Living And Dying In Zazen : Five Zen Masters Of Modern Japan

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Summary: A Refreshing and Honest Adventure - a favorite book on Zen
Review: I have all of Arthur Braverman's books and this is a favorite. In fact, of the 50 or so books on Zen and meditation I have read inthe past few years, Living and Dying in Zazen is on of my top three favorites (the other two are by Alan Watts and D.T. Suzuki). Arthur Braverman takes you on a semi-autobiographical adventure into his experiences with and research into five very colorful Zen masters of modern Japan. The book is both about these teachers and Mr. Braverman's life in Zen training in Japan. The accounts are refreshingly candid, funny, and profound, leaving the reader with a deeper and yet challenging desire for the practice of zazen as "just sitting." It kicked a number of misconceptions out from under me! Anyone who is considering monastic life or who wants to understand Zen practice and meditation should read this book - and thoroughly enjoy it!

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Summary: Zazen is Useless!
Review: This is a colorful and inspiring account of a diverse group of modern Japanese Zen masters, centered around the Kyoto temple of Antaiji and its charismatic teacher Kodo Sawaki Roshi. Braverman studied at Antaiji in the 1960s and returned years later to interview those who practiced there years before. Sawaki Roshi was a dynamic and powerful teacher - everything one imagines a Zen master ought to be. His Dharma heir Kosho Uchiyama seemed just the opposite, a shy, retiring person with nothing seeemingly special about him beyond a simple devotion to just sitting. Uchiyama once asked Sawaki if the practice of Zazen would help make him more like his teacher - Sawaki, bellowed, "NO. I was like this before I practiced Zen...zazen is useless!" The "uselessness" of zazen is the koan explored throughout this book - the paradox that there is "no gain" to be had from years of Zazen. Braverman struggled for years to come to terms with the ordinariness of Uchiyama before he could finally see his unobtrusive ordinariness as the very heart of his Zen. There are also wonderful accounts of other of Sawaki's heirs, especially Sodo Yokoyama, a modern day Ryokan who never ran a temple of his own, but practiced zazen in the city park, writing poems and playing songs for passersby. Braverman's account of these teachers offers clear and inspiring portraits of some of the many faces of Zen practice.
Highly recommneded.

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Summary: The real deal
Review: Yokoyama Sodan Roshi has been a hero of mine ever since I saw a japanese published book that included many beautiful Photos of his impeccable posture in Zazen. I am so happy that there is finally some information in english on this unique master. Thank you Aurther Braverman. For further information on Uchiyama roshi I highly recommend the books edited by his disciple Shohaku Okumura. "Opening the hand of thought" and "From the zen kitchen to enlightenment."