Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living

367 Pages·2000·4.14 MB·English

by  Gary McClain

Zen Living
by Gary R. McClain, Ph.D.,
and Eve Adamson
A Pearson Education Company
201 West 103rd Street
Indianapolis, IN 46290
To my father, Dale McClain.
Copyright © 2001 by Amaranth
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys-
tem, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is as-
sumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every
precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher, book pro-
ducer, and authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any lia-
bility assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein.
For information, address Alpha Books, 201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290.
THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO and Design are registered trademarks of
Pearson Education.
International Standard Book Number: 0-02-863958-8
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: Available upon request.
03 02 01 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of num-
bers is the year of the book’s printing; the rightmost number of the second series of
numbers is the number of the book’s printing. For example, a printing code of 01-1
shows that the first printing occurred in 2001.
Printed in the United States of America
Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its authors. It is intended to
provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with
the understanding that the authors, book producer, and publisher are not engaged in
rendering professional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance
or advice, a competent professional should be consulted.
The authors, book producer, and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for
any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence,
directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.
Publisher
Marie Butler-Knight
Product Manager
Phil Kitchel
Managing Editor
Cari Luna
Acquisitions Editor
Amy Zavatto
Book Producer
Lee Ann Chearney/Amaranth
Development Editor
Nancy D. Warner
Senior Production Editor
Christy Wagner
Copy Editor
Faren Bachelis
Illustrator
Jody P. Schaeffer
Cover Designers
Mike Freeland
Kevin Spear
Book Designers
Scott Cook and Amy Adams of DesignLab
Indexer
Angie Bess
Layout/Proofreading
Angela Calvert
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Ayanna Lacey
Stacey Richwine-DeRome
Contents at a Glance
Part 1: The Future Is the Past Is Now 1
1 Spring Cleaning for Your Life 3
What Zen is, who your authors are, and how this ancient
Eastern tradition can help your mind work better today.
2 A Brief History of Zen Buddhism 15
Siddhartha, Bodhidharma, and other influential folks, and
some Zen guidelines for living.
3 Zen in America 29
How Zen came to America, and what happened when it
did.
Part 2: Dharma 101 41
4 What Is Truth, and How Can I Get Some? 43
Truth according to Zen.
5 Getting an Attitude: A Zen Approach 59
How to cultivate a Zen attitude in everyday life.
6 When Bad Things Happen 71
How to cultivate a Zen attitude in the wake of tragedy.
7 What’s the Point … Nirvana? 83
A Zen approach to enlightenment.
Part 3: 1-2-3 Zazen: Zen Techniques for Zen Living 97
8 You’ve Already Started 99
This is your life; start living it right this minute! Here’s
how.
9 Learning to Meditate 113
Everything you always wanted to know about meditation.
10 Breath, and Other Paths to Mindfulness 125
Meditation and other mindfulness techniques for daily
life.
11 A Koan Is a Koan Is a Koan … 135
Koans sure sound silly. What good are they?
12 Eating, Moving, Breathing: Maintaining a Zen Lifestyle 147
Integrate your Zen attitude into every aspect of your life,
from what you eat to how you keep your house.
Part 4: Personal Zen 161
13 The One Who Stares Back at You 163
Your Zen mirror, revealing the real you, and how to keep
the mirror polished.
14 Zen and Your Relationships 175
Zen and love, Zen and dating, Zen and commitment.
15 Zen and the Family 185
Zen for parents, kids, and adult children.
16 Desire, Fear, Worry: Tackling Your Personal Dukkha 199
What consumes you? Manage your desires, fears, and
chronic worrying with Zen.
Part 5: Zen in the Workplace 215
17 Buddha in Your Cubicle 217
How to make the most of your job with Zen techniques.
18 Relationships on the Job 235
Surviving on-the-job relationships with the help of Zen.
19 Managing Stress on the Job 249
Life in the working world is stressful. Zen can help you
minimize the stress.
