One Bird, One Stone: 108 American Zen Stories

by Sean Murphy

One Bird, One Stone is a distinctly American take on the ancient tradition and practice of Zen Buddhism. Drawn from the archives of major Zen centers in America and interviews with some of the most seminal figures of American Zen, including Philip Kapleau, Bernie Glassman, and Walter Nowick, One Bird, One Stone presents the notable encounters between teachers and students, the moments of insight and wisdom, the quotable quotes, and the humor of Zen as it has flowered in America over the last hundred-plus years.

Genres: Buddhism, Zen, Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Short Stories

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

SEAN MURPHY'S debut novel, The Hope Valley Hubcap King, (Bantam/Dell, 2002/2004), won the Hemingway Award for a First Novel and was a 2003 Book Sense pick. See info on his latest, The Time of New Weather, below. He is also the author of the Pulitzer-nominated The Finished Man (Bantam/Dell 2004), as well as One Bird, One Stone (Renaissance/St. Martins 2002), a nonfiction chronicle of Zen practice in America. He has been a Zen meditation practitioner for 20 years, and teaches meditation, creative writing and literature for UNM-Taos, as well as leading writing workshops for a variety of organizations and his own Big Sky Writing Workshops

Reviews

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Bird, One Stone tells the history of Zen in America, and it interweaves one hundred and eight koans posed by American teachers into the text.

Some things I want to remember:

His way of transmitting the Dharma was on a completely different level . . . it was his silence that brought us into it with him.

Murphy, Sean. One Bird, One Stone: 108 Contemporary Zen Stories (p. 14). Red Wheel/Weiser. Kindle Edition.

Once you enter upon the Buddha's Way with sincerity and zeal, Bodhisattvas will spring up everywhere to help you.

Murphy, Sean. One Bird, One Stone: 108 Contemporary Zen Stories (p. 21). Red Wheel/Weiser. Kindle Edition.

“Inside me there is a yes and a no.”
“Follow the yes,” Suzuki told her.

Murphy, Sean. One Bird, One Stone: 108 Contemporary Zen Stories (p. 67). Red Wheel/Weiser. Kindle Edition.

“If you could change one thing in your life,” writes Zen student Maureen Jisho Ford, “get rid of one person or alter one situation what would it be? That is your practice. If I could take it away from you, I would not do so, because . . . I would be robbing you of the opportunity to grow and to learn. It is only when life grabs you by the back of your neck and flings you to your knees that you cry out, “Why, why, why?” That “Why?” is the beginning of the spiritual journey.”

Murphy, Sean. One Bird, One Stone: 108 Contemporary Zen Stories (p. 182). Red Wheel/Weiser. Kindle Edition.

“With the chip it is more valuable. See? Just as it is.” Over the years, says O'Hara, “this has emerged as his great teaching for me . . . he was broken. I am broken. And when we can see that we are all chipped and broken, we begin to value our life as an expression of the teaching that we are truly perfect and complete, just as we are.”

Murphy, Sean. One Bird, One Stone: 108 Contemporary Zen Stories (p. 182). Red Wheel/Weiser. Kindle Edition.

[Paul Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from GoodReads as a GoodReads First Read. I approached this book without any former knowledge of the Zen religion, culture, notable personalities, or basic vocabulary. I thought the concept of modernizing Zen practice and approaching it from a Western/ American perspective seemed like a very interesting idea, and perhaps a good way to introduce myself to the topic. I can away from the book with mixed feelings.
There were elements that I liked a great deal. Contextualizing Zen into the works of the American Beat writers was fascinating; their adherence to zen was new information to me, and it worked to inform my deeper understanding of their work. The explorations of Zen's similarities to and interconnectedness to psychology was also very interesting, I was disappointed to see that discussion limited to a couple pages in the back.
I feel that this would be great resource for a reader already somewhat fluent in Zen practice and terminology, seeking to understand the history and lineage of American Zen masters. As an outsider, the organization of the book threw me off a bit; for instance, I kept wishing that there was a glossary at the beginning for basic terms, only to find, after I finished reading the book, that there was one at the end the whole time. On a technical level, the typefaces were a bit disorienting. There was one page that had no fewer than 5 different fonts/ styles, with the different numbered zen stories interrupting the narrative, italic asides in the form of traditional sayings, and seemingly random new headings for new sections.
Overall, while this book focused on the history of American Zen, I was hoping to read more about its future. For instance, I was hoping to find examples of American history being used as a form of Zen education, or taking something intrinsically American and pulling from it a new perspective to help aid accessibility to contemporary Zen. None of this is to take away the deep and complicated history of Chinese and Japanese Zen practice, I just got the impression that most of the stories and exchanges between student and teacher seemed so basic, and approaching the philosophy at its core, that they could have been held at any time and in any culture.
But by all means! If you're interested in Zen and how it has spread through the United States, then this would be a great starting point to explore various names and stages of the practice's spread.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean Murphey's life-long dedication to Zen philosophy and practice shines clearly though this exquisite compilation of suscinct "American" Zen stories. Liberating enlightenment seekers from less-accessible koans and esoteric anecdotes from the Far East's distant past, Murphy will doubtlessly come to be known as one of the Founding Fathers of modern Zen for our here and now tumultuous, plugged-in, off-times overwhelming world. Like a good poem one doesn't just read this book so much as experience it.

