The Wholehearted Way Paperback – October 15, 1997

"The Wholehearted Way", "Opening the Hand of Thought" and From "Zen Kitchen to Enlightenment" I have re-read these books so many times that I think of them as different components of the same work, since the subjects interweave to produce a wonderful fabric of integrated Zen practice viewed from different perspectives. At first glance all of these books might seem "lightweight". I thought so at first because of their covers. Especially "Opening the Hand of Thought- Approach to Zen". It suggests a new-age type of quick fix book about Zen. Nothing could be further from the truth. This was just the book I needed, though I didn't yet know it. Having come to Zen meditation 2 years before reading this book, I was still unclear about meditation (zazen). Many of us reach the point where we realize that we need and want to practice meditation. Then we get to the same point of the monk in Master Dogen's (1200-1250) quote in Fukan Zazen-gi:"When Yakusan was sitting [in meditation], a monk asked him 'What do you think when you sit?' The master said, 'I think of not thinking.' The monk inquired further, 'How do you think of not thinking?' Yakusan replied, '[by sitting] beyond thinking'".What is beyond thinking? This is where Uchiyama makes his point of departure, walking us through just this juncture. He describes the movement of the mind and what need be done or not done about it. He even includes a diagram of the action of the mind getting caught up in thoughts and alternatively falling asleep. He speaks of zazen as neither developing thoughts, nor hating them, but releasing them (hence the title Opening the Hand of Thought). Zazen is opening the hand of thought (not grasping thought) and returning to seeing the wall millions of times."Opening the Hand of Thought" addresses the vast world of seated meditation and the religious and personal underpinnings behind it. It is as though Uchiyama Roshi is your own grandfather, telling you about his life, and your life, too. It is about living the "most refined way". This is not a detached dry retelling of ancient stories about someone else, but the vital story of ourselves living the life of ourselves (which he says is the very life of the buddhas, patriarchs and matriarchs). It is the way of "not being dragged around by our thoughts" and living our lives based on this even-mindedness. We take this into our daily lives in every encounter."From the Zen Kitchen to Enlightenment- Refining Your Life" at first appears to be a popular cookbook appending Zen to the title for more interest. Again, not so. This is Uchiyama Roshi's commentary on another of Master Dogen's texts: Tenzo Kyokun (Instructions to the Zen Cook) which was part of Dogen's manual for his monks. Translator and practitioner Thomas Wright says in the introduction: "Now, what possible connection could a text written for a group of male monks some 750 years ago have for present-day Europeans and Americans, neither living in a monastery nor particularly familiar with the society or way of looking at life which differs totally from our modern Western societies? That is the question to which Kosho Uchiyama Roshi addresses himself when he began writing the commentary that accompanies Dogen's text". I would say that the emphasis of this book is on Master Dogen's "three minds": magnanimous mind, joyful mind and parental mind. Through meditation we come to the place where we see that the world is none other than the self and that we take care of others because they are really ourselves. Everything which arises in your life IS your life."The Wholehearted Way" is Uchiyama Roshi's commentaries on Master Dogen's Bendowa, his early manifesto about the practice of zazen. It is followed by questions and answers (probably asked by his chief disciple, Ejo) directed at various misunderstandings of what Dogen felt to be the true significance of zazen.Sitting is itself the practice of the buddha. Sitting itself is nondoing. It is nothing but the true form of the self. Apart from sitting there is nothing to seek as the buddha-dharma.Eihei Dogen, Shobogenzo-ZuimonkiUchiyama Roshi's commentaries are in the same vein as the other books, bringing these ancient teachings to us in a fresh and vital way so that they function in our daily lives. The translations and introductions are done by three of Roshi's close disciples and long-time practitioners, Tom Wright, Daniel Taigen Leighton and Shohaku Okumura. Their comments in themselves are worthy of our study.There is for me tremendous appeal in the great scope and depth of Roshi's teachings expressed in his straightforward and engaging way. Although carefully thought out, I get the feeling, (as I expressed earlier) of being spoken to directly. He takes great pains to really look into and study certain Buddhist terms that can cause confusion if we are unclear about them. For example, he devotes several pages to the term "buddha-dharma".I consider these three books to be essential in the deepening of my practice of Zen and meditation. Here are Uchiyama's closing words in his foreword to "Opening the Hand of Thought":"Above all, I hope that when you read this book, (Opening the Hand of Thought) you will forget your sentiments about exotic foreign lands and read with a completely fresh mind. I hope that, as you read, you will look at your own life and apply what I have written to your everyday life. That is the only place where the real world of Zen is".

