''Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind'' is a book of teachings by
Shunryu Suzuki, a compilation of talks given to his satellite
Zen
Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
center in
Los Altos, California
Los Altos (; Spanish for "The Heights") is a city in Santa Clara County, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 31,625 according to the 2020 census.
Most of the city's growth occurred between 1950 and 1980. Originally ...
. Published in 1970 by
Weatherhill
Shambhala Publications is an independent publishing company based in Boulder, Colorado. According to the company, it specializes in "books that present creative and conscious ways of transforming the individual, the society, and the planet". Ma ...
, the book is not academic, but contains frank and direct transcriptions of Suzuki's talks recorded by his student
Marian Derby.
Trudy Dixon and
Richard Baker (Baker was Suzuki's successor) edited the talks by choosing those most relevant, arranging them into chapters.
According to some, it has become a spiritual classic,
helping readers to steer clear from the trap of
intellectualism
Intellectualism is the mental perspective that emphasizes the use, the development, and the exercise of the intellect; and also identifies the life of the mind of the intellectual person. (Definition) In the field of philosophy, the term ''inte ...
.
Bodhin Kjolhede, Abbot of the
Rochester Zen Center
The Rochester Zen Center (RZC) is a Sōtō and Rinzai Zen Buddhist sangha in the Kapleau lineage, located in Rochester, New York and established in 1966 by Philip Kapleau. It is one of the oldest Zen centers in the United States.
History
Since i ...
, writes that, together with
Philip Kapleau's ''The Three Pillars of Zen'' (1965), it is one of the two most influential books on Zen in the west.
See also
*
Buddhism in the United States
The term American Buddhism can be used to describe all Buddhist groups within the United States, including Asian Americans, Asian-American Buddhists born into the faith, who comprise the largest percentage of Buddhists in the country.
American Budd ...
*
San Francisco Zen Center
San Francisco Zen Center (SFZC), is a network of affiliated Sōtō Zen practice and retreat centers in the San Francisco Bay area, comprising City Center or Beginner's Mind Temple, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, and Green Gulch Farm Zen Cente ...
*
Shoshin
''Shoshin'' ( ja, text=初心) is a concept from Zen Buddhism meaning beginner's mind. It refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying, even at an advanced level, just as a beginner would. The ...
*
Timeline of Zen Buddhism in the United States
Below is a timeline of important events regarding Zen Buddhism in the United States. Dates with "?" are approximate.
Events
Early history
* 1893: Soyen Shaku comes to the United States to lecture at the World Parliament of Religions held in ...
References
External links
''Archive.org copy of the actual book, with downloadable PDF, epub, etc. available.''David Chadwick's ''Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind'' siteDC's Shunryu Suzuki archive
1970 non-fiction books
San Francisco Zen Center
Zen studies books
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