Robert P. Johnson
author of "Thirteen Moons: A Year in the Wilderness" and "the momentum of folly"

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I'm married to the author

[Zane Akers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowed from the public library as part of my on-again, off-again, will-they-won't-they, Ross and Rachel relationship with Zen. As a concept the book is delightful: Zen comes to America and, perhaps, the stories of American teachers and students will become koans in their own right someday. And I don't doubt that some of these stories will acquire koan status in the future. But the book is often a weird, scattered mishmash of historical narrative, interview, dharma talk fragment, biographical sketch, and potential new koan. I probably would've presented a historical overview then a block of Zen stories from the period of history, and I can honestly imagine that's what the first draft of the book looked like. In its published form, however, it's almost like an overlong celebrity tabloid magazine article about Zen in America, at least in terms of its choppiness and attempts at brevity.

The author is a prize winning novelist, and I have not read any of his novels, but in this book his style is a little bland, and his purpose is sometimes unclear. (Is this on purpose, to let the words of the Zen masters shine like jewels out of the dust of second-class prose? Probably not...) Further, he comes off as deeply starstruck by the teachers he interviews, and the reader wonders if he really grasps the teaching or is just really really impressed with the aura of the teachers transmitting it. (To be fair, the starstruck-ness seems common among American Zen authors and the practitioners they write about--it's all over the author of this book and the students he mentions, and I've noticed it in the students of Joko Beck in "Everyday Zen" as well as in the editor of that volume. I find this fawning, obsequious attitude distasteful.)
Anyway, three stars because there is some excellent information, though I find it to be presented oddly.

[Laura Monagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

In OBOS, Sean Murphy offers a rare and important collection of Zen stories compiled through his extensive travels and meetings with contemporary Zen teachers. A practitioner himself, Murphy selects stories that range from the poignant to the humorous and, oft times, in classic Zen tradition, the downright confounding. Just when we think we "have it," the next story proves that it can all slip away into confusion. The author's neatly structured introduction to each story welcomes us on the journey with him, seeking the elusive thread of meaning that will tie everything together. In OBOS I found no such thread but somehow came away inspired to further explore the quiet mind. This is a book that belongs in the hands of every person interested in the Zen tradition in America, but also of anyone on a journey toward self-actualization and awakening.

Laura Monagan

The Unaccompanied Tour

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few books I believe that just about anyone can benefit from reading. Only transgression is that it might be a tad longer than it needs to be and still carry thee same message and meaning. If you're looking for a good book that's full of well-written and beneficial stories, this could be a good choice for you. Plus, now you should read it to see if you agree with me that a part or two didn't really need to be there.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and have read it numerous times. There are wonderful story-lines, reflections on Buddhist philosophy.

[Mary McCray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best introduction/history of Zen hands down.

[Sparrow .]

What is American Zen? That itself could be a koan.

Do Americans despise hierarchy and tradition, or are they thirsting for hierarchy and tradition?

Q: What did the Zenmaster say to the McDonald’s clerk?
A: “I’d like a cheeseburger and fries.”

[I invented that joke.]

Apparently in our nation, Zen-as-activism was invented.

Opening at random:

A karate student doing a retreat with Joshu Sasaki Roshi, of the Mount Baldy Zen Center near Los Angeles, has been struggling with a koan for some time, with no results. Finally during a private interview he became so frustrated that he let out a great shout and threw a karate punch directly at the teacher, stopping inches from Sasaki’s face.

The roshi was unmoved. “Right answer,” he said. “Wrong koan.”

[Noahuebscher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, give it a try. It may is not for total beginners, but for anyone who's interested in Zen. The book is interesting because it really is written from a western perspective and shows the contemporary American Zen style which tries to bridge to the traditional, orient Zen style. Good research, lots of anecdotes, authentic. And information!

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an easy read for a great intro to Zen stories and the history of Zen practices in the US...

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A narrative history of Zen in the United States, told through little stories, jokes, and Zen-type tales. Often felt choppy.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating stories of Zen in America. Unfortunately, loses steam in its final third.

[Timothy Seekings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely collection of stories and anecdotes weaving together a recent history of how Zen unfolded in the Western realm.

[MaryEllen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite happy to win this book through Goodreads, but was initially very disappointed as I was reading.

It would be better titled "History of Zen in America." I would probably not recommend it as the first Zen book you read. I knew little to nothing about Zen before reading this book and felt that I would've gotten more out of it if I had more background knowledge.

Towards the end of the book, I finally let go of my unfulfilled expectations and accepted it for what it was. Once I did that, I did enjoy it and I am glad I read it. That's why I still gave it 4 stars.

I think if it was presented more accurately as a history with anecdotes sprinkled throughout it would be better received.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. They were good stories of zen, but were they zen stories? For some reason i thought i was going to listen to new versions of time tested koans. Instead it was a very well written tumble through the world with that askew viewpoint that makes up the best of all of the practice. No koans persay, but thoughts that woke some folk up. Well worth reading.

[Shari · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting book, but not quite what I expected. I expected longer zen stories, but most are quick blurbs sometimes with a few per page. The main gist of the book was the bringing of zen to America which is not indicated by the title of the book.


I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I read most of this book, but have since lost it somewhere.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine collection of life teaching stories from American Zen experiences, teaching, and the developing tradition.

[Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review disappeared.