st

[Juki]

Thank you, Jundo.

i just wanted to mention another new Kaz Tanahashi book called "Zen Chants." I saw announcements for it a few months back and eagerly awaited its release last month. And, while I do like the book, I have the same problem that you mention with regard to the Heart Sutra, namely, the translations of the various chants. Not only do I find them loose (in fact, I find the removal of the word "bodhisattva" in the Heart Sutra startling), I find them cumbersome and less than user-friendly from a rhythmic standpoint. The translations don't exactly flow off the tongue while being chanted.

i guess what I'm trying to say is that the new Tanahashi book really made me appreciate the Treeleaf chant book.

Gassho,
Juki

#sattoday (and will sit again this afternoon)