Approach to Zen: The Reality of Zazen/Modern Civilization and Zen

by Kosho Uchiyama

Book by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi

Genres: Zen

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Kosho Uchiyama (内山 興正 Uchiyama Kōshō?, 1912—March 13, 1998) was a Sōtō priest, origami master, and abbot of Antai-ji near Kyoto, Japan.

Uchiyama was author of more than twenty books on Zen Buddhism and origami,of which Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice is best known.

Uchiyama graduated from Waseda University with a masters degree in Western philosophy in 1937 and was ordained a priest in 1941 by his teacher Kodo Sawaki.Throughout his life, Uchiyama lived with the damaging effects of tuberculosis.
Uchiyama became abbot of Antai-ji following Sawaki's death in 1965 until he retired in 1975 to Nokei-in, also near Kyoto, where he lived with his wife. Following the death of his teacher he led a forty-nine day sesshin in memorial of his teacher. In retirement he continued his writing, the majority of which consisted of poetry.

Reviews

[Flo · Rating 3 out of 5]

...if you know that there isn't a target to hit, who's going to attempt to aim? This is the usual idea about giving and taking. This is people's usual calculating way of behavior. However, when you do zazen, you have to let go of your calculating and dealings with others. Zazen is just the self making the self into the self. Zazen does zazen. Zazen is the throwing away of this calculating way of thinking which supposes that as long as there's an aim there must be a target to hit. You just sit in the midst of this contradiction where although you aim, you absolutely can­not perceive hitting the mark. You sit in the midst of the con­tradiction which is absolutely ridiculous when you think about it with your small mind.

An enlightening book. Unnecessarily repetitive, at times. I may take the "small mind" reference without feeling severely insulted but we're not ficus - we can grasp the concepts. One of them relates to the somewhat controversial thought process. I found the following passage rather reassuring.

Therefore, it's false that thoughts cease to occur to a person sitting zazen, rather it's natural that thoughts should occur. But, if a person chases after thoughts, he is thinking and no longer doing zazen. [...] Thinking of 'something' means grasping that something with thought. But during zazen we open wide the hand of thought which is trying to grasp something, and don't grasp at anything at all. This is 'letting go of thoughts.'

And this one, quite fitting.

In zazen, we neither aim at having a special mystical experience, nor do we try to gain greater enlightenment. Zazen, as true Mahayana Buddhism, is always the Self just truly being the Self.

Dec 15, 18

[David Kurth · Rating 4 out of 5]

It reminded me of a serious version of Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey. I wouldn't be surprised if Jack stole some nuggets from this book. The ant walking on a bowl of pudding analogy may have been one of those "pulls" from this book. It's an easy book to get through and the discussion of Zen is clear and practical.

[Paulius Juodis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very clear and simple presentation on the topic of how a Soto Zen practitioner conducts his mind and days. Read it a few times. The first read didn't catch my attention as well as the second one. After reading it, I suggest to keep this book somewhere on your bookshelf and to let it ripe for a second go.