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dkai's review
4.0
First reread since college course on Buddhist meditation. I find it to be an understandable, concise text that clears up some common misconceptions about Buddhism while also probing deep into fundamental ideas. There's just a few points where the time it was written becomes obvious, but those are more the author reflecting surroundings rather than saying how things ought to be. Curious if others who read it find it to be a good introductory text, or if it comes off as too confusing or something.
katrinadalythompson's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
kmccubbin's review against another edition
4.0
It's been a long time since I have been assigned reading, but when I took the position of Tenzo at our local Zen Buddhist temple, I was told to read this. So I did.
Here's what it is, it's about 20 pages of a translation of Dogen's instructions to the Tenzo from his epic Shobogenzo and about 70 pages of Kosho Uchiyama's commentary on those 20 pages.
There are points in Uchiyama's commentary where he strongly illuminates Dogen's text, really bringing to bear the weight of your role as a cook as part of your practice. At other times, I'm unsure of where the whole thing is going. "You can never share a fart, " for example.
Umm.
Still, quite valuable for the aspiring, learning on the job, Tenzo.
Here's what it is, it's about 20 pages of a translation of Dogen's instructions to the Tenzo from his epic Shobogenzo and about 70 pages of Kosho Uchiyama's commentary on those 20 pages.
There are points in Uchiyama's commentary where he strongly illuminates Dogen's text, really bringing to bear the weight of your role as a cook as part of your practice. At other times, I'm unsure of where the whole thing is going. "You can never share a fart, " for example.
Umm.
Still, quite valuable for the aspiring, learning on the job, Tenzo.
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