The following about a book on Zen, written from my (as a Zen practitioner) point of view. In all likelihood, it may be a
challenge for the reader to understand parts of it, for that I apologise, but that is the nature of Zen. So just read and see what you think – or not!
Zen, Dawn in the West is split into four parts and some 300 pages long if you were to include the glossary and index, so I will attempt to do it some justice. I don’t want to produce a list and précis its contents or this review will take hours to read, so I am just going to take the salient points of the work that have inspired me.
This is an excellent companion book to The Three Pillars of Zen, and it draws upon
Roshi* Philip Kapleau’s experience from delivering seminars, workshops and lectures in Zen.
Where the Three Pillars of Zen provided instruction in the method of Zen Buddhism, Zen Dawn in the West reflects on the effect that Zen practice has had on American and European students, outlining their reactions from probing questions to doubts in their ability to reach enlightenment. This is followed by individual unique descriptions of transcending the everyday, thinking mind and realising enlightenment.
Most people are under the erroneous impression that Zen is not only atheist, but ignores social and moral values. Nothing could be further from the truth and this book shows how the practice of Zen encourages the morality and responsibility that naturally resides in all of us. Natural morality and responsibility that may for some, have been buried under decades of negative conditioning. In this vein the book addresses western society (by way of recorded seminars and workshops, whose attendants include psychoanalysts and businessmen and others from many walks of life), in its own language.
Subjects are covered as to what should/should not constitute a good Zen life. Ah, but Zen doesn’t adhere to anything, for it is explained that to do so would risk enslaving oneself to it. Zen teaches freedom from attachment. “Freedom to accept or reject without compulsion or remorse”. There is no absolute “shouldism”.
It is this sort of paradox that the work addresses and as the reader gets deeper and deeper into Kapleau’s writing, it’s almost as if an understanding on a much deeper level begins to glimmer. But of course, one does not learn Zen from books, but it is the inspirational writing in this book that acts as a catalyst to the reader, helping him/her to gain a deeper understanding of this powerful spiritual discipline.
The Buddha said to his disciples, when they feared losing him (and his teaching) one day, “Be ye lamps unto yourselves. Seek salvation in the dharma (ultimate truth), and look for no assistance from anyone apart from yourselves”.
Something that intrigued me…
A questioner asks how to find a good teacher of Zen. Roshi Kapleau gives a bewildering, but very Zen-like answer to this…
“I am not a Zen master, much less a teacher, so I don’t know!”
This is typical of an effective Zen master’s response, who can recognise when a student is ready for such a “Zen stick”. After a momentary stunned silence, the student asks, “What are you doing now if not teaching?” To which the Roshi replies, “Can anyone teach anything? It is rank conceit to think so.”
And so the book goes on in its fascinating paradoxical way (I have always been attracted to things that appear somewhat non-conformist). And in places there seems to be a typical “carrot and stick” process going on. Questions like, “Can enlightenment come without training” are answered by questions about whether spontaneous enlightenment is indeed genuine. Yet it seems that all awakening is sudden, it usually just happens to be preceded by years of training. And that training can be painful, as the ego relentlessly defends itself against losing it’s dominance of the mind. Thousands of people, throughout the world engage in Zen training, yet tthere is no gain without pain, and we’re not all masochists. In fact, I’m all for pleasure!
To conclude, I will say that Zen is not for everyone and the Way is rarely perfected, it is a constant challenge that produces a strength that is difficult to describe in speech not to mention with the written word. To me, Zen Dawn in the West is both encouraging and profound and I feel my life is richer for owning it, reading it and referring to various passages in it from time to time. I have barely touched on the information that is contained in it.
*Roshi means Master in Japanese whose task it is to inspire his students on the way to enlightenment (also termed, satori and kensho). The “qualifications” of a Roshi is that he himself (or her) has experienced profound enlightenment that has been confirmed by a Zen Master.