Everyday Suchness: Buddhist Essays on Everyday Living

By Gyomay M. Kubose

Book Overview

A classic collection of short articles first published in 1967, hailed as one of the most significant books in Buddhism because of its simple explanations and reference to everyday life. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0964299208
• ISBN13: 9780964299207
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Dharma House
• Length: 142 Pages
• Weight: 0.37 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 5.0" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Guide to dharma in everyday life

This is really a wonderful book for anyone who wants to take their practice from the meditation cushion into day-to-day life. Many of us--and I include myself in this--are good at finding the dharma in books, in religious rituals and in the meditation hall, but sometimes have trouble seeing the dharma at work, in our relationships, or just going for a walk through the neighborhood. Kubose was trained in both monastic/meditative and more lay-oriented traditions and hoped to help make Buddhism more accessible to Americans. So while his teachings are solidly grounded in authentic tradition, they avoid the crypticism some teachings can have. As the title suggests, Kubose encourages the reader to see the dharma in life, not just as a religious activity. If you're looking for detailed meditation instruction, you won't find it here, although there's helpful advice in that area, too. But if you're trying to find a path to practice all the time--not just while you're in the Zendo or meditation hall--this is a great guide.

Timeless Wisdom

This is a collection of essays, originally published in the newsletter of the Buddhist Temple of Chicago. The author, Gyomay Kubose, was the founder and head minister of the temple. The book was originally published in 1967. Most of the book is easy reading, applicable to everyday life. However, it does get a little deep at times. For example, "Our tendency is to dichotomize everything, and then try to make unity, harmony between the two. There will be no harmony when you put two things together. Only when you lose yourself do you find yourself. This is the basic understanding of Buddhism: sunyata or nothingness or suchness." Some of the essays are as short as two pages. The longest is 12 pages. They can be read like chapters of a book, but each stands on its own. The titles of the essays follow: Happiness Awareness Limitations Is Your Switch On? Gautama Buddha Thoughts For the New Year Story of a Crutch Selflessness The Mind's Eye Honesty Right Understanding Healthful Outlook Toward Life and Death Beyond the Relative World Buddhism, Zen, and Nembutsu Reality of Brotherhood Non-Dichotomization The Greatest Gift to Mother Introspections Non-Attachment The Life of Becoming Freedom Living Life Naturalness Serenity Nirvana Life Without Regret The Center of Life The Eternal Present Oneness Beautify the Mind Is Life Fun? Water A Stone On a side note, Kubose makes reference to his internment at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming in his Introspections essay. During WWII, the U.S. government forced Japanese-American families from their homes, and relocated them to internment camps. Essentially they were treated like prisoners of war, even though many of them were U.S. citizens. If you are interested in this aspect of American history, I recommend the autobiography Farewell to Manzanar.