Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice

This is the first review I have ever written on any of the 2,000+ books I have read on Kindle and in print. This changed when the early effects of this book hit me between the eyes. I acknowledge that this is not “the” book on Buddhist practices ... it’s only one of many. But it is (so far) the one that made the most impression on me. (And I have read many informative ones.) Since the closest Buddhist temple/meditation center to me is a 2 1/2-hour drive one-way using highways (which I don’t drive on), I have been doing my best to study Buddhism on my own. Since about 1968 or so, I have been reading Buddhist history, information on the various Buddhist traditions, books by the various teachers of the many traditions, Sutras, and other texts, books that tell me to empty my mind to meditate while others tell me to examine my thoughts to do so, books and videos on guided meditation ... and so forth. My education has been a hodge-podge, cherry-picking what resonates with me. And, then, I purchased “Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind: 50th Anniversary Edition,” and things started to click for me. I’m sure that there are many other books by various masters -- I’ve read more than a few, but this is the first one that explains to me how to meditate, what you are attempting to do, and how to examine things in actively in meditation; and then, when you have exhausted the examination, switching to quiet-mind meditation to come to an Ah! Hah! Moment. I have not finished the book, but I couldn’t wait to share what I found “talked to me.” I have liked the book so much on my Kindle, I have ordered the book in print. I generally read my books on Kindle cover-to-cover. When I want to go back and read specific sections, etc., I want a book in my hands.

Zen requires practice, study alone is of no use. This book is more useful than all other Zen books I read combined.

My initial reaction to a title like "The Wisdom of No Escape" was, let's just say, a little apprehensive. "No escape"? In this economy? In this chaotic world? My instinct is usually to find the nearest exit, the quickest distraction, the most comfortable hiding spot. I thought this book might be a stern lecture on toughing it out. Instead, Pema Chödrön offered something far more radical and, ultimately, incredibly liberating: a gentle, compassionate invitation to stay. To stay with the discomfort, the fear, the awkwardness, the heartbreak – all the messy bits of being human that we spend so much energy trying to outrun. Reading this book felt like a wise friend taking my hand and saying, "It's okay. You don't have to fix it or run from it right now. Just... be here." Chödrön's writing is so warm, so honest, and so deeply human. She doesn't pretend to be above the struggle; she shares her own vulnerabilities and insights gained from facing her own "no escape" moments. This made the wisdom she shared feel not just believable, but deeply relatable. The core message, that our difficulties are not obstacles to our spiritual path but the path itself, was a complete paradigm shift for me. It transformed my view of challenging emotions from enemies to be vanquished into teachers with valuable lessons. The "path of loving-kindness" woven throughout isn't about forced positivity, but about cultivating a genuine softness and acceptance towards ourselves and our experiences, even the painful ones. This book didn't give me a list of things to do to feel better. It gave me permission to be with what is, and in that being, I found a surprising sense of peace and resilience I hadn't accessed before. It's impactful because it doesn't offer a way out, but a way through, and that feels far more sustainable and true. If you're tired of running, if you're yearning for a deeper way to engage with your life, or if you simply need a reminder that you are fundamentally okay, exactly as you are, even in the midst of difficulty, pick up this book. It's a profound and tender guide to finding freedom not by escaping the cage, but by realizing the door was never locked.

This book may be somewhat difficult to understand for someone just starting to read about eastern thought in general. Listening to many hours of Alan Watts and reviewing other info about Buddhism in general really helped me appreciate this book more. Honestly I don't understand somewhere between 50% to 30% of what I read. However, one day I plan on practicing Zen at a Zen center and then will review certain parts of this book. I'm glad I bought this book (instead of borrowing it from the library) because I and many other readers probably will not be able to appreciate it the first time around. Some chapters are as clear as day - especially when he alludes to the waterfall and individual droplets being each of us. Not recommended if you have no background in eastern thought - you should start elsewhere, but if you are still interested in Buddhism after dabbling around in general Buddhism literature, this is one of the classics that you should really look into if you are thinking about practicing Zen. Someone said this is too esoteric and I can see what they mean - but because it is so, it seems to be more genuine and complete. When I read for example, Thich Nhat Hanh's The Art of Power, it seems so very dumbed down that I feel insulted and even bored at times even though I know he understands Buddhism. He uses very applied/practical examples within our daily lives and is very concrete. Thich overuses the word love. My gut kind of objects love as an emphasis of Buddhism. In a way, yes, you can say that some aspects of Buddhism may imply love, but that is not the main point of Buddhism. This book (Zen Mind, Beginners Mind) is less touchy-feely in that sense. However, it offers a lot of insight. When I ordered my book from amazon, I got a nice book mark with it with some calligraphy on it. the back cover of the book is quite interesting and if you read the content towards the end of the book it will point out something interesting about the face of the author. This is a permanent member of my small collection of books.

