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Thread: The most important book about Zen in the West

  1. #1

    The most important book about Zen in the West

    Yes, guys, a book. Just a simple book. I am thrilled. Cannot explain. I could have written so many pages, I could have never dreamt of so many other pages...Taigen, Taigen Dan Leighton is a great sitter, an inspired translator but this is really for all of us, not Dogen for dummies, not Dogen for University professors, not a fancy Dogen or a Japanese one (can they really read Dogen, I mean understand the implications of its poetic-junk-funk???) ( yes, guys, provocative thought, japanese guys don't really understand Dogen, they repeat empty forms...come and check for yourself!) , a book about Dogen alive here and now in you and me.Just open it, open it at any page, read and you will understand.
    Please open this treasure. Not to treasure it, just to really rock!
    Just pick up this and listen: Rumi, Thoreau, Dogen, Mary Oliver... a feast of guests from all walks of life, time and space, all gathered to break open your heart. BREAK OPEN YOUR HEART!!!

    this book is : Zen questions, Zazen, Dogen, and the spirit of Creative Inquiry...Yes , I know, the title sucks . This is the book i would take to a desert island. I mean it. Get it. Chew it. Make it your own. See the moon, get a real taste of what matters beyond all the would be kenshos and awakenings that are now advertised everywhere.

    You and only You are the one that can make this real. Give it a chance. Come on!

    Up to you, now.

    gassho


    Taigu

    PS: One more thing, the dance of compassion and wisdom is amazing here. Wit and heart: sharp and broad words flow freely and yet with great precision. Everything is taken care of. Just right.
    Last edited by Taigu; 07-18-2012 at 03:22 PM.

  2. #2
    Well that's quite a recommendation! I'll take your word for it--book ordered!

    Thanks,
    Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
    Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

  3. #3

  4. #4
    Gee, just when I wanted to burn them all

    Gassho and thank you for your endorsement.

    All the best and gassho,


    Hans Chudo Mongen
    Last edited by Hans; 07-18-2012 at 03:34 PM.

  5. #5
    I recently read it, and second the recommendation. In fact, it is on our recommended book list!

    SUGGESTED BOOK LIST for TREELEAF SANGHA
    http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...ll=1#post13630

    Many of the essays in the book are available online too, and we refer to some of them for guidance maybe almost every week it seems!

    Gassho, J
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  6. #6
    Treeleaf Engineer Seimyo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Yuba City, California, USA
    Thank you for the recommendation Taigu. I'll get it ordered.

    Gassho,
    Chris

  7. #7
    Thank you Taigu
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  8. #8
    Downloaded Just in time for vacation, thanks.
    _/_
    Rich
    MUHYO
    無 (MU, Emptiness) and 氷 (HYO, Ice) ... Emptiness Ice ...

    https://instagram.com/notmovingmind

  9. #9
    Thank you Taigu. I have been chewing on "Dogen's Extensive Record: A Translation of the Eihei Koroku" for some time. Leighton is a wonderful translator and commentator. This book is about to be downloaded.
    Gassho
    Jeff
    Last edited by Seisou; 07-19-2012 at 11:09 AM.

  10. #10
    Mp
    Guest
    Wonderful, thank you Taigu.

    Gassho
    Michael

  11. #11
    Thank you Taigu I will definitely look into this.
    Heisoku 平 息
    Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home. (Basho)

  12. #12
    Read two chapters. Have never read anything like this. Has touched me deeply. Thanks taigu.
    _/_
    Rich
    MUHYO
    無 (MU, Emptiness) and 氷 (HYO, Ice) ... Emptiness Ice ...

    https://instagram.com/notmovingmind

  13. #13
    well then...done!

    Gassho,

    Daido

  14. #14
    You are welcome Rich and when you ll get to the Dogen part and Taigen s insight about Genjokoan, you will be amazed. And his take of the Gyobutsu Igi is simply mind-blowing. Going beyond Buddha as the way to reach Buddha- a-sis, reality as-is...I wish guys here will study and practice this, same water that Jundo and I are selling and sailing, but I just love the landscape of his writing.

    Gassho

    Taigu
    Last edited by Taigu; 07-19-2012 at 03:34 AM.

  15. #15
    I take it you folks like it?

    Quite a recommendation... I'll have to look that one up!

    Gassho,

    Dennis

  16. #16
    Thank you Taigu ... pulled by your passion my book order is in.

    Gassho
    Nadi

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Taigu View Post
    when you ll get to the Dogen part and Taigen s insight about Genjokoan, you will be amazed.
    He is very good... it's refreshing to see him emphasizing that trying to eliminate delusion is just more delusion--and that to genjokoan this life means to genjokoan both delusion and awakening. It's so easy to get stuck in that trap (this is good, that is bad--so let's try to eliminate one for the other).

    Highly readable, welcoming prose. I've just been picking random chapters. Definitely one to re-read at any time!
    Thanks,
    Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
    Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

  18. #18
    Myoshin
    Guest
    Hello Rich, I see the book can be downloaded, the full book? Where? Did you mean on google book? Do you have a link
    Thank you

    Gassho

    Yang Hsin

  19. #19

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by yang hsin View Post
    Hello Rich, I see the book can be downloaded, the full book? Where? Did you mean on google book? Do you have a link
    Thank you

    Gassho

    Yang Hsin
    I downloaded it from Amazon to my Droid Kindle reader for $10.
    _/_
    Rich
    MUHYO
    無 (MU, Emptiness) and 氷 (HYO, Ice) ... Emptiness Ice ...

    https://instagram.com/notmovingmind

  21. #21
    Thanks for the nudge, Taigu. Just moved it off my wish list to the shopping cart.
    Chris Seishi Amirault
    (ZenPedestrian)

  22. #22
    I guess I'm picking this one up next in the middle of Realizing Genjokoan.