For any serious student of Zen Buddhism this is must reading. The actual text on Zen meditation by Dogen Zenji,one of the major figures in the founding of Zen, is short and succinct. The majority of the book consists of commentary by the late contemporary Zen Master Kosho Uchiyama. His lively and sometimes surprisingly comical interpretation is riveting, making understandable what could be considered an obscure and esoteric subject.

This book gives so much insight into the thinking of Master Dogen. And it is such a wonderful book for anyone seriously studying the Way of Zen. I gassho to all who participated in its production. It is seeing into myoho. Well done, well done all !!!

Kosho Uchiyama speaks from the heart when he comments on Eihei Dogen's Bendowa, an early chapter from his master work, Shobogenzo. This is a teaching that lays the ground work for ending personal suffering.

This is just about the best, and simplest translation of Dojen's Bendowa I have seen. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the basic writings of Dogen, and the practice of zazen...

In times of crisis or personal trauma, there is no other way to face it than this wholehearted way. A good book.

changed many things about how I see myself, the world, and the concept of Nothingness. Would recommend to anyone, for any reason.

Excellent translation of Bendowa by Shohaku Okumura and commentary by Uchiyama Roshi

This is perhaps one of the most profound books to study the important Soto Zen writing called Bendowa, by the founder of Soto Zen, Eihei Dogen. Bendowa teaches instructs us to pursue the Way wholeheartedly. And the commentary on Bendowa is by the great Zen master Kosho Uchiyama. Kosho Uchiyama was a great Zen Master, his writings are some of the clearest and easiest to comprehend. Unlike many authors, he can take difficult philosophical teachings and break them down into concepts easy to grasp. And, he gives many personal examples of what it means to pursue the Way wholeheartedly. I have read and reread this book numerous times. The guidance and wisdom has helped me a great deal in my own pursuit of the Way and in my practice in Soto Zen. Studying Eihei Dogen is important to any practitioner, and Bendowa is perhaps one of the single most important writings to study.

Kosho è uno dei maggiori rappresentanti della scuola Soto e, in particolare, qui commenta con maestria e mente-zen il fondatore Dogen. Imperdibile

The Wholehearted Way is a translation of, and commentary on, Bendowa by Eihei Dogen (1200-1253).Bendowa was written in 1231 and was the second work Dogen wrote after his return to Japan from China in 1227/28, the first being a version of the Fukanzazengi (for a fine treatment of the Fukanzazengi I recommend Dogen's Manuals of Zen Meditation). It has often been considered one of Dogen's key texts.The text itself is in two sections. The first section talks about the importance of Zazen. The second section consists of questions that may subsequently be raised by students and Dogen's answers to those questions.The commentary on Dogen's text is by Kosho Uchiyama Roshi (1912-1998). Uchiyama Roshi was a senior discipe of the great Kodo Sawaki Roshi (1880-1965). In addition to being a Soto Zen priest he was also an origami master, the abbot of Antaiji Monastery, near Kyoto and the author of more than 20 books.I heartily recommend this text both for the fine translation of the source text and for Kosho Uchiyama Roshi's commentary.Also of interest may be:How to Cook Your Life: From the ZEN Kitchen to Enlightenment, a translation of Dogen's Tenzo Kyokun, with a commentary by Kosho Uchiyama RohsiDeepest Practice, Deepest Wisdom: Three Fascicles from Shobogenzo with Commentary, three fascicles from Dogen's Shobogenzo, or Treasury of the True Dharma Eye ("Shoaku Makusa" or "Refraining from Evil," "Maka Hannya Haramitsu" or "Practicing Deepest Wisdom," and "Uji" or "Living Time."), with commentaries by Kosho Uchiyama RohsiOpening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice, an introduction to Zen Buddhist practice by Uchiyama Roshi.For a good general introduction to Dogen and his thought Eihei Dogen: Mystical Realist may be of interest.

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