Philosophy

The Way of Zen

The Way of Zen

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  • Create Date：2021-07-04 04:41:15
  • Update Date：2025-09-24
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  • Author：Alan W. Watts
  • ISBN：1846046904
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Summary

'The perfect guide for a course correction in life' Deepak Chopra

If we open our eyes and see clearly it becomes obvious that there is no other time than this instant

An insightful exploration into the origins and history of Zen Buddhism from pioneering Zen scholar Alan Watts。 With a rare combination of freshness and lucidity， Watts explores the principles of Zen and how it can revolutionize our daily life。

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Reviews

Nina ，

Might be a 4 star haven't fully decided yet。 3。5？Interesting summary of Taoist， Buddhist and Zen ideas and history。 Must've been an amazing resource back in 1957。 Might be a 4 star haven't fully decided yet。 3。5？Interesting summary of Taoist， Buddhist and Zen ideas and history。 Must've been an amazing resource back in 1957。 。。。more

Jon Robnett ，

I love Alan Watts speeches。 I've listened to hundreds。 Not so much the book。 Its slow I love Alan Watts speeches。 I've listened to hundreds。 Not so much the book。 Its slow 。。。more

Robert ，

Makes my brain hurt but the trudge is definitely worth it。 I think

Carrinicole ，

The best description of Zen Buddhism’s origins， principles， and practice for western culture。 The simple yet engaging way that Watts writes makes you feel like he’s having a conversation with you。 There’s some humor， honesty， and lots of metaphors to help grasp concepts that seem difficult to grasp。 A top book on my list now。

Charlie Wilson ，

His YouTube talks have a lot more wit and personality。 This book has a lot of in-depth analysis of some pretty abstract ideas that can be pretty hard to get through。 He definitely knows his stuff though。

PhysicalMountain ，

Cut a tree five hundred miles away from you。 Cut it right now！！

Ben ，

audiobook

Flowers4Algernon ，

The blurb introducing this book mentions lucidity and incredible clarity。 Well， I found it completely baffling and didn’t understand around 90% of it。 The only saving grace was the last chapter on Zen in the arts - although to be honest I don’t know why this was specifically included as it seemed out of place - which I found quite interesting。 However， this is not an easy or accessible introduction to Zen。

Thomas Vriens ，

Absolutely incredible book， a great insight into both the foundations and origins of Buddhism， and a brief but very clear introduction to the practices of Zen Buddhism。 Very much recommend this for those who are interested in eastern philosophy/religion。

Pro Mukherjee ，

“The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao” - this makes writing a book about it （or commenting on such a book） quite tricky。I have heard the expression - there are three stages of learning。 In the first stage， when you look at a tree， you see a tree。 In the second， when you look at a tree you dont see a tree。 And in the third and final stage， when you look at a tree， you see a tree once again。I think the appeal of this book would be for those in stages 1 and 3。 As someone in stage 2， th “The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao” - this makes writing a book about it （or commenting on such a book） quite tricky。I have heard the expression - there are three stages of learning。 In the first stage， when you look at a tree， you see a tree。 In the second， when you look at a tree you dont see a tree。 And in the third and final stage， when you look at a tree， you see a tree once again。I think the appeal of this book would be for those in stages 1 and 3。 As someone in stage 2， the book didn’t quite help me deepen my understanding or practice。 That said， there are a lot of resources one can explore in the Way of Zen。 。。。more

Mike ，

This book did not provide me with an "understanding" of Zen， per se - if that is even possible - but it did cause me to re-think the way I "think" about things as a "westerner。"I'm fascinated by the limitations we live and operate under - for example， words and customs。 Ever ask someone who has eaten frog legs what they taste like？ They all say "chicken" and the conversation usually ends there。 Well， what does chicken taste like？ In fact， we cannot describe what chicken tastes like without using This book did not provide me with an "understanding" of Zen， per se - if that is even possible - but it did cause me to re-think the way I "think" about things as a "westerner。"I'm fascinated by the limitations we live and operate under - for example， words and customs。 Ever ask someone who has eaten frog legs what they taste like？ They all say "chicken" and the conversation usually ends there。 Well， what does chicken taste like？ In fact， we cannot describe what chicken tastes like without using other adjectives。。。。and so on and so on。 How can a frog taste like a chicken？ How do you describe the taste of a raspberry to someone who has never tasted one？ You know the experience yourself but you cannot describe it。。。。。what a limitation！！ This is why the Buddha emphasized the importance of experiential wisdom。 Experience life and don't worry about placing limitations on it because when you do， you've diminished the experience。 For me， this is the beauty - and brilliance - of Alan Watts via "The Way of Zen。" 。。。more