  23. #23
    I should' t spend much money right now but I couldn't resist after such recommendation

    Thank you Taigu

    Gassho,
    Marek

  24. #24
    It's on Amazon Prime for $11. Ordered.

    Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

  25. #25
    Myoshin
    Guest
    thank you Rick

    Marek, if you want a big big part of the book (40 pages missing) are on google book here is the link for you: http://books.google.be/books?id=5dcG...page&q&f=false
    If I rembember you'll have a new job soon?

    Gassho

    Yang Hsin

  26. #26
    Thank you Yang!

    Yes, lack of job for a moment is problematic, but I just ordered book for reasonable price

    Anyway thank you for a link

    Gassho,
    Marek

  27. #27
    Myoshin
    Guest
    Good luck for your job research Marek, I'm unemployed for the moment too

    Do you want some other links about Dogen?

    Gassho

    Yang Hsin


  28. #28
    $7 on Amazon. Plus 4 for shipping though (used, the way I like books)_/|\_

  29. #29
    With a recommendation like that, I picked it up no questions asked!

    _/\_
    Jigetsu
    _/\_
    Jigetsu

  30. #30
    Received my copy the day after i ordered it from Amazon! Good read
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  31. #31
    Member Martin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Wherever the next mediation is. Every now and then I make it back to Norfolk, England.
    Thank you for the recommendation Taigu. I ordered it from Amazon (I never could resist "Buy now with one click") and am enjoying it. Anyone who can quote Dogen, William Blake and Bob Dylan in chapter one must be worth reading!).

    Gassho

    Martin

  32. #32
    Love this book! All this talk of it has had me reading it again all day when I should have been working! Just think Dylan, van gogh, rumi, Snyder all brought together with the genius that is Dogen
    thanks Taigu

    _/\_
    very deep gaasho
    bob

  33. #33
    thX taigu

    gassho
    gilles

  34. #34
    Mp
    Guest
    Thank you Taigu for this great find ... this is an amazing book. I will post more once I get further into it.

    Gassho
    Michael

  35. #35
    I started reading the ebook version as i was a touch impatient (WHAT?? ME? lol) waiting for the hard copy to come as its ETA was mid August. To my surprise it was at home on my desk lastnight when I got off work!

    So down to earth (which is greatly appreciated here!)


    Gassho
    Shohei

  36. #36
    Been very much enjoying the book while I as on vacation the past two weeks. Haven't finished it yet but it's definitely worth the read. At first I was put off by some of the repetition, however it became quickly apparent that this helps if you want to jump around instead of reading straight through. I think the best part so far has been the fresh and personal perspective. Many of the books I've been reading on Dogen are kind of 'stuffy' and even tedious at times. Thanks for the great tip Taigu-sama!

    Gassho,

    Dokan
    We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.
    ~Anaïs Nin

  37. #37
    In France Taigen Dan Leighton is especially known as translator. I have just read today, having read this comment, some articles broadcasted by the ancientdragon.org site, and I am very impressed by his erudition and the depth of the comments. Thank you for this advice.
    Kosen

  38. #38
    Hello Taigu,

    just finished it (the first time...I'm sure I'll re-read it many times over). It is wonderful to see that Taigen manages to shake off a lot of the pretentiousness of most other commentators. Thanks for the recommnedation...wish there was a German edition.

    Gassho,

    Hans

  39. #39
    Just placed my order at Amazon.
    Have two books to finish(homework from Rev. Jundo ) before I start, but with such a recommendation I couldn't resist picking it up!!
    Thank you for the suggestion Taigu
    Ho (Dharma)
    Yu (Hot Water)

  40. #40
    Myoshin
    Guest
    Hello Taigu, I will reveive the book today or monday, it fits good with your homework (bendowa study)
    Gassho

    Yang Hsin

  41. #41
    Nindo
    Guest
    Catching up on some older threads - ah, man, and I just vowed not to buy more books during Ango! Good to see that part of it is online.
    Thanks for the recommendation!

  42. #42
    had to pick this one up. can't wait to crack it open.
    Hogen
    法眼

    #SatToday

  43. #43
    added to my wishlist
    --Washu
    和 Harmony
    秀 Excellence

    "Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body" George Carlin Roshi

  44. #44
    guess I'm gonna add a new book to my collection
    Humbly,
    清竜 Seiryu

  45. #45
    Thanks Taigu. I've placed an order with Wisdom Publications.

  46. #46
    I have read the first chapter on Google. Will continue tomorrow, I think. I am letting the questions question.
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  47. #47
    This really is a great book. Even ~1 year later I still go back to it, just picking a random chapter. Leighton is very insightful and very good at helping us understand Dogen. Consider this a "thread bump" so some newer people can check it out.
    Thanks,
    Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
    Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

  48. #48
    I'll order it this week.

  49. #49
    Thanks, Kaishin, for the thread bump. I am not familiar w/this book. Going to order right now. Gassho, Matt J

  50. #50
    Thanks for the recommendation! Just picked it up for my kindle ($9.99 in the states). Look forward to reading it.

    Gassho,
    Mc.

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