The Practice of Perfection: The Paramitas from a Zen Buddhist Perspective
Aitken, one of the foremost teachers of Zen in the West, has written several notable books on its practice, including Taking the Path of Zen (Farrar, 1982), a fine introduction to the subject, as well as a translation of The Mumonkan (LJ 1/91), one of Zen's central collections of koans. Here he does an admirable job of exploring the meaning of the paramitas, or perfections. The paramitas, a part of all Buddhist traditions, are somewhat in the nature of guidelines or ideals, attention to which can deepen one's understanding and Buddhist practice. Aitken devotes one chapter to each of the ten perfections, giving for each several pages of background and explanation followed by a question-and-answer section transcribed from dialogs with students. This is an excellent book, geared primarily toward those with some knowledge and experience of Zen practice. A fine complement to Aitken's other works, it is highly recommended for collections with an interest in Zen.Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., N.Y.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.