Free books!

Hi everyone,

I've got a whole bunch of books lying around that I don't need anymore. If you're in Canada or the continental US and see any titles you like, let me know and I'll send them - regular surface post. I've noted the condition in brackets - (E)xcellent, (G)ood or (F)air.

Zen Keys - Thich Nhat Hanh (E)
Creating True Peace - Thich Nhat Hanh (E)
The Miracle of Mindfulness - Thich Nhat Hanh (E)
The Heart of Understanding (Heart Sutra commentary) - Thich Nhat Hanh (E)
Opening the Heart of the Cosmos (Lotus Sutra commentary) - Thich Nhat Hanh (E)
Understanding Our Mind - Thich Nhat Hanh (E)
Blue Cliff Record - Cleary (E)
Thoughts Without a Thinker - Epstein (G)
The Tao of the Tao Te Ching - Lafargue (G)
Mother of the Buddhas (excerpts from the Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines) - Hixon (G)
The Heart Sutra - Red Pine (E)
The Diamond Sutra - Red Pine (E)
The Three Pillars of Zen - Kapleau (F)
Sit Down and Shut Up - Warner (E)
Zen Flesh, Zen Bones - Reps, Senzaki (E)

I've also got 3 wrist malas that are too big for my scrawny little arms:
tiger-eye, 14 large beads, no tassel
sandalwood, 14 large beads, with tassel
sandalwood, 25 small beads, with tassel

Hi Paige,

If nobody wants some of those books, I would be happy to take the rest of them as a donation to the Treeleaf Library. We have a small shipping container leaving on a boat in a few weeks, and I could always toss an extra box of books on.

Don't need that Brad Warner book though. I've got that one.

Gassho, Jundo

Dear Jundo,

You are more than welcome to as many books as you can use!

When I purchased Opening the Hand of Thought for the Treeleaf book club, I found out there wasn't room for it on my bookshelf. Which struck me as a bit ridiculous, especially since I haven't looked at most of these books in months (some I even forgot I had!).

Hi, Paige,

I would be happy to relieve you of Zen Flesh, Zen Bones and Sit Down and Shut Up, if you like. I would be equally happy to see them donated to the Treeleaf library, though, so, please act in a way that would make you happiest!

Thanks,

Kevin

I'd be interested in Zen Keys, Three Pillars, and the Tiger Eye mala for my wife.

Hello Paige, what a generous act!

I have a hard time passing up free books, especially when nearly all such titles are not available in my town. I would be interested in taking the Heart Sutra and Diamond Sutra off your hands. I am curious to hear what they are all about (it is only recently that Jundo has introduced me to the former, and I have never read from latter).

I greatly appreciate the offer, but should you wish to donate them to Treeleaf, I appreciate that as well.

Gassho,
KElly

Jundo,

I have noticed on your sit-alongs that you have worn a wrist mala. How are malas used in Zen, and for what chants?

Just curious,
KElly

Hi Paige,

Yes, please distribute the books as people want. Then perhaps people will redonate to the Treeleaf Library someday, when all those books are gathering dust on their shelves??

Hi Kelly,

Some folks use the Mala for counting reptitions in certain chants, much as they are use in Catholic prayer. Doing so is not a central practice of Soto Zen, unless the particular priest or practitioner has incorporated other traditions ... like the Jodo (Pure Land) practice of chanting to Amida Buddha (the Chinese Temple where Paige attends may do this, as Chan has heavily mixed with Pure Land in China and Vietnam), or certain esoteric Buddhist rituals that folks picked up along the way. I once noticed, for example, that Ven. Anzan Hoshin in Canada sometimes uses Mala, but he seem to mix various Tibetan Practices in with his Zen. There is something hypnotic in the beads, due in part to the great number of nerve endings found on the finger tips and the effect of the twirled beads.

In Soto Practice, there is no particular magic in the mala. I wear one for much the same reason that a Christian would wear a Cross on a chain, or a Jew would wear a Star of David ... more a symbol of our tradition than anything. Others may have other views.

Gassho, Jundo

Paige has inspired me to search for a few titles of my own that perhaps I don’t need. Let me add these to the Treeleaf book swap:


How to Prectice- HH the Dalai Lama (E)
Unabridged Dhammapada- Muller translation (E- but is the thrift edition)
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance- Robert Pirsig (G)


It is not much, but if anyone is interested, I will mail them to you. I’m afraid I will also have to stipulate Canada or continental US only.

Gassho,
KElly