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June 1989 pRIMARY pOINT 13

that is, a kind of which takes the self, but as Only a month after their son was born, study pains, pains of confusion well. Problems the Lotus: The Un­ life and and the entire world as its Lady of Siddartha and Yasodhara parted as lovers, death, of authority and leadership are being faced domain. Zen would then be a in told Love Story of The Bud­ forever. Rahula, who was born during an discipline with courage. What is trust? 'There is a fine both senses of the word: a and intel­ eclipse, was named after the god who had spiritual line between the kind of trust that leads to dha and His Wife. William lectual and would bear on stolen the moon. His father's kingdom now training: directly stronger practice and a misplaced trust that current to resolve the issues ofthe E. Barrett Tarcher, had an heir and Siddartha joined those who attempts brings only pain". Martin Collcutt gives a (Jeremy modern world." wander seeking Truth. He would not see his thorough analysis of the teacher-student Los 1989, in Zen. It is to under­ Inc., Angeles, wife, his son or his elderly father again until In the chapter titled "Recent Develop­ relationship difficult truly 376pp.) after his Enlightenment. ments in North American Zen, Kenneth Kraft stand this in Western Zen simply because it is discusses transformations in Zen in North "detached" from a Buddhist context. There is Yasodhara became a widow whose hus­ Reviewed Bruce by Sturgeon America. There are needs of no well-defined Sangha that would facilitate an band was still alive. A practical person, she lay practitioners William E. Barrett was the author of the and there exist issues the role of integrated environment. It is a revealing in­ maintained a certain composure so that she concerning best- novels The Lilies 'he Field and the Master. There are also various traditions sight! selling of could raise the king-to-be, but her heart was The Hand God and eleven others. How­ blend Left of broken. present simultaneously. The is exciting Other essays in the book provide a ever, this work was one that he pursued for a and there is a wonderful spirit of questioning profound treatment of the traditional aspects of Yasodhara would eventually meet the large portion of his life. Although the idea for and examination. Aitken Roshi makes men­ Zen as well. Soko Roshi a Buddha and remade that Siddartha was indeed Morinaga gives this book began when he met Dr. A.K. tion of a "responsibility" upon every one of us wonderful account of his to enter a dead to her forever. She would later form a struggles Coomaraswamy and his wife in India when "to learn what our practice is and to carry it Zen Monastery. For three days he stood out­ group of nuns who were, for the most part, was was Mr. Barrett in his forties, the book not forth". The commitment is two sided...for the side in bitter withstood blows widows and of the lowest caste. Unfortunate­ cold, physical published until he was 75 years old. In the practitioner and for the teacher also. and kicks that sent him flying out of the gate, ly, they disbanded upon her death. Mr. Barrett meantime he collected over 430 volumes in his The of teachers that arrived but he never in. That is courage and suggests that she is honored today in Bud­ generation gave personal library on Buddhism, Hinduism, India of will. He learned about Hakuin's dhism by the female figure of the Queen of from various countries into the U.S (Joshu strength and and traveled extensively to insure Great Root of Great Ball of Doubt and a Nepal, Heaven and Kwan Seum Bosal. Sasaki Roshi, Zen Master Seung Sahn) has Faith, the authenticity of his research. Because of this fierce of ex­ slowly been giving way to another generation Tenacity Purpose by practical extensive Mr. Barrett is able to Rahula renounces his right to the throne research, of Western teachers. More often than not, it is perience. Master Sheng-Yen writes about sit­ the Buddha. ancient India so that the book after meeting his father, He dies portray vividly on-the-job training for them. Lincoln Rhodes, ting meditation and provides instructions. flows and in his mother's arms, defending a group of along, keeps your attention becomes of the Kwan Urn Zen School talks about this Kapleau Roshi writes about the one-on-one en­ nuns from a band of horsemen. a real roving warring counter with the Zen Master which is an uni­ page-turner. role: "None of you asked us to be your The Buddha lives and teaches into his of Zen Canadian Zen I found it most interesting that Mr. Barrett teacher. I didn't even ask myself to be in this que aspect practice. 81st a that survives to teacher Albert Low tells about Hakuin' s classic did not simply use the time-worn myths of the year leaving legacy situation. It just happened to us together.... .It i modern time, The of his and his verse in of meditation. Buddha's youth and his "discovery" of sick­ story family also takes time for the people who are put in praise are too for most of us I old death and the This renunciation almost real the of teachers to be able to do ness, age religious path. position being Eido Roshi's essay discusses Zen Koans. I to I felt more than a little sadness is an and is a bit dif­ contemplate. it...Just because Dae Soen Sa Nim some­ original rendering quite gives He mentions a very creative idea about a new .l the birth and stories of the that no accommodation could be made for 'j ferent from youth one permission to teach, it doesn't mean all of koan system for westerners. These are selec­ such an romantic love and a son Buddha that many of us are familiar with. extraordinary a sudden you are a great teacher. By analogy, tions from various western sources that would :j that would never know is the 'I an his father. Such can own While one could hardly call this academic maybe you fix your car, but you've help the western student gain a "real taste"of " of this Great Matter of Life and Death. a weight never done and now it's Buddhist text, it is lyrical historical novel that Toyotas, interesting koan study. He also gives some parallel koans: This book us an excellent to reminded me of or a work of Leon gives opportunity because you have to work on all kinds of Shogun "H the doors of were II our own and perception cleansed, Uris or Herman Wouk. There's a screenplay vicariously explore relationships cars." everything would appear as it is, infinite." here somewhere. the difficulty of the choice that the Buddha There is also an role for women important - made in renouncing the house-holder's life. William Blake The Lady and 'he Lotus is the only work practitioners and teachers. What does all this Ganto said, "H you want to know the last about the Buddha' s wife, Yasodhara and his mean? It means "Involvement and Interaction" word, I'll tell you, simply -This! This!" son Rahula. The book begins by recounting the Zen: Tradition and Transi­ and a "Tradition in Transition". Zen Master births of Yasodhara and Siddartha, who were tion, Kenneth Kraft, Ed., Seung Sahn talks about this future transforma­ - Blue Cliff Record, Case 51 born on the same day in neighboring kingdoms tion thus: "When Bodhidharma came to Or: in what is now Nepal. In fact, her name means (Grove Press, 1988,224 China, he became the First Patriarch of Zen. pp.) "And the fire and the rose are one" "Companion to Fame." Their youthful As the result of a "marriage" between Vipas­ $16.95 - T.S. Eliot romance is brought to life amidst the court in­ sana style Indian meditation and Chinese trigue, caste discrimination and the cultural nar­ Reviewed by Dhananjay Joshi Taoism, Zen appeared. Now it has come to the "The Master Swordsman rowness that was ancient India. Yasodhara and West and what is already here'? Christianity, He thatfindeth life shall lose it, and he Is like the lotus blooming in the fire" Siddartha were drawn to each other upon their Judaism, so forth. So, when Zen "gets mar­ that losetli his lifefor my sake shallfind it. - Tozan (Tung-Shan) first meeting and they had a romance that was ried" to one of these traditions, a new style of

