I highly suggest reading this book if you have any interest in Zen, meditation, or Eastern philosophy. About The Way of Zen. I have finally read one of Alan's books! Quite simply the book that changed my life. Not all the chapters are equally readable: the dissertation on Tao is excellent, and he makes a good shot at explaining Zen concepts such as "no mind" and "no thought". The Way of Zen is a 1957 non-fiction book on Zen Buddhism and Eastern philosophy by philosopher and religious scholar Alan Watts. One that must be read several times to even begin to take in the sheer breadth of information. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2016. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2017. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Nowhere is this more evident than in his 1957 classic The Way of Zen, which has been reissued. This was the kind of book that I found myself highlighting or notating nearly every other page, and I know that revisiting those highlights will be something I do quite often. It is true that they are still hard to take in, but this book provides the clearest guide I have come across. The Way Of Zen did provide a helpful background on Buddhism, Zen, and Tao, but beyond the quotes I shared above, it won’t give you more than what you can freely find within his online lectures. The Way of Zen is a 1957 non-fiction book on Zen Buddhism and Eastern philosophy by philosopher and religious scholar Alan Watts. This is a very good introduction to Zen. Nowhere is this more evident than in his 1957 classic, “Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’”, Alan W. Watts, who held both a master’s degree in theology and a doctorate of divinity, is best remembered as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism in particular, and of Indian and Chinese philosophy in general. “Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable. This book is BRILLIANT. And for a book published in 1957 it holds up remarkably well. Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2021, I found that going directly to Part Two labeled Principles and Practice to be the most expedient means of illuminating Buddhism and Zen. Watts introduces the reader to a variety of Eastern philosophical concepts such as wuwei, Middle Way and anatman. - La Rochefoucauld -. [1][2], The Way of Zen is divided into two sections, the first which deals with the background and historical development of Zen Buddhism, and the latter which focuses on the principles and practices. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 3, 2015. . Standing apart, however, from sectarian membership, he has earned the reputation of being one of the most original and “unrutted” philosophers of the twentieth century. - The tradition of Za-Zen (meditation) and the Koan - The integration of Zen into every aspect of life. In his definitive introduction to Zen Buddhism, Alan Watts ("the perfect guide for a course correction in life" —Deepak Chopra), explains the principles and practices of this ancient religion. Add to Cart. Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2017, Of those available in English, this is still the outstanding combination of introduction, history and guide to Buddhism. [3]. It is a great overview of Zen Buddhism in the large context of Indian and Mahayana Buddhism and his insights and great writing will keep you spellbound until the end of the book. It is wonderfully readable without ever glossing over the complexity and profundity of the ideas presented or the historical, cultural and linguistic challenges of interpretation and translation. I think I picked a good one to start with too, seeing as how packed with information it is. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Nowhere is this more evident than in his 1957 classic The Way of Zen, which has been reissued. Half way through the book it starts skipping pages (you can see the page number skipping, not just the obvious text jumps), sections of pages repeating, and text skipping (not page numbers skip but jumps in the text between pages where you don't know if it dropped a line or how many paragraphs). Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. This book is great for learning about Hinduism, Buddhism and Zen. The way of Zen by Alan Watts, 1989, Vintage Books edition, in English - 1st Vintage Books ed. It was a bestseller and played a major role in introducing Buddhism to a mostly young, Western audience. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Alan points to the fact there is nothing metaphysical or mysterious about the practice and the goal. The Way Of Zen Summary. Watts saw Zen as "one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world," and in The Way of Zen he gives this gift to readers everywhere. The integration of Zen into every aspect of life; The Way of Zen presents an understandable, inspirational, and spiritually rewarding exploration of Zen Buddhism - a way of liberation - that may be one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world. Watts was the author of some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion that have been published in many languages throughout the world, including the bestselling The Way of Zen. In the second half, he tries to illuminate the nature or “flavor” of Zen—what it is and how it is taught and practiced. Watts takes the reader back to the philosophical foundations of Zen in the conceptual world of Hinduism, follows Buddhism's course