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Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice Paperback – June 28, 2011

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,303 ratings

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Zen Mind, BeginnerS Mind ( 50Th Anniversary Edition)
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"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few."

So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books.  Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line.  In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it's all about.  An instant teaching on the first page.  And that's just the beginning.

In the forty years since its original publication,
Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind has become one of the great modern spiritual classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Suzuki Roshi presents the basics—from the details of posture and breathing in zazen to the perception of nonduality—in a way that is not only remarkably clear, but that also resonates with the joy of insight from the first to the last page.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“[This] is a different book every time I read it. Behind the simplicity, it is dense with Zen wisdom that flashes like lightning as you read and reread.”—Jon Lebkowskyl, Millennium Whole Earth Catalog

“One of the best and most succinct introductions to Zen practice.”—Library Journal

“One of the top five Buddhist books, ever.”—
Elephant

About the Author

Shunryu Suzuki (1904–1971) was one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the twentieth century and is truly a founding father of Zen in America. A Japanese priest of the Soto lineage, he taught in the United States from 1959 until his death. He was the founder of the San Francisco Zen Center and the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. He is the author of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind and Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness: Zen Talks on the Sandokai, and he is the subject of the biography Crooked Cucumber by David Chadwick.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1590308492
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shambhala (June 28, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781590308493
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1590308493
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.27 x 0.47 x 8.24 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,303 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
3,303 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and straightforward. They appreciate the clear language and layout. The book has a calming effect and is relaxing. Many readers find the title interesting and unique. However, some feel the pacing is repetitive and boring at times.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

155 customers mention "Enlightenedness"145 positive10 negative

Customers find this book helpful for understanding Zen Buddhism. They say it provides a good foundational understanding of meditation and mindfulness, and is a key book for Buddhist study. The practice of stilling the mind complements any religious or spiritual tradition. Readers describe it as a reference book for life that presents simple but deep concepts and offers a deeper view into the mindscape of what the "Zen Mind" entails.

"...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..." Read more

"...or further study Zen, this book offers a wealth of knowledge in a very practical, every day setting. Good Luck and enjoy the journey." Read more

"...Worthwhile for truth seekers and those who have, or seek to have, an open mind." Read more

"...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...." Read more

80 customers mention "Ease of reading"64 positive16 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and enjoyable. They appreciate the straightforward layout, clear language, and simple yet profound talks. The language is modern and not as esoteric as other Zen writings. The book provides an instruction manual on what to focus on and what to let go during meditation.

"...The layout of the book is very straightforward and I found it beneficial to read one or two chapters a day...." Read more

"...Some chapters are as clear as day - especially when he alludes to the waterfall and individual droplets being each of us...." Read more

"...from the sutras and traditional dharma talks, into plain modern American English...." Read more

"...stentorian voice, without flourishes, but with a fine appreciation of Suzuki-Roshi's words...." Read more

24 customers mention "Reading pace"24 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's short chapters, making it ideal for reading a chapter or two in the morning. They find it easy to read again and again, with fresh insights each time. The book is simple and clear, impacting their daily lives. Readers appreciate the author's careful attention when reading.

"...Because of this, anyone can read and appreciate the book...." Read more

"...It invites many readings. *** AUDIOBOOK REVIEW..." Read more

"Mr Suzuki's lectures are short, easy to read, & so seemingly simple at first to cause us to re-read them, & happily so...." Read more

"...textbook in my Buddhism course, and I found myself reading the entire book cover to cover, rather than stopping at the required pages...." Read more

19 customers mention "Calming effect"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for calming the mind and relaxing. They say it helps them stop the craziness of the day and breathe. The book provides great insights and can help change their lives.

"...the book discusses included mindfulness, the importance of calmness and focus in your life, proper practice, simplicity and much more...." Read more

"...This is very straightforward and exceptionally helpful for those who are doing or thinking of doing the practice - meditation." Read more

"...chapters dealing with the importance of sitting posture and ways to quiet the mind...." Read more

"Gain insights by allowing enough silence for them to enter." Read more

8 customers mention "Interest"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, unique, and thought-provoking. They say the title sparked their curiosity, the back cover is quite interesting, and the content towards the end of the book is quite interesting. The ideas are well-presented with care and appreciation.

"...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..." Read more

"...When I first came across this book, the title sparked my curiosity...." Read more

"...It is one of my favorite books. Beautiful ideas well presented with care and appreciation...." Read more

"...I would say that it is exactly what the title implies, and meets the needs of someone unfamiliar with zen...." Read more

6 customers mention "Humor"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it easy to read and accessible.