- Dr. Burton Watson's on Zen so deep that New Agers would call them "Soul­ New Testament Buddhism will appear. Perhaps there will be a chapter is followed three the mates." However, Siddartha was "dif­ Matriarch and all Dharma transmission would poetry by chapters tracing clearly a monks, die once on the ifyou historical of Zen in China and ferent" as a youth and almost seemed tom go from woman to woman. Why not? developments by shall never die. cushion, you Dr. McRae focuses on the of the his dual prophecy at birth. Yasodhara always Everyone must create American Buddhism". Japan. story wondered if he had not learned of his - Hakuin Sixth patriarch Hui-Neng, and Professor T. destiny In Bernard Tetsugen Glassman's Zen com­ Griffith Foulk outlines the life of Zen of either a ruler or a daily being great great religious The origins of Zen practice go back munity of New York, Zen meditation is the that his life would not monks today. All these essays provide a leader, perhaps early thousands of years, yet the practice is very central practice, but the meditation hall is non­ wonderful balance for the reader. have been so troubled. much alive today. I think the secret lies in the denominational. There are other developments What is Zen then? Moment to mo­ With Yasodhara's support, Siddartha fact that Zen practice has always embraced the such as use of chants in English and a lesser practice we must attain in our lives. The learned the subtleties of political life and saw spontaneous and at the same time held a high emphasis on Asian languages that reflect a ment, clarity of and Toni Zen Masters must believe in that the time was ripe for someone to seize the regard for the traditional. The title of this book spirit adaptation discovery. say you yourself. Packer's The real Zen creeds and initiative and combine, through war or is therefore appropriate in the sense that one organization, Springwater Center, practice goes beyond Master finds a combination of both removed a reference" to Zen in dogmas. life is Zen. Zen diplomacy, several of the smaller kingdom s in unique tradition "lingering Everyday said:" the Buddha is the region. It could have easily been him. Fur­ and transition in Zen practice. Tradition is not 1986 for they wanted to "work without any Dogen Studying Way a ties". oneself. oneself is forgetting thermore, he was uncertain how a religious life discarded and change is very much vital part studying Studying oneself. oneself is of to life. This book an Forgetting being enlightened could be possible since he was not of the Brah­ day day brings together The process of transition is complex and collection of articles various Zen by all min caste. impressive by rewarding, but, rarely free of problems. In the things." Masters and scholars. Practitioners tend to shun However, Yasodhara saw clearly that epilogue, problems of authority in Zen are ad­ scriptural studies while academicians frequent­ dressed Martin Collcutt. Zen in Siddartha's concern was the plight of the by groups have limited This book people, especially the untouchables, and that ly experiential insight. America have experienced not only growing examines the One cannot attain full he had no stomach for war and the death it gap. benefits of Zen practice by just studying and would bring or for diplomacy with its deceit, yet studying need not necessarily hinder betrayal and alienation. While riding one day serious practitioners. Each can complement the he discovered one of the holy men who lived other. Dr. Kevin in the dense forests. He then knew that he Keegan would have to follow this path that was In the introduction, Kenneth Kraft talks Chiropractic Physician prophesied- "The path that no man had about a "brand new brand of Buddhist prac­ walked before." titioner and a brand new Buddhist scholar". Professor Maraldo's vision says:"I ask if Zen it­ • low back self may be practiced as a field of scholarship, pain • neckand shoulderpain • jointpain The Buddhist Bookstore

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