OurColony.net

The Buddha and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

Customer Rating:
This is by far the best and most detailed book I have seen so far on the interface between brain-science and spirituality. The author works as a neuroscientist and also has more than 30 years experience of lay-practice under Japanese Zen Masters and later the Western Zen teacher Irmgard Schloegl: surely a rare if not unique combination of qualifications.

He divides his (huge) book into three parts. First a beginner's guide to neuroscience, describing the brain's components and their functioning, and the work of ten or so best-known, most-studied neurotransmitters. Austin does a good job of reducing this vast and monstrously complex subject-matter to clarity and order, but be warned, this is not a light read. Before buying the book, check out how you cope with this first third: if it defeats you or leaves you lost in a haze, there's not much point trying to tackle the rest. The book as a whole is inclined to sprawl, but this is pardonable with such a plethora of detail to bind together.

The second part deals with the author's long experience of Zen practice. He was twice set a koan, but didn't succeed in penetrating either; he did experience kenshô, an insight into the self-less nature of Reality that is peculiar to Japanese Zen. The third part then ties the first two together, developing specific, detailed theories of just what kinds of brain-activity could give rise to deep meditative states and insights.

He is intrigued by an experience he calls "absorption": a meditative state in which sensory input is cut off. In total silence and darkness the body itself vanishes, nothing remaining but pure awareness. I won't spoil it for you by giving away the explanation he comes up with: it's one of the most fascinating parts of the book. At times his scientific detachment is amusing. He experiences an enveloping Light, which is Behind him as well as in front. Many of us might be down on our knees, but not James Austin. His understanding of the workings of the visual cortex enables him to form a testable theory of how such a thing could occur.

Two things bother me about this book. After 30 years of Zen practice, Austin is surely some kind of Buddhist. Yet he works in a discipline whose knowledge has been gained from the horrific torture of animals. A less disturbing but more profound problem is this: Zen was developed from earlier Buddhist philosophies known as Mind-Only, based on the doctrine that only Consciousness exists. Yet the author, along with most scientists, hold the exact opposite belief: that only Matter exists.

He never confronts some basic questions. What Is consciousness? How does the brain "generate" it? What can Enlightenment mean if the mind is nothing but Matter? But since no-one has ever succeeded in finding the answers, I forgive James Austin for avoiding the questions.

Information overload

Customer Rating:
The author, a neurologist and a Zen practitioner, addresses complex topics in this book and has made a huge literary effort (844 pages). He describes many aspects of Zen philosophy and Buddhism, meditation practice and enlightenment, brain physiology and neurology, and hypotheses about alternate states of consciousness either meditation-, drug- or mental illness-induced. He also includes personal experiences of meditation practice related to his relationship with Zen masters in Japan. To my understanding, the text is presented as an overflow of ideas, concepts, theories, models and thoughts that, not easy to understand by themselves, become additionally difficult to follow when put together and discussed and rediscussed again and again over hundreds of pages. There is such an excess of information that even after reading the book I wonder what exactly is the purpose of the book.

The scientific contribution of the book is certainly valuable. There are exhaustive descriptions of brain structure and physiology, neurotransmission processes, as well as of neurological changes associated with the different states of awareness with special interest given to those related to meditation practice. I particularly liked the comparison of enlightenment reached through meditation with the mental effects induced by psychotropic drugs, especially LSD. However, from this point on, the author tries to link neurological concepts with Zen elements in so many ways that the train of thought seems to jump back and forth over and over, and one progressively gets lost in a sea of confusion. Moreover, I think that some of the philosophical discussions presented go way beyond the limit of "understanding of meditation and consciousness" as the subtitle of the book claims. Hence, at times the biomedical explanations are directed towards the purely religious side of Zen and Buddhism, that is, its supposed truths, ethically correct behaviors and morality. This gives me the impression that the book is intended to be Zen proselytism as opposed to a positive contribution to bridge the gap between science and human mind. It is clear that this book deals with Zen, as the title states. However, Zen philosophy also contains a strong charge of eastern culture, and as the author is a westerner and a scientist, I expected a more neutral discussion of the nature of enlightenment since similar experiences may also be found outside Buddhism. It is well known that Christian mystics such as Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila and Meister Eckhart reached alternate states of consciousness equivalent to Zen enlightenment. However, these states were interpreted according to their Christian faith, in a God-communion oriented manner. This is very different to what is practiced by eastern cultures. The author, as a Zen practitioner, channels his arguments in favor of the Zen perspective. I do not mean that this is incorrect or unfair. I feel that a broader discussion would be more appropriate taking into account that the author has already opened the door to the presence of religion. This is in contrast to the tendency of the author to touch on all possible implications of his postulates. For example, there are some philosophical and rather pseudoscientific discussions about time, space and eternity that, in my opinion, are out of place. I think that these topics would be more appropriate in a debate on quantum physics, for which the author does not appear to be qualified.

