The Path of the Human Being: Zen Teachings on the Bodhisattva Way Paperback - 2005

First line

TWENTY-FIVE HUNDRED years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha did something crazy: he left his wife and child, his palace and kingdom, to start a long search.

From the jacket flap

Dennis Genpo Merzel Roshi, one of the most highly regarded American Zen teachers, demystifies the experience of enlightenment, teaching that it is none other than the awakening to our true nature, which is ever present and inherent in all of us. Through the practice of meditation, one is able to turn the light of inquiry inward and discover this for oneself. Genpo Roshi lays out this journey of discovery for us-from the first tentative glimpses of Buddha Mind to the full flowering of realized life.
Always practical and down-to-earth, Genpo Roshi shows that following the Buddha Way does not require us to leave behind our ordinary lives. Instead it is a process of integration, learning to flow freely between the many dimensions of our lives so that our existence becomes more meaningful and joyous, and so that we are able to carry the wisdom and compassion we have realized into daily life.

Media reviews

"Clear, crisp, and intimate. Readers new to the subject will gain a clear perspective on Zen practice as it really is, and seasoned practitioners will find much here to support and clarify practice. This will also appeal to readers interested in the development of Buddhism in America and how the essentials of a tradition can adapt to the demands of the modern world."— Library Journal



"Genpo Roshi invites us in a direct, no-nonsense language to transform ourselves and the world around us. He makes the Zen way clear and accessible to anyone who is willing to engage it. A must for every Zen library."—John Daido Loori Roshi, Abbot of the Zen Mountain Monastery and author of The Eight Gates of Zen



"Genpo Roshi gives those who have never meditated a chance to see their true face and experience the oneness of life."—Roshi Bernie Glassman, author of Infinite Circle



"The value of this original book lies not only in its clear presentation of Zen teaching, but also in the long experience and the depth of insight of its author."—Roshi Robert Jinsen Kennedy, author of Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit , and Zen Gifts to Christians