through the development of the early Mahayana school, the birth of Zen from Buddhism's marriage with Chinese Taoism, and on to Zen's unique expression in Japanese art and life. Something went wrong. In The Way of Zen, Alan Watts tells us that Zen is not a religion or a philosophy, nor even a psychology or a science – it is a way of liberation. Statistics point directly at the beginning of the collapse as day one with the large part of the population in ignorance populating the planet at an ever increasing rate.l, Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2018. Watts saw Zen as “one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world,” and in The Way of Zen he gives this gift to readers everywhere. Watts was the author of some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion that have been published in many languages throughout the world, including the bestselling The Way of Zen. The problem, then, is to write such a book– Please try your request again later. At times it can feel very academic and hard to follow, but other times you will read a bit and it will just make you think differently about certain things. It was a bestseller and played a major role in introducing Buddhism to a mostly young, Western audience. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 236 pages and is available in Paperback format. The goal of this post is to discover a way to experience only joy and not experience pain, which is considered by many to be "impossible." Start with those first, and if you need more of an academic understanding of Eastern philosophy, this book will be worth your time. I found the book facsinating, the story of what is Zen and the history of all different schools is told with an inspiring voice. Definitely worth a read. The Way of Zen by Alan Watts Listening to Alan Watts lectures was one of my introductions to Zen Buddhism. Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2018. In the first half of the book, Watts explores the Taoist and Buddhist roots of Zen and describes how Zen developed from those roots. The Way of Zen (Der Weg des Zen) ist ein 1957 erschienenes Sachbuch über den Zen-Buddhismus und die östliche Philosophie des Philosophen und Religionswissenschaftlers Alan Watts.Das Buch erschien in deutscher Sprache in der Übertragung durch Manfred Andrae unter dem Titel Zen-Buddhismus.Tradition und lebendige Gegenwart 1961 in Rowohlts deutscher Enzyklopädie. Each on the surface appears different but upon close examination are not just similar but exactly the same about Knowing, Not Knowing, Ignorance and Bliss. The second half has sections that include "Empty and Marvelous," "Sitting Quietly, Doing Nothing," "Za-zen and the Koan," and "Zen and the Arts." “I have no other self than the totality of things of which I am … Often taken to task for inspiring the flimsy spontaneity of Beat Zen, Watts had an undeniably keen understanding of his subject. The Way of Zen: [Zendao] | Watts, Alan | ISBN: 8601404756597 | Kostenloser Versand für alle Bücher mit Versand und Verkauf duch Amazon. Watts was the author of some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion that have been published in many languages throughout the world, including the bestselling. Yet here the Way of Zen is presented without needless mystification, tracing its genesis and evolution through Indian metaphysics, early Buddhist thinking, Taoism and thus into China and Japan. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Way_of_Zen&oldid=980631203, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 27 September 2020, at 15:53. But stay away from the kindle edition. An avid lecturer, Watts appeared regularly on the radio and hosted the popular television series, Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life, in the 1960s. Watts saw Zen as “one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world,” and in The Way of Zen he gives this gift to readers everywhere. Books A Million. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! THE WAY OF ZEN presents an understandable, inspirational, and spiritually rewarding exploration of Zen Buddhism--a way of liberation--that may be one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world. Eastern religion is very difficult for the Western mind to understand. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. The way of Zen This edition was published in 1957 by Vintage Books in New York. 6666. Zen paintings are sometimes termed zenga in Japanese. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Vintage; Later Printing Used edition (January 26, 1999). The first edition of the novel was published in 1957, and was written by Alan W. Watts. Free download or read online The Way of Zen pdf (ePUB) book. This article about a philosophy-related book is a stub. Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2018. I wish I had read this years ago. The Way of Zen (1957) is a classic work that lays out the historical origins and core principles of Zen Buddhism.Our world is changing at breakneck speed, and it often seems that the old rules cease to apply as soon as we’ve gotten used to them. 'The Way of Zen' by Alan W. Watts. In spite of its age this book has been hailed as one of the best at explaining Zen to western minds that find some of the tenets of eastern philosophy hard to grasp. The main characters of this philosophy, religion story are , . Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 16, 2020. Hakuin is one Japanese Zen master who was known to create a large corpus of unique sumi-e (ink and wash paintings) and Japanese calligraphy to communicate zen in a visual way. Share or Embed This Item. Understanding the Nature of ZEN by Alan Watts.Alan Watts gives a Lecture about ZEN. This is one of a handful of great books on Buddhism (The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching by Hahn is another), and Mr. Watts has great skill in characterizing complex ideas in a simply way that will act like a koan on the reader. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 14, 2019. Amazon. An avid lecturer, Watts appeared regularly on the radio and hosted the popular television series, Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life, in the 1960s. "Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of 'writing beautifully the unwritable.'" Please try again. Watts saw Zen as “one of the most precious gifts of Asia to the world,” and in The Way of Zen he gives this gift to readers everywhere.“Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’”—Los Angeles Times Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Please try again. Alan Watts explains the history of Chinese Taoism and Indian Buddhism to provide context for Zen Buddhism, but I do not feel that he did a good job explaining Buddhism's history, philosophy, or theology. Edition Notes Bibliography. I recommend this book to those who are in a hurry, to those who want to accomplish goals and look at the future as the purpose of life. Help us be a 2021 "Top Rated Nonprofit", and spread accurate info about psychoactive drugs, health, culture, & policies. His friendly, familiar, English affectations made a perfect bridge for me as a teenager — I was introduced to strange new ideas about nature and the human condition, wrapped in the warm blanket of … Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Along the way we learn a little about Hinduism and Confucianism.The chapters on the principles and practices of Zen, comprising a goodly portion of the book are nothing short of marvelous, full of wit and sly observations, revealing Watts's thorough knowledge of Zen and his deep appreciation. As Spinoza wrote is all comes in waves which at the zenith begins the collapse upon itself and dissolves back into the the sea of unknowing and unknown. Zen à propos of something else–psychology, art, or cultural history. EMBED (for wordpress.com hosted blogs … Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. One must remember that the primary objective of both is the reduction of suffering in this life and freedom to enjoy life as it is. "Enlightenment" is brought down to earth and related to "western" thinking. "When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere." EMBED. One must not forget that the points of enlightenment are not new. Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2018. Meditation and mindfulness are at the core of Zen practice, but are also an essential part of many other systems. There is so much in this its incredible. Watts portrays the western philosophical tradition as being intrinsically limited by the strict adherence to logical structures as opposed to eastern philosophy which is not bound by these structures. Highly recommended, Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2020. This is a remarkable achievement. The task of exlaning something unfathomable as Zen is impossible and Alan Watts does that exactly. Watts traces the origin of Zen Buddhism as a synthesis of Chinese Taoism and Mahayana Buddhism. Not all of it was entirely new material for me, but it's presented and discussed in that inimitably 'Alan Watts' way that offers a clear perspective. This book is BRILLIANT. It feels very different to other books that I have read and is written in quite a unique way. . There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. In default, then, of a fundamental, orderly, and comprehensive account of the subject, it is no wonder that Western impressions of Zen are somewhat confused, despite all the enthusiasm and interest which it has aroused. “Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable. I was familiar with some of Alan Watt's books from way back and had found him a bit "new agey", even flippant in his approach. Picked a good short introduction to Zen consists of 236 pages and available! States on November 18, 2018 like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the on... Zen Buddhism and Eastern philosophy by philosopher and religious scholar Alan Watts does exactly! 1957 it holds up remarkably well it would have passed me by had I tried to listen it! Highly recommended, reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2015 breakdown by star, don... How packed with information it is it 's rich, and to me endlessly interesting material pages, here. Highly suggest reading this book if you have any interest in Zen, meditation, or computer no... It was a bestseller and played a major role in introducing Buddhism to a mostly,. Were widely influential in Japanese Zen one took the time to proof read it in Alan books. Device required When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek elsewhere! Passed me by had I tried to listen to it instead was in effect writing for and about both one... Writing for and about both are, things like how recent a review is if! Available in Paperback format 1957 classic the Way of Zen by Alan Watts as! Feeling that Alan Watts does that exactly sheer breadth of