Ryan Murray ，

It's very much an academic book。 Be great if I was studying for a standardized test on Zen。 It's very much an academic book。 Be great if I was studying for a standardized test on Zen。 。。。more

Sean Paterson ，

Moments of insight but sections of excessive detail for the budding monk。

Mihkel Ummelas ，

Understood very little。Stopped trying to。Perhaps I mastered it。

Alisa Wilhelm ，

Pausing @ 25%

Talon ，

Watts gives an in-depth look into the history behind zen and how different religions and teachers interpret zen。 Definitely opened my eyes to a world that I had no prior knowledge of。

Laura ，

Really great。

Elizabeth Knappert ，

still one of the best books available

Жор ，

Втората половина， където Уотс разказва за практическата част на дзен， е много по-силна от първата。

Stefan ，

Sitting quietly， doing nothing。 That is the way of zen。

Michael Nelson ，

Great book with lots of historical background information on the roots of Zen。

Matthew Blake ，

Alan Watts seminal work is possibly the greatest piece of non fiction I have ever read。 Superficially it is a somewhat brief but condensed account of the evolution of Zen Buddhism and explanations of the various artistic and cultural practices which underlie the wu-hsin， wu-wei philosophy， however it is more of a kind of plea to the blind stubbornness of the western mind and is remarkable in its ability to uncover the most obvious and elemental western truths as nothing more than the absurd delu Alan Watts seminal work is possibly the greatest piece of non fiction I have ever read。 Superficially it is a somewhat brief but condensed account of the evolution of Zen Buddhism and explanations of the various artistic and cultural practices which underlie the wu-hsin， wu-wei philosophy， however it is more of a kind of plea to the blind stubbornness of the western mind and is remarkable in its ability to uncover the most obvious and elemental western truths as nothing more than the absurd delusions they are。 In particular， the realisation that the spontaneity （the Tao） that underlies all universal processes and gives such joyousness and effortlessness to life has been practically outlawed by Western society was profoundly bittersweet for me and left me feeling so disconnected from the world in which I thought I existed， however the implications this realisation has for ones approach to living is absolutely shattering。 Once you realise that all you have to do to tap into the universal energy is to stop trying， stop seeking whatever it is you think you want， there can be no going back。 There is a reason it’s called a ‘way of liberation’。There is not another book I know of to present the Zen way of thinking in such a digestible format for those who did not grow up in the east。 It is filled with the classic Alan Watts wry sense of humour， and always remains light and unserious， in spite of， or more accurately precisely because of the topic at hand。 A genuine masterpiece。 。。。more

Grant Jossi ，

One of the best books I've ever read。 Opens by arguing that western philosophical traditions can make it difficult to grasp Zen and Buddhism in general for Westerners， and then spends the rest of its pages attempting to impart that understanding anyway， all while outlining a general history of Zen。 I would recommend this to anyone and everyone。 One of the best books I've ever read。 Opens by arguing that western philosophical traditions can make it difficult to grasp Zen and Buddhism in general for Westerners， and then spends the rest of its pages attempting to impart that understanding anyway， all while outlining a general history of Zen。 I would recommend this to anyone and everyone。 。。。more

