The Way of Zen

This book was my first major introduction into Zen Buddhism. Its author Alan Watts started as an Episcopal priest, but soon after joined the American Academy of Asian Studies and consequently wrote many books on Zen Buddhism, on Taoism, Hinduism, Christianity, conscientiousness, religion and philosophy. The way of Zen is among his more famous books with a length of about 250 pages, divided in two parts – Part One: Background and History and Part Two: Principles and Practices, each consisting of four chapters.

The first part describes in detail the origin of Zen Buddhism, which stems from both Taoism and Mahayana Buddhism. Alan Watts also gives some insights in Hinduism, Confucianism and on the various types of Buddhism. This is all written very captivating as a historical narrative of teachings starting from the Hindu myth of creation, through the life of Gautama the Buddha and the Buddha’s disciples and the Buddhist patriarchs and the Zen patriarchs traveling from India to China. This is mixed with interesting commentaries on the inner play between the different teachings and cultures.

Although the theme of the first part is the History of Zen, the substance and character of Zen is skillfully related as Alan Watts quotes different Hindu, Taoist and Buddhists scholars as well as the more notable Zen patriarchs. The reader is rapidly raced across the rich history of eastern religions and the writer in a short amount of time relates a great deal of digested information.

The second part of the book is exclusively about Zen Buddhism and its practices such as meditation or the Zen sitting (zazen), the Zen Koan and Zen in the arts. It relates to the overall character of what Watts calls “the Zen type” and what is Zen Buddhism in its essence. Explaining this is a very difficult task on its own, since Zen emphasizes on practice rather on theory or ritual. Therefore, a book on Zen can only skim across the surface of Zen and partially relate its true essence.

This is why Alan Watts writes about Zen in the arts, notably Japanese arts. He does so in order to relate the nature of Zen, which is firmly embedded in said arts. Another famous book on Zen, written by a westerner is “Zen in the Art of archery” by Eugen Herrigel who was a German philosopher in Japan and became familiar with Zen Buddhism through his own practices of the traditional Japanese Art of archery.

The topic of Zen Buddhism is by its own right immense and beyond any book as well as very illusive especially to the mind of a westerner. I myself have only glimpsed at its “suchness” through books and my own modest practice. Alan Watts provides a solid foundation for the beginner in Zen, gives a rich reference to the various text, poems and sutras and point to where one should look in order to find and experience the beauty of Zen.       

 West meets east

The westerner interest in the Easter philosophy is nothing that new. Carl Jung talks of this in his “Archetypes and the collective unconscious” as well as in his commentary of the “The secret of the golden flower: A Chinese book of life”. Jung describes it as a thirst for symbols, where we find the archetypes we crave in Eastern philosophy because it seems exotic, new and mystic, while our own Christianity is heavily institutionalized and its essence is buried under so much debris. To quote Carl Jung “With the passing of the centuries Christianity has become something that would seem foreign to its initial founders if they have lived to see it”.

I cannot really say what prompts me to seek Eastern thought and what prompts westerners in general to do so, even Alan Watts was a Christian priest before he devoted his life to Eastern philosophy. And I do have decided for myself to study Christianity in detail in the near future and to see where it meets with other philosophies and teachings. Because I think that is the jewel when you study various philosophies and religions, you want to see where they intersect and where they complement.

There are many key points in Buddhism, which are hard to make out if one relies exclusively on Western thought, like the fact that the Buddha is not some deity that resides in the sky from where it controls the world, but is rather a nature (Buddha nature) that resides within each individual. In other words, God is within and not without and if you want to go looking for God, you look within and awaken him through your own practice and being.

To put it simply a study on Eastern thought brings a new perspective to the way we perceive the Universe, and this does not rob us from what we already know from Western thought. I see no conflict between to two rather a complementary relationship. They complete each other and they enrich the student who goes out seeking them.

In addition, the attitude of the Zen Buddhists towards their own teaching is very different to the way religion and religious people are perceived in the West. I want to quote a passage from “The Way of Zen” which is very refreshing:   

“Zen and–to some extent – Taoism seem to be the only spiritual traditions which feel secure enough to lampoon themselves, or to feel sufficiently un-self-conscious to laugh not only about their religion but in the midst of it. In these lunatic figures the Zen artists portray something slightly more than a parody of their own wu-shin or “mindless” way of life, for as “genius is to madness close allied” there is a suggestive parallel between the meaningless babble of the happy lunatic and the purposeless life of the Zen sage.”  

Now take the images of Christ and the Saints and try imagining them depicted in a way that is not strict or serious. It would be blasphemy for a devoted Christian to laugh at Christianity. Also indeed if a conservative person reads a quote attributed to a Buddhist teacher it may as well sound like the ramblings of a lunatic. When Bodhidharma (the monk who brought Buddhism to China) was asked who he was, he answered, “I do not know”, which viewed by different people may mean he is infinitely wise or that he has dementia.

This is the lightheartedness of this teaching at least in the western’s eye, I have only experience them through books and lectures up to this point of my life. It is short of the real thing but as I said, “The way of Zen” is a good entry point into Eastern thought and who knows where a little curiosity will lead you.  

Who should read “The Way of Zen”?

Obviously, this meager review falls far short of the real thing so go and read “The Way of Zen”. Particularly if you are interested in Eastern thought, or you practice meditation or yoga this book definitely fits your profile. It also unpacks a huge portion of history and philosophy in just 250 pages. It is written by a westerner for westerners to read so do not feel intimidated even if you know nothing of Buddhism.

And with a little bit of playful curiosity on your side you can allow this great and noble teaching to slip in your life and in your daily routines. Watts point to where you can find the “suchness” of life and you can find it anywhere at any time it is all a matter of disciplining the mind if only for a moment, which is a great thing to do since all there is, is this moment.