Preface
This text is an excerpt from my book The Secret Book of Zen.
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Preface to the 2nd Edition
Welcome to the world of the intuitive, directly experiential spirituality of Zen. Zen, a tradition dating back thousands of years, will enable you to experience personal spiritual awakening, enlightenment, and nirvana. Although the origins of Zen lie with Buddhism, it nonetheless rejects all dogmatic belief systems and teachings, and is therefore universally applicable. This universal applicability of Zen serves as the foundation of this book; it allows you, the reader, to develop an individual, immediately livable spirituality.
I developed and designed this book to offer you a comprehensive path you can use, along with Zen but without any outside help, to experience satori (awakening), enlightenment, and nirvana. This is especially applicable if you do not wish to, or cannot, practice under the personal guidance of a Zen teacher or master. I believe that in our modern era, you no longer need such guidance if you are given - as this book does - all the necessary information, techniques, and guidance with which to practice the spiritual path of Zen.
That is why this book also contains a large amount of background information, exercises and techniques. It is not necessary for you to understand everything all at once, especially if you have never encountered Zen before. View this information as being an abundance of offerings from which you can select. Certain places and constructs in this book will appeal to you while you are reading, and you should start by working with these ideas. You might re-read the book later. Maybe at that point you will like other ideas in this book, because your Zen practice has in the meantime changed your awareness, and it now draws your attention to exactly those issues which you should work on next.
Because of its spiritual origins, Zen is explained in this book in the traditional way, using the Buddhist context; however, complicated Buddhist theories and teachings have deliberately been avoided. Zen is better represented in this book by modern methods, instructions and background information, all of which is easy to follow and is more typical of our Western culture. Because of this modern representation, some readers may feel that this book is describing something that is very different than the traditional Zen path; but this is, in fact, not the case.
During traditional Zen training, spiritual teachers or masters are able to have direct contact with the student.1 This means that the teacher or master can always respond to the student's individual personality, and guide him. This is not possible when the teachings are contained in a book. Using this book you will be able to achieve the same results as with traditional training; however, all techniques and information contained in this book can only ever represent one path to the truth, and can never include all paths. Maybe you will have to follow a different, more individual path. But even if you are able to glean only one single step of progress from this book for your spiritual path, my work as a writer will already have been worth it.
This book uses different expressions such as the state of no-mind, emptiness, true nature, universal emptiness, etc. There are many terms for this one universal force with whose help you will find liberation and spiritual wholeness. It does not at all matter from which belief system you come, or what you believe. The important thing is to use Zen to rediscover this force within you, and then to live a fulfilling and contented life in accordance with it.
May this book guide you on your spiritual journey. May you gain access to your inner divinity. May you live in peace and tranquillity with yourself and the world.
May this book also open up new pathways for you. May you recognize that we are all connected to each other. May you feel love, and selflessly pass on to others what they need.
Jan Hendriksson
The special method of my book
This text is an excerpt from my book The Secret Book of Zen.
(...)
Some of the elements comprising the method in this book, with which you can achieve better and faster results in Zen, are as follows:
The disclosure of all "secrets" of Zen, instead of secrecy This can prevent students from taking a wrong turn and accelerates the pace at which they can follow the path.
Clear instructions instead of obfuscationThis can result in rapid progress along the path.
Mantra practice rather than traditional koan practiceAs a result, progress can likewise be faster on the way to satori.
The use of psychological knowledge instead of philosophy in the work with ideas and karma Although Zen has been closely linked to philosophy for thousands of years, this tends to impede rather than support students in their quest for liberation. The philosophy of the early 20th Century gave rise to psychology. Greater success can be achieved by using modern psychological knowledge.
A strict focus on the essentials rather than on sensory overloadThis book will provide you with everything you need to follow your Zen path. No more, no less. To be successful, you categorically do not need anything not mentioned in this book.
Because this book has now opened the Zen path to liberation for you, you need only trust and work on yourself. This has been the aim of Zen for thousands of years, and what Buddha always intended to express with his teachings: free yourself!
You will certainly want to re-read this book several times while following your own path through the Zen process. Use it as a kind of manual. The Zen path cannot be taken by reading a book just once; instead, practical training is also needed. This book will certainly also provide much new stimulation for readers who already practice Zen. Of course, this book reflects only my own views on Zen. If you as a Zen student have already found your own method for yourself, stick to it. You should not switch between different methods. The same applies to readers who are already practicing under the guidance of a personal Zen teacher or master. Only he has known you as a student for a long time, and knows what is best for you at the present time.
Zen ultimately is and remains a path which you should follow with a joyous and loving heart. You decide how far and how fast you want to progress. While you are reading this book, this fact may sometimes be overshadowed by the abundance of information, methods, and instructions. Always keep in mind that you alone are your own best master. Listen to yourself and your inner voice; it alone will lead you to success. Do not be afraid to ask for help and support from a teacher or master in your area, if you need it. Every teacher or master will be happy to support you with help and advice as you follow your path.
