Ask the Awakened: The Negative Way

by Wei Wu Wei

Between the years 1958 and 1974, a series of books appeared that were attributed to the mysterious Wei Wu Wei. This is a new edition of perhaps the most important of these. It draws on a variety of sources, including Taoism (specifically texts attributed to Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu); Buddhism (especially the Heart, Diamond, and Lankavatara Sutras); Chan Buddhism (as taught by Hui Neng, Huang Po, Hui Hai, etc.); and the teachings of Padmasambhava and Sri Ramana Maharshi, among others.

This classic gem of Eastern spirituality will find a renewed readership in the current climate of interest in Buddhism. Wei Wu Wei's unique and fresh interpretation of the ancient teachings opens the reader's eyes: "Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 percent of everything you think, and of everything you do, is for yourself--and there isn't one." This powerful book rewards by exposing illusions and takes the reader beyond logic to the inexpressible truth of existence.

Author Biography: The identity of Wei Wu Wei was not revealed at the time of the publication of his first book. But we now know a few background details that help put the writings into context. He was born in 1895 into a well-established Irish family, was raised on an estate outside Cambridge, England, and went to Oxford. Early in life, he pursued an interest in Egyptology. This was followed by a period of involvement in the arts in Britain in the 1920s and 1930s. Having exhausted his interest in this field, he turned to philosophy and metaphysics, traveling throughout Asia and spending time at the ashram of Sri Ramana Maharshi. In 1958, at the age of 63, he saw the first of the Wei Wu Wei <%END%>

Genres: Buddhism, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Eastern Philosophy

203 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 1963

About the author

Terence James Stannus Gray was a theatre producer who created the Cambridge Festival Theatre as an experimental theatre in Cambridge. He produced over 100 plays there between 1926 and 1933. Later in life, under the pen name Wei Wu Wei, he published several books on Taoist philosophy.

Reviews

[Michael Joe Armijo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Am I Missing Something Here?

Okay...I consider myself a spiritual human being and I have been so enlightened by the Dalai Lama book 'The Art of Happiness' or Marlo Morgan's 'Mutant Message from Forever' or even "As It Is" (another great one by Tony Parsons); however, this one did NOT awaken me. If anything I wanted to fall asleep many times. It's a bunch of mish-mosh for some so-called person to think they're "enlightened" when (if you've read 'As It Is') one will realize that NO ONE can ever be "enlightened"--let alone "awakened". So, if you want to 'Ask the Awakened' don't bother reading this book. Instead, ask your ownself 'What is RIGHT for you'? There were a few lines that managed to grasp my attention. For instance:
"What we seek to describe by the word "love" is emotion experienced in certain highly personal channels, charged with possesiveness, shadowed by jealousy, with its counterpart "hate" ever ready to take its place."
OR
"Words can never transfer understanding: they can only open the way for pre-existing knowledge to rise into consciousness."
OR
"If the mind could be looked-at, it would then be an OBJECT OF KNOWLEDGE."
And so, I did take away something (but things I already knew--just not formulated in this manner). I was just turned on when I saw that every reviewer before me gave this book 5 STARS. Hello? I just don't see why. Read one of the three aforementioned books above and you'll definitely be "awakened".

[Paul]

Stopped reading after 50 pages

[Dean Paradiso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another classic by Wei Wu Wei. I found this book to be a little more challenging to read, and relates closer to examining the teachings of certain Buddhist doctrines and writings in light of WWW's unique nondual take. If you enjoy his other books, you'll undoubtedly enjoy this too.

[Jason Duffy]

This guy is all over the place. I didn't like it.