20 Manage Your Career by Not Managing Your Career 263
Your career path: Are you on it, or does it matter?
Part 6: Bringing It All Back Home 277
21 A Zendo to Call Your Own 279
Living in a Zen home, and how to make your home more
Zen-like.
22 Zen-Powered Creativity 291
The Zen of creativity, drawing, writing, poetry, music,
and art.
23 The Zen Athlete 303
The ancient tradition of Zen and sports is still going
strong.
24 Everyday Zen 311
This is it. Make it happen. Make the most of it. Wake up
today and start living!
Appendixes
A Further Reading 319
B Glossary 325
C Ten Bulls 331
Index 335
Contents
Part 1: The Future Is the Past Is Now 1
1 Spring Cleaning for Your Life 3
Why Zen? ......................................................................................3
What Is Zen? ................................................................................4
Mental Clutter Control ..................................................................6
Finding Yourself ............................................................................7
Paying Attention ............................................................................8
Meet the Authors ..........................................................................9
Gary McClain, Ph.D. ....................................................................9
Eve Adamson, M.F.A. ....................................................................9
What Westerners Can Learn from an Ancient
Eastern Religion ........................................................................10
Moderation in All Things ............................................................10
Cut the Chaos ............................................................................11
Ducks in a Row ..........................................................................11
Know Thyself ..............................................................................12
Serenity Today ............................................................................12
Zen Living in the Twenty-First Century ....................................12
You Have No Future ....................................................................13
You Have Already Succeeded ........................................................13
This Is Zen: Right Here, Right Now ..............................................13
2 A Brief History of Zen Buddhism 15
A Man Named Siddhartha ..........................................................15
Who Was Buddha? ....................................................................16
Man Becomes Buddha ................................................................17
Transmission of Dharma ............................................................18
Counting Coup ..........................................................................18
Three Treasures ..........................................................................19
Four Noble Truths ......................................................................19
The Eightfold Path ......................................................................20
From India to China to Japan ....................................................22
Bodhidharma Goes to China ........................................................22
The Sixth Patriarch ......................................................................23
Soto and Rinzai ..........................................................................24
From China to the World ............................................................24
From Master to Master ................................................................25
Finger Pointing at the Moon ........................................................25
Triggering Enlightenment ............................................................26
3 Zen in America 29
Why We Love Zen ......................................................................30
Zen Is Do-It-Yourself ....................................................................30
Cowboy-Style Religion ..................................................................31
Illogical Logic ..............................................................................32
This Is Living! ............................................................................33
Desperately Seeking Enlightenment ..........................................33
D. T. Suzuki ................................................................................33
Shunryu Suzuki ..........................................................................34
R. H. Blyth ..................................................................................35
Dharma Bums ............................................................................35
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance ................................36
Zen in Pop Culture ......................................................................37
A Woman’s Place in the Zendo ....................................................38
Millennium Zen ..........................................................................39
Has American Zen Lost Its Buddhism? ......................................39
Zen Master: You? ........................................................................40
Part 2: Dharma 101 41
4 What Is Truth, and How Can I Get Some? 43
Dharma Is as Dharma Does … or Doesn’t ..................................43
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction ........................................................44
Dukkha It Out ............................................................................45
Douse Your Dukkha with Dharma ............................................47
True or False: The Four Noble Truths ..........................................47
Sit It Out ....................................................................................49
Walk It Off ................................................................................49
Find Your Center ........................................................................50
Be Insufferable ............................................................................50
Start Where You Are ....................................................................51
Waking Up Again … and Again ..................................................52
How Loud Is Your Alarm Clock? ..................................................53
Mindless or Mindful? ..................................................................54
Desperately Seeking Stillness ........................................................55
