From: 75742@novell1.rz.fht-mannheim.de (Marc Wachowitz)
Subject: Zen  (long)
Date: 17 Feb 92 18:43:07 GMT

This is a list of some books in found interesting in relation to Zen practice,
eastern-type philosophies etc.

Abbreviations:
A  = Author (sometimes mainly collector/translator)
ET = title of the English language edition
EP = publisher of the English language edition
GT = title of the German language edition
GP = publisher of the German language edition

Since I have lent some books to friends, or just borrowed some from the local
library some time ago, the information isn't always complete. If you need
more information on a particular item, don't hesitate to contact me.

The little notes I've added are only meant as short hints about the style/
intention of the books, in my impression, and should not be taken as
general characterization.

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A: Zenkei Shibayama
ET: A Flower Does Not Talk
GT: Eine Blume lehrt ohne Worte - Zen in Gleichnis und Bild
GP: O.W.Barth

Shows the beauty which is often forgotten over ideas of training.

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A: Charlotte Joko Beck
ET: Everyday Zen
EP: Harper & Row, New York
GT: Zen im Alltag
GP: Knaur, Muenchen

A guide to Zen as a way to handle one's everyday life problems.
Almost no traditional elements, besides a few stories.

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A: Shunryu Suzuki
ET: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
EP: John, Weatherhill, Inc., New York/Tokyo
GT: Zen-Geist, Anfaenger-Geist
GP: Theseus, Zuerich

Practice and practical philosophy of Soto-Zen. Beautyful.

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A: Robert Aitken
ET: Taking the Path of Zen
EP: North Point Press, San Francisco
GT: Zen als Lebenspraxis
GP: Diederichs, Muenchen

Introduction for novices. Elements of tradition, but not strengthened.
Good hints about the concrete problems of sitting (psychic and physical).
Commentary on the "Mu"-koan. History of his own development.

A: Robert Aitken
ET: The Mind of Clover
EP: North Point Press, Berkeley
GT: Ethik des Zen
GP: Diederichs, Muenchen

Application of traditional rules for everyday life.
Compassion together with humour and lightness.

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A: Eugen Herrigel
GT: Der Zen-Weg
GP: O.W.Barth

Philosophically oriented; maybe not appropriate as introduction.
I don't know if an English translation exists at all.

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A: Jiddu Krishnamurti
ET: Freedom from the Known
GT: Einbruch in die Freiheit
GP: Ullstein, Frankfurt/M - Berlin

Teachings of the "pathless path" summarized. Religious life without religion.

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A: Paul Reps, Nyogen Senzaki
ET: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones
EP: Arkana
GT: Ohne Worte, Ohne Schweigen
GP: O.W.Barth (?)

Collection of 101 Zen stories; Mumonkan (without commentary; a few translations
appear to be problematic); 10 ox-herding pictures with terse notes; many
methods of centering (from an ancient indian texts).

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A: K^oun Yamada
ET: Gateless Gate. Newly translated with commentary by Zen master K^oun Yamada
GT: Mumonkan: Zen-Meister Mumons Koan-Sammlung / neu uebertragen und
kommentiert
    von K^oun Yamada
GP: Koesel

The famous koan collection of Wu-men, with K^oun Yamada's "simple"
(in a positive sense) teishos.

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A: Wilhelm Gundert
GT: Bi-Y"an-Lu - Niederschrift von der Smaragdenen Felswand; Bd. 1-3
GP: Carl Hanser, Muenchen

This was the first translation of the Bi-Y"an-Lu (Hekiganroku) into a
western language, with excellent comments by the translator.
These koans show the beautyful poetry and humour which is sometimes lost
in the Mumonkan. A gem (but look inside :-).
Volumes 1 and 2 contain examples 1-50. The 3rd volume is currently not
available but is said to be reprinted; it goes until example 63.
(Examples 64-100 not included, due to the death of the translator.)

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A: Alan Watts
ET: The Way of Zen
GT: Zen - Tradition und lebendiger Weg

Overview over development of Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Zen.
Good introduction into notions of eastern philosophy. Many quotations
of various sources.
Sometimes supposed to be "beat-zen" (not my opinion; anyway I'm doubtful
about the usefulness of those divisions).

A: Alan Watts
ET: Tao, The Watercourse Way
GT: Der Lauf des Wassers
GP: suhrkamp

Introduction into "philosophic" Taoism. Attempts to provide the reader with
a "feeling", instead of a formal, historic treatment.

A: Alan Watts
ET: The Meaning of Happyness
GT: Die sanfte Befreiung

Relations between (mainly) eastern religion/philosophy and modern psychology.

A: Alan Watts
ET: In My Own Way
GT: Zeit zu leben
GP: Heyne

His autobiography. Not directly a book about "eastern" religion/philosophy
etc.;
this time he attempts to express his "message" by showing stations of his path.

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A: Janwillem van de Wetering
ET: The Empty Mirror
EP: Routledge & Kegan Paul, London
GT: Der leere Spiegel
GP: Rowohlt, Hamburg

His experience as a novice in a Japanese Zen monastery, where he "gave up" and
left after 18 month.

A: Janwillem van de Wetering
ET: A Glimpse of Nothingness
EP: Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston
GT: Ein Blick ins Nichts
GP: Rowohlt, Hamburg

He tried it again many years later, in a small camp in America.

Humorous, but still serious.

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A: Stephan Schuhmacher
GT: Han Shan - 150 Gedichte vom Kalten Berg
GP: Diederichs, Koeln

Poems of a centered excentric who went into the mountains.

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A: Suichi Kato, Eva Thom
GT: Ikkyu S^ojun - Im Garten der schoenen Shin;
    Die laesterlichen Gedichte des Zen-Meisters "Verrueckte Wolke"
GP: Diederichs, Muenchen

Poems of "Crazy Cloud", who fought against established formal traditions in
Zen. Much may be rumors, still provoking and amusing.

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