Eastern Wisdom: What Is Zen?/What Is Tao?/An Introduction to Meditation

by Alan W. Watts

Book by Watts, Alan

Genres: Buddhism, Philosophy

122 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2000

About the author

Alan Wilson Watts was a British philosopher, writer and speaker, who held both a Master's in Theology and a Doctorate of Divinity. Famous for his research on comparative religion, he was best known as an interpreter and popularizer of Asian philosophies for a Western audience. He wrote over 25 books and numerous articles on subjects such as personal identity, the true nature of reality, higher consciousness, the meaning of life, concepts and images of God and the non-material pursuit of happiness. In his books he relates his experience to scientific knowledge and to the teachings of Eastern and Western religion and philosophy.

Reviews

[Sanjay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had an e-copy of this book. It actually contains three books in one package.

1). What is Tao:
Alan Watts is the man that can be poetic in the prose. He says Tao is like water. If you try to hold it, it will slip through. So be like water and let life flow.

2). What is Zen:
This another gem in this collection. Zen is an experience. Zen is a special transmission outside scriptures which does not stand upon words. Zen teachings can be likened to "the finger pointing at the moon". He says don't mistake the finger for the moon and actually that's the mistake most of the people commit.

3). Introduction to meditation:
Basic guidelines for meditation and it shows what and what not meditation is.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find Watt's writing - or, in this case, lecturing - but turned into a book - deeply soul changing and mind altering.

It helps that I'm not especially familiar with the Eastern Philosophy he remixes for a Western audience, but its both novel and grounded enough to be deeply moving to me personally.

[Keti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will not write a full review about this book. I will simply say that the simplicity with which components of eastern philosophy are explained, is absolutely magnificent. I hadn't read such a good book in a long time. It deserves not only to be read, but to be re-read.

[Megan]

DNS 7/14/2021

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading.

[Killdannow]

I love Alan Watts.