You Gotta Have Faith ..................................................................56
5 Getting an Attitude: A Zen Approach 59
But I’m in Charge Here (Aren’t I?) ..............................................59
You Aren’t in Control ..................................................................60
Giving Up Control (Even When No One Else Will) ......................63
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Zen Living
Imagine Your Life Is a Boat ........................................................66
Your New Navigation System ......................................................66
Letting Go of Expectations ..........................................................67
6 When Bad Things Happen 71
When Tidal Waves Hit ..............................................................72
The Little Tragedies of Life ..........................................................72
And Then the Big Ones ................................................................76
Relax, Breathe, Prioritize ..............................................................79
Keep Sitting ................................................................................80
7 What’s the Point … Nirvana? 83
You Say Satori and I Say Nirvana ................................................84
Zen Perks ....................................................................................87
Mental Clutter Control ................................................................87
Winking at Stress ........................................................................89
Making Room for More Tea ..........................................................90
Stilling the Waters ......................................................................91
Zen’s Goalless Goals ....................................................................91
1 + 1 = 1 ....................................................................................92
Serve Others? Who’s Serving Me? ................................................93
Making This Life Better ..............................................................94
Part 3: 1-2-3 Zazen: Zen Techniques for Zen Living 97
8 You’ve Already Started 99
The Secret Is There Is No Secret ................................................100
You Already Have What You Are Looking For ............................100
Duty, Discipline, Devotion ........................................................101
Isn’t There an Instruction Manual? ........................................102
Your Life Just Started: Go! ..........................................................103
Living Now ................................................................................105
Begin at the Beginning—Again! ................................................106
Entering the Meditation Zone ..................................................109
Everyday Zen Means Everyday Sitting ........................................109
Shhh … ....................................................................................110
9 Learning to Meditate 113
Meditation FAQ ........................................................................113
What Is Zazen, Exactly? Do You Do It in a Certain Way? ........114
Do You Have to Meditate to Practice Zen? ..................................114
How Does Zazen Develop Self-Discipline? ..................................115
viii
Contents
To Practice Zazen, Do You Have to Follow a Lot of Rules? ........115
Why Would You Face a Wall While Meditating? ......................115
Is Zazen Better Practiced Alone or in a Group? ..........................116
Is It Sacrilegious to Meditate? ....................................................116
What Is the Best Time of Day to Meditate? ..............................117
What Is the Difference? ............................................................117
Is Meditation Uncomfortable? Do You Have to Sit on the Floor? 118
Is a Meditation or Zen Teacher Necessary? ................................118
Are You Supposed to Meditate with Your Eyes Open or Closed? ..118
Can Anybody Meditate? ............................................................119
Lotus Pose? Are You Kidding? ..................................................119
Other Ways to Sit ......................................................................121
What About Your Hands? ..........................................................122
10 Breath, and Other Paths to Mindfulness 125
Start with Breath ......................................................................125
Breathe Like It Counts ..............................................................126
Breathing Through Boredom ......................................................127
Finding the Meditation That Works for You ............................129
Techniques and Tricks ..............................................................130
Koans ........................................................................................131
Kinhin ......................................................................................131
Level Two: Just Sitting ..............................................................132
Level Three: Perpetual Meditation ..............................................133
11 A Koan Is a Koan Is a Koan … 135
Words to Live By ......................................................................135
Illogical Logic ............................................................................136
But Koans Are Silly ....................................................................138
The Sound of One Hand Clapping ..........................................141
Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature? ............................................142
Why Did Bodhidharma Come from the West? ..........................144
What Is Buddha? ......................................................................144
Stepping Off the Hundred-Foot Pole ........................................144
12 Eating, Moving, Breathing: Maintaining a
Zen Lifestyle 147
Zen and the Art of Meditation Maintenance ..........................147
Practice Makes Practice ..............................................................149
Zazen, Kinhin, Zazen, Kinhin ..................................................150
The Brown Rice Myth ..............................................................151
Do You Have to Be a Vegetarian? ..............................................152
Every Last Bite ..........................................................................153
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