Zen in the Vernacular

Things As It Is

By: Peter Coyote, Lewis Richmond - introduction

Narrated by: Peter Coyote

“A quietly uplifting, practical view of Buddhism.”—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

• Shows how Zen offers a creative problem-solving mechanism and moral guide ideal for the stresses and problems of daily life

• Shares the author’s secular, vernacular interpretations of the Four Noble Truths, the Three Treasures, the Eightfold Path, and other fundamental Buddhist ideas

During the nearly 3,000 years since the Buddha lived, his teachings have spread widely around the globe. In each culture where Buddhism was introduced, the Buddha’s teachings have been pruned and modified to harmonize with local customs, laws, and cultures. We can refer to these modifications as “gift wrapping,” translating the gifts of Buddha’s teachings in ways sensible to particular cultures in particular times. This gift-wrapping explains why Indian, Tibetan, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese, and Indonesian Buddhism have significant differences.

In this engaging guide to Zen Buddhism, award-winning actor, narrator, and Zen Buddhist priest Peter Coyote helps us peer beneath the Japanese gift-wrapping of Zen teachings to reveal the fundamental teachings of the Buddha and show how they can be applied to contemporary daily life. The author explains that the majority of Western Buddhists are secular and many don’t meditate, wear robes, shave their heads, or believe in reincarnation. He reminds us that the mental/physical states achieved by Buddhist practice are universal human states, ones we may already be familiar with but perhaps never considered as possessing spiritual dimensions.

Exploring Buddha’s core teachings, the author shares his own secular and accessible interpretations of the Four Noble Truths, the Three Treasures, and the Eightfold Path within the context of his lineage and the teachings of his teacher and the teachers before him. He looks at Buddha’s teachings on our singular reality that appears as a multiplicity of things and on the “self” that perceives reality, translating powerful spiritual experience into the vernacular of modern life.

Revealing the practical usefulness of Buddhist philosophy and practice, Zen in the Vernacular shows how Zen offers a creative problem-solving mechanism and moral guide ideal for the stresses and problems of everyday life.

The depth and clarity of the teaching.

Not just another book on meditation but much more. How to live the Buddhist path in our place and time. Deep bow of respect and appreciation.

Great look at zen from a personal western perspective

Coyote’s explication of Zen Buddhism is interesting and fresh. His description of where it places practitioners in a modern moral context is strong tea for sure.

Incredibly relevant to our time

Relevant and accessible. Awesome use of metaphor to explain what is often unexplainable. Brings Buddhism into our lives spiritually, practically and even politically.

deranged lunatic

I will start by saying I am a huge Peter coyote fan  his voice that is I’m also a Buddhist but listening to him ramble on about all of this political stuff especially his hatred towards Trump has no place… On top of all of the Covid stuff he talked about which he has no idea what he’s talking about… I will be returning this book… I wish I could personally address am on this… He does not speak for Buddhist or Buddhism in tone that he uses or his hatred. Absolutely disgusting as I was listening to it I just kept getting madder and madder Peter wake up Buddhist don’t drink Kool-Aid.🏁

So... Buddhist ethics are Optional/Negotionable?

One aspect of this book that deeply troubled me was Peter Coyote’s casual admission that, though he is a Buddhist monk, he sometimes eats bacon.

The first precept in Buddhism is very clear: to refrain from killing or causing harm to living beings.

For many practitioners, this extends naturally to diet, as eating meat means participating in and supporting the suffering and killing of animals.

To shrug this off as an occasional indulgence seems to undercut the very foundation of the practice he is describing.

While no one is perfect, for a monk... someone who has formally taken vows and who is guiding others... to openly disregard such a core precept raises questions of integrity and sincerity.

It risks giving readers the impression that Buddhist ethics are optional or negotiable, rather than a discipline of compassion and responsibility.