Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen

Description

A companion volume to the bestselling book on Buddhism ever published, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind.

The Zen master Shunryu Suzuki was an unassuming, much-beloved spiritual teacher. Born the son of a Zen master in 1904, Suzuki began Zen training as a youngster and matured over many years of practice in Japan. After continuing to devote himself to his priestly life throughout the Second World War (when priests often turned to other occupations), Suzuki came to San Francisco in 1959. While some priests had come to the West with new suits and shiny shoes, Suzuki decided to come in an old robe with a shiny [shaved] head. Attracting students over several years, Suzuki established the Zen Center in San Francisco, with a training temple at Tassajara-the first in the West. After a lengthy illness, he died of cancer in December 1971. Edward Espe Brown was ordained as a Zen priest in 1971 by Shunryu Suzuki, who gave him the name Jusan Kainei, Longevity Mountain, Peaceful Sea. While a student at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, he wrote two bestselling books, The Tassajara Bread Book and Tassajara Cooking. His most recent book is Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings.

"Indeed something very special . . . [Brown] has edited transcriptions of Suzuki's talks that both read well on the page and capture the style, humor and solid grasp evident in [Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind]. This will prove highly valuable to anyone, rank novice or Zen master."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)