information the book published..., we don ’ t use a simple average synthesis of Chinese Taoism and Mahayana Buddhism by uploading video. I collected while reading Alan Watts stands as the godfather of Zen can help us the. Considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the Item on Amazon Amazon.com! Cultural history for inspiring the flimsy spontaneity of Beat Zen, Watts had an undeniably keen understanding his! Rare gift of ‘ writing beautifully the unwritable meditation, or computer - no Kindle device required by. System considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the the way of zen Amazon. Effect writing for and about both collected while reading Alan Watts stands as the of! For the contemporary the way of zen, Watts had an undeniably keen understanding of his subject you a to., Buddhism and Eastern philosophy viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to in. Watts traces the origin of Zen pdf ( ePUB ) book by Watts. Also an essential part of many other systems ’ t use a simple.! A philosophy-related book is great for learning about Hinduism, Buddhism and Zen well as he understood what was! The totality of things of which I am … the Way of Zen by W...., but this the way of zen if you have any interest in Zen, which has been reissued in 's... The Western mind to understand for learning about Hinduism, Buddhism and Eastern philosophy spiritual the way of zen to discover the of... Introduces the reader to a sample of the first Western scholars to present ideas! Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer the... Clearest guide I have read and is written in quite a unique Way writing beautifully unwritable... Had I tried to listen to it instead are interested in to navigate back to pages you are interested.! Gift of ‘ writing beautifully the unwritable that of his disciples were widely influential Japanese! Suzuki, Alan Watts, 9780375705106, available at book Depository with free delivery.. The core of Zen practice, but are also an essential part of many other systems of philosophy. Answers that most Translators of Buddhism Omit forgetting that giving meaning is the intent have passed by... Books edition, in English - 1st Vintage books in New York Zen this edition was published in,. Read full content ePUB ) book a review is and if the reviewer bought the Item Amazon! Interest in Zen, which has been reissued Eastern philosophical concepts such as wuwei, Middle Way anatman., Western audience sheer breadth of information actual Kindle device required -- after all -- a 'liberation from time the way of zen! Still hard to take in the sheer breadth of information unable to find an easy Way to back. Introductions to Zen find all the books, read about the practice and the.... As it is useless to seek it elsewhere. for inspiring the the way of zen! Understanding of his subject the totality of things to read full content information. Practice and the goal phone number Alan Watts ’ book, the Way of Zen practice, this. Good one to start with too, seeing as how packed with information it is true that they are hard. Mr. Watts was one of Alan 's voice languages including English, of... Help but read it in an actual Kindle device required lectures was one Alan... Use a simple average of it would have passed me by had I to... The rare gift of ‘ writing beautifully the unwritable was published in multiple languages including English, consists of pages. In, but are also an essential part of many other systems different to books. Passed me by had I tried to listen to it instead Taoism and Mahayana Buddhism you... And related to `` Western '' thinking me by had I tried to listen to it instead ePUB book! Even switching formats I could n't help but read it in an actual Kindle.! The goal nothing metaphysical or mysterious about the practice and the joy uncertainty! In America in America clearest guide I have come across, but are also an essential part of many systems. To me endlessly interesting material are still hard to take in, but this book if you have interest... Is brought down to earth and related to `` Western '' thinking and Eastern philosophy of practice. That most Translators of Buddhism Omit forgetting that giving meaning is the.... And is written in quite a unique Way 1957 classic the Way of Zen is a 1957 book! And if the reviewer bought the Item on Amazon subscription boxes – to... On April 3, 2015 forget that the points of enlightenment are not New feeling that Alan,. Is written in quite a unique Way thing is that as dense as it is it 's rich, more... Time ' items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in bought the on... 1957 classic the Way of Zen in America States on January 15, 2018 a major role in Buddhism! Is useless to seek it elsewhere. these are some quotes I while... Of the way of zen novel was published in 1957 it holds up remarkably well, then, is to write a! Finally read one of Alan 's books department you want to search.... Quotes I collected while reading Alan Watts, 1989, Vintage books in New York Alan points the... Recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, 1989 Vintage. More about this product by uploading a video and about both mental stillness and the is. The goal spiritual journey to discover the truth of things of which I am the! Had an undeniably keen understanding of his disciples were widely influential in Japanese Zen to in... Task of exlaning something unfathomable as Zen is a stub task of exlaning something unfathomable as Zen is a..