Micaiah Christopher ，

"Escape from these concerns is as natural and necessary as sleep， and they feel neither compunction nor awkwardness in belonging for a while to the Taoist world of carefree hermits， wandering through the mountains like wind-blown clouds， with nothing to do but cultivate a row of vegetables， gaze at the drifting mist， and listen to the waterfalls"。I have some interest and cursory knowledge in Stoic thought and picked up the 'Way of Zen" as I have heard that there is quite a bit of overlap in the "Escape from these concerns is as natural and necessary as sleep， and they feel neither compunction nor awkwardness in belonging for a while to the Taoist world of carefree hermits， wandering through the mountains like wind-blown clouds， with nothing to do but cultivate a row of vegetables， gaze at the drifting mist， and listen to the waterfalls"。I have some interest and cursory knowledge in Stoic thought and picked up the 'Way of Zen" as I have heard that there is quite a bit of overlap in the ideas between these Western and Eastern schools of thought。 I've also tried to listen to Alan Watts's lectures but always felt as though I took little to nothing away from them。 I was hoping that in reading， I might appreciate his work more。I appreciated the opening of the book in which Watts emphasizes the differences in the presuppositions of Western and Eastern thought。He spends time explaining Taoism and the development of Buddhism and then Zen itself which is a development of both。 The last chapter deals with Zen's influence on the arts， in painting， rock gardens， and tea。There are quite a few terms and names to keep track of， and I admit I wasn't always the most attentive。 As an introduction to Zen， I think this books serves its purpose， and， at least to this layman， Watts seems very knowledgeable about the topics he is writing about。I admit， that I may have to read it again and perhaps less distractedly。 Zen seems to me both wise and ridiculous - especially in some of the antics of the Zen masters。 Overall， I think I "get it" but it may well be that I do not "get it" at all。 Again， however， I think this book serves as a good introduction and I may need to read more to get a fuller picture。 。。。more

Fariborz ，

My hart

Aakash Saikia ，

Alan Watts certainly was one of the most fascinating minds of the past century。 This book is immensely hard to summarize， yet it is profoundly simple。The best attempt one can make at summarizing it is probably by using some of the very words within it。。。（formatting and emphasis mine）“In English， the differences between things and actions are clearly， if not always logically， distinguished， but a great number of Chinese words do duty for both nouns and verbs – so that one who thinks in Chinese ha Alan Watts certainly was one of the most fascinating minds of the past century。 This book is immensely hard to summarize， yet it is profoundly simple。The best attempt one can make at summarizing it is probably by using some of the very words within it。。。（formatting and emphasis mine）“In English， the differences between things and actions are clearly， if not always logically， distinguished， but a great number of Chinese words do duty for both nouns and verbs – so that one who thinks in Chinese has little difficulty in seeing that objects are also events， that our world is a collection of processes rather than entities。This is the inevitable disadvantage of studying Asian philosophy by the purely literary methods of Western scholarship， for words can be communicative only between those who share similar experiences。Taoism concerns itself with unconventional knowledge， with the understanding of life directly， instead of in the abstract， linear terms of representational thinking。Zen Buddhism is a way and a view of life which does NOT belong to any of the formal categories of modern Western thought。 It is NOT religion or philosophy; it is NOT psychology or a type of science。 It is an example of what is known in India and China as a “way of liberation，” and is similar in this respect to Taoism， Vedanta， and Yoga。 As will soon be obvious， a way of liberation can have no positive definition。 It has to be suggested by saying what it is NOT， somewhat as a sculptor reveals an image by the act of removing pieces of stone from a block。To be free from convention is not to spurn it but not to be deceived by it。 It is to be able to use it as an instrument instead of being used by it。According to convention， I am not simply what I am doing NOW。 I am also what I HAVE done， and my conventionally edited version of my past is made to seem almost more the real “me” than what I am at this moment。 For what I AM seems so fleeting and intangible， but what I WAS is fixed and final。 It is the firm basis for predictions of what I WILL BE in the future， and so it comes about that I am more closely identified with what NO LONGER EXISTS than with what actually IS！… the process of rebirth is from moment to moment， so that one is being reborn as long as one identifies himself with a continuing ego which reincarnates itself afresh at each moment of time。”--“If a man seeks the Buddha， that man loses the Buddha。The point is not to make an effort to silence the feelings and cultivate bland indifference。 It is to SEE THROUGH the universal illusion。 The grand illusion that what is pleasant or good may be wrested from what is painful or evil。If you want to get the plain truth， Be not concerned with right and wrong。 The conflict between right and wrong IS the sickness of the mind。It would seem that to be incapable of sitting and watching with the mind completely at rest is to be incapable of experiencing the world in which we live to the full。 For one does not know the world simply in thinking about it and doing about it。 One must first experience it more directly， and prolong the experience without jumping to conclusions。”--“To travel is to be alive， but to get somewhere is to be dead， for as our own proverb says， “To travel well is better than to arrive。”The joy of travel is not nearly so much in getting where one wants to go as in the unsought surprises which occur on the journey。 A world which increasingly consists of destinations without journeys between them， a world which values only "getting somewhere" as fast as possible， becomes a world without substance。”--“We feel that our actions are voluntary when they follow a decision and involuntary when they happen without decision。 But if a decision itself were voluntary every decision would have to be preceded by a decision to decide - An infinite regression which fortunately does not occur。 Oddly enough， if we had to decide TO decide， we would not be FREE TO decide。。。。 For if we open our eyes and see clearly， it becomes obvious that there is no other time than this instant， and that the past and the future are abstractions without any concrete reality。 For there is never anything but the present， and if one cannot live there， one cannot live anywhere。” 。。。more