"...Not ‘high brow’, and actually humorous in spots. Removes the loftiness sometimes associated with zazen practice, IMHO." Read more

"...book to make us think, smile, hug our Children & even have a good laugh at ourselves." Read more

"...with thoroughness and humour...." Read more

"...It gave some history and theory. He is humorous and easy to read. I will use it as a reference and am glad to have it in my library." Read more

6 customers mention "Esotericism"3 positive3 negative

Customers have different views on the book's esotericism. Some find it easy to read and non-philosophical, while others find it confusing and lacking significant insights.

"...What I like about it is it takes away the “magic” and esotericism that often pollute Zen Buddhism...." Read more

"...for those in the nascent stages of Zen Buddhism, it can be quite enigmatic in some spots...." Read more

"...Although written from a Zen Buddhist perspective, it is truly non-denominational, and its practice of stilling the mind complements any religious/..." Read more

"I found the wording of this book to be complicated and conflicting. Maybe I just have a dualistic mindset, but none of this book made any sense to me." Read more

13 customers mention "Pacing"2 positive11 negative

Customers find the book's pacing slow and unengaging. They feel it lacks substance and is repetitive at times. Many readers feel the book is dull and uninspiring, which ruins the reading experience.

"...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." Read more

"Didn’t enjoy. Contradictory throughout" Read more

"...Personamly, I did not find it all that insightful, engaging, entertaining or inspiring - and although I trucked through the entire book, I was ready..." Read more

"...I really thought it would be better than it was. I often found it boring, really not many moments that grabbed me at all. Just OK for me." Read more

A Phenomenal Foray Into The Mindfulness & Simplicity
5 out of 5 stars
A Phenomenal Foray Into The Mindfulness & Simplicity
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki is a rather intricate but deep view into the mindscape of what the 'Zen Mind' entails.Given that this book isn't exactly for those in the nascent stages of Zen Buddhism, it can be quite enigmatic in some spots. Still, this does not detract from the wealth of information the reader will be able to garner if they maintain an open mind.Overall the book shows many insights individuals may follow to strengthen their core repertoire.Some of the concepts the book discusses included mindfulness, the importance of calmness and focus in your life, proper practice, simplicity and much more.For someone that's new in traversing the Zen realm, this book is quite appreciated. It synthesizes many complex topics in a simple to follow manner, and does so in a way that is rich in scope as well.Reading this book will definitely help the reader become more cognizant of the mind in countless ways.After having this book a while, and referenced it quite a bit, have a feeling that how much this book helps an individual is proportional to how much one focuses on each of the concepts. It really is an excellent book.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2025
    I read this whole book and gave it to a family member for Xmas to read. I want the book back at some point to remember all the points it made. What I like about it is it takes away the “magic” and esotericism that often pollute Zen Buddhism. It shows you that in the repetition of zen meditation and also in the completion of day chores and responsibilities, we can too be like Buddhist monks if we just trust the process. Be sure you read the forward and afterward for more info on how the book came to be.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2024
    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.
    21 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2009
    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.
    40 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Fagner Garcia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Síntese do Zen budismo
    Reviewed in Brazil on December 31, 2023
    A síntese de tudo o que é necessário para entender o Zen budismo (da escola soto), obra indispensável.
  • Korps
    5.0 out of 5 stars Zen Buddhism
    Reviewed in Germany on January 12, 2024
    Every now and Zen
  • Alex M. S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Conciso, resaltando los conceptos esenciales del budismo Zen
    Reviewed in Spain on May 20, 2023
    Buen libro, voy por la mitad, son transcripciones de charlas que dió el autor a su comunidad zen en San Francisco. Explica los conceptos esenciales del budismo zen, que al final son los del budismo, de manera fácilmente entendible.

    Lo escuché recomendado en una entrevista en un podcast a un veterano maestro de meditación budista. Él mismo comentaba que lo releía cada pocos años y siempre aprendía cosas nuevas.
  • AmazonBi
    5.0 out of 5 stars The book to have!
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on September 30, 2022
    One of the most insightful books on Zazen. Must have, must read, must practice! Over an over again. You can listen to the audio book for free on Spotify. I do both.
  • Tomoe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exceeded my expections!!
    Reviewed in India on June 26, 2022
    I bought this book because I have visited a Buddhists monastery and was impressed on how calm the Buddhists monk were.
    This thin book imparts the knowledge of zen in an easy and lucid manner.Even though someone doesn't read much they will still stick to this book all day.Its that much intriguing.