{"id":6208,"date":"2013-02-04T13:18:38","date_gmt":"2013-02-04T18:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/?p=6208"},"modified":"2013-02-04T13:38:20","modified_gmt":"2013-02-04T18:38:20","slug":"a-guide-to-zen-a-review-of-a-new-abridgment-of-an-old-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/monkeymind\/2013\/02\/a-guide-to-zen-a-review-of-a-new-abridgment-of-an-old-book.html","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Zen: A Review of A New Abridgment of an Old Book"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

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\nA Guide to Zen: Lessons from a Modern Master<\/a><\/p>\n

Katsuki Sekida<\/p>\n

Edited by Marc Allen<\/p>\n

New World Library, 2013, Novato<\/p>\n

When I was asked if I\u2019d like to review this new abridged edition of Katsuki Sekida\u2019s Zen Training<\/em>, I was happy to do so. <\/p>\n

I\u2019d read the book probably around when it was published, in 1975. Admittedly, many readers found it rough sledding, dense and technical. I thought it manna, food from heaven. Rereading the parts put together by Sekida Sensei\u2019s admirer Marc Allen, I perhaps see some of the truth of the criticisms.<\/p>\n

Still, in the near endless round of new introductions to Zen practice, I think it worthy and I recommend it.<\/p>\n

Katsuki Sekida was a lay practitioner in the Rinzai tradition. Soen Nakagawa Roshi gave him permission to serve as an adviser to the Diamond Sangha in Hawaii after Eido Shimano\u2019s controversial stay. Aitken Roshi spoke fondly of him and gratefully for Sekida Sensei\u2019s guidance. He ended up spending seven years in Hawaii. Later Sochu Suzuki, one of Soen Nakagawa\u2019s successors sent Sekida Sensei to London where he served a similar function there. It appears Zen Training<\/em> was worked out during these years, much of it appearing first as Dharma<\/a> talks in Hawaii & London.<\/p>\n

In his youth Marc Allen spent six months with the Diamond Sangha when Sekida Sensei was there, in addition to his other activities he served as the old teacher\u2019s amanuensis. I think Mr Allen did a good job of cutting to the chase and giving us the heart of the matter \u2013 of an introduction to the forms of Rinzai Zen meditation short of koan introspection, which is not touched upon here.<\/p>\n

I think it fairly outlines the basics of Zen practice from a Rinzai perspective. From my own perspective it puts a bit too much emphasis on breath manipulation and on samadhi states. But it is an honest representation of these disciplines with the emphasis one is going to expect to find in a mainstream Rinzai community.<\/p>\n

Mr Allen also included Sekida Sensei\u2019s meditation on the classic Ten Oxherding Pictures, providing another angle on what I find an endlessly fascinating map of the Zen way of liberation. For me this is the most interesting part of the book. <\/p>\n

Bottom line, a worthy reflection from an old Zen hand, and well worth a read.<\/p>\n