Buddhism Plain and Simple
by Steve Hagen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Steve HagenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1998-12-29
ISBN: 0767903323
Number of pages: 159
Publisher: Broadway Books
Product features:
- Introduction
- 3 major divisions: Perennial Problem/ Way to Wake Up/ Free Mind
- Epilogue
- Appendix
- Two Ways to View the Twelvefold Chain
Book Reviews of Buddhism Plain and Simple
Book Review: Things Buddhism never taught. Or, this book lauds materialism
Summary: 1 Stars
I was just looking over Steve Hagen's book, Buddhism Plain and Simple. He is supposed to know a lot about Mind with capital "M", after all he received transmission from Katagiri Roshi. I know I shouldn't gripe when Hagen says something serious about Mind on page 113 of his book. After all he is at least talking about the higher Mind which is more than most Zen teachers do. He says, interestingly:
"But there's another mind that is unborn, ungrown, and unconditioned. Unlike "your mind," it's unbound, for there is nothing beyond it. To this Mind, there is no "other mind." This Mind is nothing other than the Whole. It's simply thus, the fabric of the world itself--the ongoing arising and falling away that are matter, energy, and events."
I am forced to criticize Hagen's view of Mind, it gets confusing when he speaks of it being "the fabric of the world itself"
This is outright pathetic materialism, not buddhism as such, and is palpably false as contrasted with doctrine.
Mind, in original buddhism in the pali texts, is the term CITTA (nous, spiritus sanctum, or "Mind"). As fully differentiated from existential consciousness (vinnana)
1. Citta is the only thing which is said to obtain the state of "non-clinging" (anupada) "This is immortality, that being the liberated mind (citta) which does not cling (anupada) after anything" [MN 2.265]. 2. Citta is the only thing which is said to obtain the state of being "taintless" (anasava) [DN 2.35, MN 1.501, MN 3.20, SN 3.45...etc etc]. 3. Citta is the only thing which is said to obtain/is gathered in "the realm of immortality": "he gathers his mind within the realm of Immortality (amataya dhatuya). This is tranquility; this is that which is most excellent!" [MN 1.436]. "This is immortality, that being the liberated citta" [MN 2.265]. [AN 1.282] "He gathers the mind inside the immortal realm".
4. Citta is the only thing which is said to be the basis (arammana) for Parinibbana. Said immediately after Gotama's physical death: [DN 2.157] "No longer with (subsists by) in-breath nor out-breath, so is him (Gotama) who is steadfast in mind (citta), inherently quelled from all desires the mighty sage has passed beyond. With mind (citta) limitless (Brahma) he no longer bears sensations; illumined and unbound (Nibbana), his mind (citta) is definitely (ahu) liberated." The taintless (anasava) mind (citta) being = parinirvana: [SN 3.45] "The mind (citta) being so liberated and arisen from defilements, one is fixed in the Soul as liberation, one is quelled in fixation upon the Soul. Quelled in the Soul one is unshakable. So being unshakable, the very Soul is thoroughly unbound Parinirvana)." "This said: `the liberated mind (citta) which does not cling' means Nibbana" [MN2-Att. 4.68]. 5. Citta is the only thing which is differentiated from the five aggregates (rupa/vedana/sanna/sankhara/vinnana): "Whatever form, feelings, perceptions, experiences, or consciousness there is (the five aggregates), these he sees to be without permanence, as suffering, as ill, as a plague, a boil, a sting, a pain, an affliction, as foreign, as otherness, as empty (suññato), as Selfless (anattato). So he turns his mind (citta, Non-aggregate) away from these; therein he gathers his mind within the realm of Immortality (amataya dhatuya). This is tranquility; this is that which is most excellent!" [MN 1.436, AN 4.422]. [SN 3.234] The Aggregate Sutra. At Savatthi "Followers, the desire and lust for formations is a defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for feelings is a defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for cognition is a defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for experiences is a defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for vinnana is a defilement of the citta. But, followers, when one abandons the defilements of the citta regarding these five stations (aggregates), then ones citta inclines towards renunciation. Ones citta is made pliable and firm in renunciation by direct gnosis." [MN 1.511] "For a long time I have been cheated, tricked and hoodwinked by my citta. For when grasping, I have been grasping onto form, for when grasping, I have been grasping onto feelings, , for when grasping, I have been grasping onto perceptions, for when grasping, I have been grasping onto experiences, for when grasping, I have been grasping onto consciousness."
