Edited with Grace Schireson. Forward by Barbara Ruch.
WISDOM PUBLICATIONS (2017)
Zen Bridge collects Dharma talks given by the Zen master Keido Fukushima Roshi. Fukushima Roshi’s anecdotes on his own training are humble, hilarious, and full of wisdom. His reflections on classical teachings intermingle with personal stories, allowing them to be accessible to all readers while at the same time transcendent. The power and authenticity of this true Zen master shines through in his words.
This book includes black and white illustrations of basic sitting and hand posture for meditation as well as selections of Fukushima Roshi’s calligraphy.
Quotes from Keido Fukushima in ZEN BRIDGE
“After living this life to its fullest, the moment death arrives, we can die to its fullest. This is what Zen teaches about being human.”
“A Zen master must be a master. It won’t do if he’s not a good, full human being.”
“In both Japan and America, people have misunderstood Zen as something mystical, but this is untrue. There are no secrets in Zen. Zen dislikes secrets because Zen is here, now, I myself, so there’s nothing to be hidden.”
Praise for ZEN BRIDGE
Keido Fukushima is one of the signal Rinzai masters of our times. Within this wonderful anthology of his teachings, we can feel the twinkle in his eye and the constant pointing to the deep in a way rarely as inviting as we find here.
~ James Ishmael Ford, author of If You’re Lucky, Your Heart Will Break
Zen Bridge brings Keido Fukushima back to us, talking to us. His words light up the path to that place in the Zen mind where for all of us, as he made clear, “Every day is a good day.”
~ Barbara Ruch, Professor Emerita of Japanese Literature and Culture at Columbia University.
Reading Zen Bridge is like having Fukushima Roshi himself in front of you, right here and right now, with all his warmth, humor, and wisdom.
~ Stephen Addiss, author of The Art of Zen
Delightful! Keido Fukushima is a wonderful Japanese Zen master, full of humor, short and tall tales, and easygoing words that evoke deep truths. You will cross Zen Bridge with pleasure.
~ Zoketsu Norman Fischer, author of Training in Compassion