As a final remark, I think that this is a complex work with an excess of information to be presented in a single book. Although it seems to be intended to popularize Zen, it does not appear to be appropriate for anyone just wanting to become familiar with Zen or even for a trained meditation practitioner. Maybe the book could be useful for a scientist aiming to learn about brain function and consciousness, but as I have described above, the lack of clarity and a certain religious bias are major handicaps. In summary, I feel that if the objective of the author was to generate a heavy, dense compilation of knowledge and erudition, then he probably succeeded. If his objective was, however, to write an instructive and didactic book for a popular audience, then I think he missed the point.

Enter with extreme caution

Customer Rating:
The Author is a neurologist and a Zen practitioner.

His skill at the field of neurology; I will reserve comment until I obtain sufficient information to form a credible opinion.

The information about Zen; is terroble at least in the beginning. I was only able to complete the first thirty pages before throwing the book down in disgust because he tells some things about zen that "just ain't so."

Page 7. "The Zen of which we speak is an ancient sect of mahayana Buddhism."

Zen is NOT Mahayana Buddhism. Zen is neither fish nor fowl.

Zen began in China and was called chan (sitting meditation) Buddhism began in India, when Buddhism was taken to China; the Chinese state religion was Taoism.

Zen is an outgrowth of the two philosophies Buddhism and Taoism. Chan practitioners borrowed parts of each philosophy, and chan was born as a third and seperate philsophy. the name was changed to Zen after chan was taken to Japan.

Page 8. "Chan also drew some of it's ethical base from Confucianism"

Confucius lived about the same time of Buddha (sidhartha Gautama), and by the time Chan was introduced Confucianism had been replaced with the state religion pf Taoism. It's a mice story; but isn't so.

Page 8. "Thus it gradually evolved into what Kobori-roshi would later describe as a strange dragon with a Taoist torso, Confucian feet and the Buddhist enlightenment-experience for it's eyes.

I documented earlier that Taoism had replaced Confucianism as the state religion before the birth of zen, and I thought the author said on page 7 that Zen was Mahayana Buddhism?

Page 13. "Authentic Zen will not be drawn into such artificial "minn gyms"."

What is a gym? a gymnasium where a person goes to play a sport or to exercize. Zen IS all about exercizing the mind so you can awaken to your True Nature, and silence the monkey mind.

Page 14. "Zen shuns halucinations and dogmatism"

Excuse me Mr. Austin; but one can NOT awaken to their True Nature without going through the mental state called makyo where your mind will generate all sorts of visual AND sometimes audible halucinations.

As I said earlier' I was only able to stand about the first thirty pages before throwing the book down in disgust. The Zen instruction may get better; but I DO know the author puts a lot of garbage about Zen in the mind of the readers.

If you want to learn Zen; start here.

Entry level.

"Taking The Path Of Zen" Robert Aitken
"Zen: Lessons From A Modern Master" Katsukui Sekida

Experienced

"Zen Training: Methods And Philsophy" Katsuki Sekida
"Three Pillars Of Zen" Phillip Kapleau

For more books check my listmania list for Zen books

Zen was the first meditation system I learned at the age of 12 when studying martial arts.

I am nearly 52 now. I have practised taoist, guided, Hawaiian, Jewish, and several other forms of meditation over the years; but I always seem to find myself wandering back to Zen after a few weeks to months.

Excellent Understanding of ZEN

Customer Rating:
ZEN & THE BRAIN is an excellent book about the mechanisms and affects of the Brain before,during,&after the process of ZEN meditation. It includes a brief history of Zen & what Japanese Koans are & how they should be approached. If You are a beginner it is a fascinating exploration,if you are intermediate or advanced,his book will furthur motivate you to higher levels of ZEN.Doctor James H.Austin writes surprisingly humbly about his lessons of Zen.This is a MUST READ & PURCHASE book,ZEN AND THE MIND BY JAMES H.AUSTIN.

where is the brain center for compassion?

Customer Rating:
so he spent his sabbaticals doing things to cat brains?

since cat brains are completely different from human brains what was the point of torturing innocent animals?

perhaps he needs to go back and meditate some more on compassion.

i will not be reading or purchasing his book.