Zen at its best, poetic and insightful, touches your heart!

ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND is the most easily accessible guide to Zen practice, and is usually the first book that new practitioners and the Zen-curious approach after reading the more general "What's Zen Anyway?"-type books. Thus, it has developed an almost canonical reputation. Shunryu Suzuki (1905-1971) spent only a few years in America, was less than fluent in English, and taught in a way that was both simple and yet profound. With his easy intensity, Suzuki had a seminal role in establishing Zen as a viable spiritual practice in the United States and beyond. Notable for its brevity, the thesis of the collected "informal talks" in ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND is that in order to know Zen we must know the self; that in order to know the self we must reattain the "beginner's mind," that unclouded, intuitive understanding of life that was ours in childhood; and that this sense of newness is the linchpin of enlightenment. Although ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND only spans a whopping 138 pages, the length of this book is no guide to the quality of what lies within. It invites many readings. *** AUDIOBOOK REVIEW Dramatic actor Peter Coyote has been a Zen practitioner for three decades, and here reads Suzuki-Roshi's classic in his well-modulated stentorian voice, without flourishes, but with a fine appreciation of Suzuki-Roshi's words. The print edition of ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND is a collection of transcribed spontaneous Zen teachings (teisho); Coyote returns those words to their original medium. A fine recording for teaching, meditation, or contemplation, the only drawback to this CD is that it abridges the book, though at three hours it is more than sufficient for most listeners.

This is clearly one of the best books I have ever read. I found page after page full of deep thoughts and ideas that I have often wondered about throughout my life. This was my first book on Zen and I chose it because of the numerous excellent reviews and I must say that I concur. I will also admit that I did not understand all of the teachings. On one page I would find deep answers to the questions I have long asked in my life and then on the next page I would have no idea what the author was talking about. Most of the confusion comes on the subject of non-dualism, which for a Westerner is probably the hardest concept to comprehend in Zen. The book is formed from a series of talks given by Shunyru Suzuki over many years, each comprising a short chapter of the book usually 4-6 pages long. The layout of the book is very straightforward and I found it beneficial to read one or two chapters a day. Although it does touch briefly on meditation (zazen), this book focuses primarily on the philosophy of Zen. Because of this, anyone can read and appreciate the book. You don't have to be a Buddhist or meditate on a regular basis to enjoy the knowledge found within "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind". Fundamental concepts such as "the only thing we can change is ourselves", "we have suffering in our lives because of our attachments" and "let everything go as it goes" apply to our everyday lives in a very powerful way. It is important to realize that according to the teachings of Zen, enlightenment is found through the practice of zazen. A Sensei at the Zen Center told me, "If we could reach enlightenment through intellectual understanding, there would be no need for meditation". To fully understand the difficult teachings found in this book, such as non-dualism, we must realize them over a long period of time through meditation. This is why I don't think anyone can fully grasp everything within this book, the first time they are exposed to the concepts of Zen. Regardless of your religious beliefs and whether or not you ever intend to meditate or further study Zen, this book offers a wealth of knowledge in a very practical, every day setting. Good Luck and enjoy the journey.

This book, the reading and re-reading of it over the past 30 years, has influenced me and my life in many, many positive ways. I have studied and practiced Zen beginning in the early 90's after reading Three Pillars of Zen, a compelling book. My practice has included several sesshin with Joko Beck in San Diego, as well as meditation at the SF Zen Center, the LA Zen Center and other zendos, but that was only the beginning for me. Suzuki's language here is an amazing transmutation of traditional Zen language from the sutras and traditional dharma talks, into plain modern American English. The first few lines - "Beginner's mind ..." contain his very special wisdom, and his very non-traditional approach to Zen practice. I urge readers to read carefully and consider it. The rest of the book continues to amaze me, after 30 years, with its timeless wisdom, particularly for us Americans who do not grow up in a Zen culture but rather grow up and live in modern American (and world) society.