Taking the Path of Zen - Robert Aitken

I just finished Taking the Path of Zen by Robert Aitken. Really, I finished it twice. I picked up the book first as an introduction to Zen Buddhism and to zazen—the form of seated mediation practiced by Zen Buddhists and, in many ways, the fundamental core of the tradition. As an introduction to zazen, it is a great book if you are getting started. It discusses the posture, how to sit, how to hold your hands, the purpose of the methods, how to stretch and to get used to the posture, and how to progress

First Read

The first read was before I had started sitting regularly. In this context, Aitken is a great companion book. He slowly goes through topics that can be confusing:

1. How to stretch to be able to sit in the positions.
2. The four traditionally acceptable positions for zazen.
3. How to sit on the cushions.
4. What to do with your hands.
5. How to breathe.
6. How to behave in a zendo—the meditation hall. This is particularly useful (depending on the formality/informality of your zen center). There is a lot of bowing, proper ways to hold liturgy books, ways of chanting, and movements between sitting meditation—zazen—and walking meditation—kinhin. All of this is signaled only with different types of bells and clappers. The orientation by Aitken is a big help.

He also discusses different substantive doctrinal issues: the Triple Treasures, the Grave Precepts, and the Bodhisattva vows. He also has a chapter on the koan mu. The discussion of the doctrinal issues is very superficial and doesn't go into great detail. It isn't supposed to. Also, Aitken discusses entering shoken and the role of the teacher or roshi.

Second Read

I read the book a second time after I had been practicing almost daily for about five weeks. The book had new meaning. I could identify with the pain in you feel in your legs that he describes and the frustrations that are common. His chapters on delusions, pitfalls and religious ideas in meditation became much more clear after experiencing many of them first hand and—continuing to experience them. It's difficult to describe the second read because all the instructional material is simply your practice and reading the chapters on the precepts becomes very superficial in the sense that, for me, practice makes clear that the precepts are not ought but are. Simply, much of the discussion that you follow in the first read rationally simply collapses into zazen and into practice in the second read.

The book is a definite must read for those interested and just beginning. It doesn't go into great detail regarding Buddhist theology but, that is zen. On the other hand, I am practicing in a community that is definitely focused on the zen tradition and its rigor. However, my community is also dedicated to expanding the Western and American Zen experience so there is room for reading and more detailed exploration of theology and doctrine—all with the practice as the foundation. Aitken is a key figure in bringing Zen to the United States and well-worth reading. Up next for me, Dumoulin's history of Zen in China and then in Japan.