Zen Without Zen Masters

I first met Camden Benares in 1974, when he was just finishing "Zen Without Zen Masters." I had the pleasure, during out weekly get-togethers, of having him read me a chapter each week, while I read to him the chapters of my then in-progress novel. I remember many times laughing so hard I almost fell off my chair -- certainly not my usual reaction to a work on enlightenment, or any other religious matter! Camden wrote two other Zen books, one of which, "Riding Buddha's Bicycle" a much more autobiographical book, reamins unpublished. I've read them all and "Zen Without Zen Masters" was his crowning work. In my opinion it is the best book on Zen ever written. He was a brilliant, gentle man who lived a life of wisdom in this "Age of Fools." Camden Beneres was an iconoclast, a Discordian and a man who never took himself too seriously. He was much loved by those privileged to know him -- in Japan he would have been revered as a "Living Treasure," a great sensei with many students. Camden moved on to the next plane in the year 2000; wherever he is today, his spirit is surely smiling and full of laughter. Thankfully, he left us this book so that we can share his insights into life and enlightened wisdom. John F. Carr

This book manages to make you keenly aware of your own involvement with your happiness, while simultaneously keeping you laughing your head off. Well worth coming back to for both its analyses of taking control of your own experience and as a tool to brighten up your day with some levity.

It's all here. This is the Funny - Cartoon - Western approach to the gate, but it's the same gate. Look for this book. If you can't find it, email me, and I'll loan you my copy.

A book on Zen is a contradiction in terms. It's be like having a 300-page book on being succinct. Zen practioners believe that the best way to experience Zen is to experience life, not read or study it. "Zen Without Zen Masters" captures this theme beautifully. The book is comprised of short, mostly orignal, humorous Zen anecdotes. Each of which reads like the setup of a joke. As you read these stories, you'll find yourself thinking. But you'll also find youself laughing. So not only are you a reader of Benares' book, you're a participant as well. And after all, that's what Zen is all about.