Comments on: Zen Shin Talks: a book review

By: Kyōshin

Kyōshin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:15:58 +0000

The ABSC is publishing a lot of stuff these days. I recommend approaching them:
http://www.americanbuddhiststudycenter.org/

Barring that you could make a pdf or e-book version for people to download and see ifthe BCA bookstore could ‘stock’ it.

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:05:33 +0000

Hi Mary,

Thanks for writing. It’s always interesting to see the people behind the books. I’ve actually purchased a few copies of the book and gave them out to people, so you may be surprised who’s reading it.

As for ideas to reprint, have you consulted the BCA itself? As Ogui is now the head of BCA, they may be interested in promoting the book again, especially with the favorable reviews and all.

Good luck!

By: Mary Gove

Mary Gove — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:53:45 +0000

Thanks for the review. I found it quite interesting to read. I am the person who recorded, wrote down and rewrote Sensei Ogui’s dharma talks while he was the minister in Cleveland. It was an eight year project as I am a teacher by profession. I actualy didn’t realize I put the Zen talks first later leading to the more Shin talks, I did this rather intuitively as Sensei would never say “this is Zen” and “this is Shin”.

I am a bit at a cross roads now ( in several ways in my life path actually) concerning Zen Shin Talks. There are no longer any copies in storage and only a few left in places like Amazon and Barnes and NOble. I feel proud that the book got “out there”, I must admitt. People still want it— for people like you wrote on your blog about it. I did very little promotion, it is not a skill I have. I think Sensei Ogui promoted it just by being himself.

So I am trying to figure out how to keep the book available. Maybe put it on line for people, but I must admitt I like to hold books like Zen Shin Talks in my hand. I have no money to reprint Zen Shin Talks. If anyone has ideas for what I can do to continue to make Zen Shin Talks available to please let me know!

By: Kuei-sen Chen

Kuei-sen Chen — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:14:33 +0000

There was an echo in my mind when I read up to the “Choose One Small Practice”.
I have just experienced a very slight taste of practicing mindful in Nembutsu recently. And as Rev Ogui said my chosen practice of being mindful seems to begin opening a door for me.

By: Just Sitting

Just Sitting — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:04:35 +0000

Thanks for the review. I’ve added the book to my Amazon wish list. This is definitely an area I’m interested in pursuing. Even though my practice is currently, and for the foreseeable future will probably be. grounded in Zazen I am fascinated by all the stories that I keep reading and hearing in which old Zen Masters when (due to old age and illness) unable to practice Zazen any more, always turn to the Nembutsu. It makes sense and I find myself drawn to the practice of Nembutsu recitation to complement my Zazen practice.