Zen at Work

by Les Kaye, Huston Smith (Foreword by), Misha Merrill (Introduction)

A Zen teacher who balanced his commitment to Zen practice with a high-level business career shares the wisdom and practical experience he gained by integrating spiritual practice into the workplace. 192 pp. National publicity. 10,000 print.

Genres: Zen, Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Philosophy

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Tommy /|\ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not exactly an awe-inspiring book. While Kaye certainly has an interesting tale to relate, his manner of expounding upon his travels and his own philosophy is sadly short. If you're interested in the philosophy of Zen and the aspects of its practice -- this isn't the book for you. if you're interested in how someone else has utilized the practice of Zen in their daily life -- this book SHOULD HAVE BEEN the one you picked up, if it had been written with a bit more depth and passion.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about an IBM executive who lived a double life as a Zen monk. What it showed was that it is possible to balance the lifestyle of earning a living and providing for your family while dedicating another part of your life to spiritual concerns. Also, many simlarities are pointed out between corporate America and Zen-based philosophies, giving the reader a sense that these two milieus are not mutually exclusive.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this book did offer a unique perspective from someone is not only a monk. Les also lived a full career and always tried to find opportunities in everyday life to practice Zen. This acts as a good manual on how to do so. Not in the way of offering concrete steps, but just what to be aware of.

In particular, I enjoyed learning more about how the practice of Zazen is not about perfection. The very act of zazen is not concerned with progress towards a goal.

“Standing by the ocean, we see the crashing waves. From a distance, we see the calm, wide water itself.”

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does a good job at both explaining the mindset and conceptual ideas of Zen practice while also giving practical advice on how to navigate a corporate job with more peace of mind and care. I look forward to reading a second time and taking better notes.

[Edelfelt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddhist book.
- let go of condemnation
- observe with ”big mind” without selfish motives
- slow down as the ”going upward requires a step down”
- meditation and the nectar of presence is in the practice now

[Linus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nuggets of wisdom here but it is somewhat dated, and the corporate landscape he describes has well and truly changed. Still worth a read if you are working in corporate and struggling to reconcile a spiritual practice with the demands of that world.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Les Kaye was/is a managing engineer at IBM San Jose Research Lab as well as the Abbot of the Kannon Do Zen Center in Mountain View, CA. Kaye’s teacher was Shunryu Suzuki who founded the San Francisco Zen Center, and is known for bringing Zen Buddhism to America in the 1960s. It is amazing that Zen Buddhism has only been in the U.S. for one generation while is has been a dominant religion in Asia since 4th century B.C.E. We tend to think of zen monks as being reclusive, but Kaye is not and he does a good job of giving the common reader an understanding of how Zen and IBM both value and emphasize the same qualities: integrity, morality, a capacity for work, self discipline, willingness to learn, attention to detail, responsibility and perseverance. Zen also requires one to establish a wide mind and maintain good relationships. There are many stories of work problems solved with Zen principles (sometimes in hindsight). Well written, short, and relevant even though published 20 years ago. Plus it is always fun to read another view of how much the Silicon Valley culture has changed over 50 years.

[Arun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book...but like one other reader said..not something I was expecting from this book. I expected it to be something
Like 'Don't sweat the small stuff at work' kind, but interlaced with zen thoughts. I finished the book, but felt like not much got through to me. But it does mention that we shouldn't cling to any expectations and just let it be. So in that sense I guess I'll let it be.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

IBM as a platform for hauling water and wood. Very thoughtful, with a tone of reasonableness and respect.

[Lingui5t · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really didn't like it