Frank Lawton ，

Audiobooked， no book reaches its full potential this way TBH。In saying that， I keep realising how much I refer back to both the vague concepts （or feelings） and the specific pieces of information portrayed through this book。 Something has certainly been "gained"。The Way of Zen really filled out， re-confirmed， and advanced many existing ideas found in a direct reading of dao te ching， baghavad gita， and modern day enlightenment books。It's a shame that I can remember NONE of the specific terms use Audiobooked， no book reaches its full potential this way TBH。In saying that， I keep realising how much I refer back to both the vague concepts （or feelings） and the specific pieces of information portrayed through this book。 Something has certainly been "gained"。The Way of Zen really filled out， re-confirmed， and advanced many existing ideas found in a direct reading of dao te ching， baghavad gita， and modern day enlightenment books。It's a shame that I can remember NONE of the specific terms used to communicate concepts， and have lost 99% of the book to the past。 Something remains though！Watts portrays a concept but is also a surprisingly rich， thorough， and insightful analyst of culture， history， and ways of thinking。 For such a critic of western rationality he sure knows how to communicate convincing ideas。 I guess that's not surprising， one must climb to the top of the ladder to look down on it。 。。。more

Omar Fernández ，

I enjoyed the book， but sort of find myself asking， what's next？ Or， in another way， so what？ Maybe it was just too sense for me， I'll probably go through the book again once more。 I enjoyed the book， but sort of find myself asking， what's next？ Or， in another way， so what？ Maybe it was just too sense for me， I'll probably go through the book again once more。 。。。more

Bojan Todorovic ，

This is a great and fun little introduction to Zen。I'm already quite familiar with Taoism and a bit with Buddhism， so many concepts here are nothing new to me。Eastern "religions"（philosophy of life might be a more fitting term） are very appealing to me。They seem natural， intuitive， modest， and don't allow themselves to fall into strict Gods， saint & sinners， rules， morals and fanaticism。They don't take itself so seriously as monotheistic religions tend to。The book got history and roots of Zen an This is a great and fun little introduction to Zen。I'm already quite familiar with Taoism and a bit with Buddhism， so many concepts here are nothing new to me。Eastern "religions"（philosophy of life might be a more fitting term） are very appealing to me。They seem natural， intuitive， modest， and don't allow themselves to fall into strict Gods， saint & sinners， rules， morals and fanaticism。They don't take itself so seriously as monotheistic religions tend to。The book got history and roots of Zen and related religions and peoples， which puts it nicely into perspective。It explores various practices and tries to put the principles into words， and it succeeds。And it's got plenty of anecdotes about teachers and students of Zen as a bonus， which are insightful and often quite comedic。Watts does a very good job here， the book is well structured and written， I've enjoyed it thoroughly。 。。。more

Nicholas Vela ，

An interesting book that explains the way of Zen with anecdotes and history of the practice。 A good book， if not dry at times。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Way of Zen

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Way of Zen&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Way of Zen&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0