6. Citta is the only thing which, when perfected by samadhi and panna, is = Soul (attan): "Steadfast-in-the-Soul (thitattoti) means one is supremely-fixed within the mind (citta)" [Silakkhandhavagga-Att. 1.168]. "'The purification of one's own mind', this means the light (joti) within one's mind (citta) is the very Soul (attano)" [DN2-Att. 2.479]. [AN 2.6] "Him who is Lord of the mind (citta) possessed with supernormal faculties and quelled, that One is called 'fixed-in-the-Soul' (thitattoti)". [AN 1.196] "With mind (citta) emancipated from ignorance...this designates the Soul has become Brahma". [MN 1.213] "The collected and quelled mind is the Supreme Soul". "Steadfast-in-the-Soul (thitattoti) means steadfast in ones True-nature (thitasabha'vo)" [Tikanipa'ta-Att. 3.4]. 7. Citta is the only thing which is said to be the basis/medium for the recollection of past lives: "directs his mind (citta) to the recollection of past lives" [DN 1.81]. 8. Citta is the only thing which is said to be "its own foundation/not based in anything" (anarammana), therein philosophically anything which is "a thing in itself", i.e. "without a foundation of its own" is hence the basis for marking the mind as the Absolute (when wisdom and samadhi are culminated): [Pati-A 2.478] "The sovereign-mind which is its own support (an-without + a'rammana=support) means the sovereign-mind is the foundation". [Dh-A 4.26] "Ones own mind is the foundation of the Soul". [MN-A 2.297] "Nibbana is the foundation, that being the emancipated-mind (citta)". [Sn-A 2.583] "Emancipation is meant the foundation, that being the establishment of the emancipated mind".[Theragatha-A 1.138] "Supramundane samadhi is the foundation of Nibbana, that being the exceedingly quelled mind (citta)"
9. Citta is the only thing which is compared to the "indestructible" diamond: [AN 1.124] "What, followers, is a being who has a diamond-mind (vajiru'pamacitto)? That one who has destroyed the taints (asavas) and has both a liberated mind (citta) and is liberated by wisdom. Just as there is nothing which a diamond cannot cut, be it stone or gem; so to is one with a diamond-mind who has destroyed the taints and has both a liberated mind (citta) and is liberated by wisdom. This is one who possesses a diamond-mind." 10. The entire Aryan path itself is said to both being and end with the citta (mind) as its basis: [MN 1.197] "Followers, the Brahma life is not lived for sake of gains, honors, or acclaim; nor is it lived for virtuousness, nor for absorptions, nor for gnosis and insight. This Brahma life is lived for the sole preeminent purpose of emancipation of the mind alone, which is the quintessential final core". [MN 1.301] "What is samadhi (the culmination of the entire Aryan path) for? Samadhi, friend, is for making the mind (citta) sovereign". 11. The citta is the only thing which is said to go to the light/heaven realm: [SN 5.370] "His mind goes heaven-bound to auspiciousness." 12. Most importantly, the citta is the only thing which is said to obtain freedom from nescience/ignorance/agnosis (avijja): [MN 1.279] "When his steadfast mind was perfectly purified, perfectly illumined, stainless, utterly perfect, pliable, sturdy, fixed, and everlastingly determinate then he directs his mind towards the gnosis of the destruction of defilements. Knowing thus and seeing thus his mind is emancipated from sensual desires, his mind is emancipated from becoming, his mind is emancipated from ignorance." 13. The only proper noun which is said to obtain the state of emancipation (vimutta) is the citta (cittavimutta)- common pali term. 14. As per the `superior' path VS. the `inferior' path, the mind is the sole basis for the `superior' path: "ariyacittassa anasavacittassa ariyamaggasamangino" [MN 3.72] "The Aryan citta, the taintless citta; this is that with which the Aryan path is endowed with".
With countless evidences from doctrine, this book is fully and soundly refuted. Buy the book "DOCTRINE OF THE BUDDHA" by George Grimm if you want authenticity, not "miserable little books" like this which do not reflect genuine buddhism.
Summary of Buddhism Plain and Simple
"Buddhism Plain and Simple" offers a clear, straightforward treatise on Buddhism in general and on awareness in particular. Steve Hagan presents the Buddha's uncluttered, original teachings in everyday, accessible language unencumbered by religious ritual.You might want to digest this book slowly, a few pages at a time. Although Zen teacher Steve Hagen has a knack for putting the philosophy of Buddhism in a "plain and simple" package, it may take a while to sink in. There is so much there. Seeing reality, realizing the wisdom of the self, breaking free of dualistic thinking--this is pretty heady stuff. Thankfully, Hagen passes it along in the form of examples from life, psychological tidbits, and stories from Buddhist teachers past and present. And when it clicks in, it can be life-transforming. Hagen explains this shift in outlook and how the fundamental way we look at the world affects everything we do. As an outline, Hagen follows the basic teachings of the Buddha, and we see that, rather than dogmatic truths, they are reminders for us as we reconsider the life we have taken for granted for so long. As it turns out, Buddhism is life, plain and simple. --Brian Bruya
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