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Nothing Holy about It: The Zen of Being Just Who You Are

Nothing Holy about It: The Zen of Being Just Who You Are

$21.95 USD
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Book description

According to legend, when the founder of Zen Buddhism was asked about the main principle of his holy teaching, he replied that there was “nothing holy about it!” Now, a millennium and a half later, Tim Burkett reveals how and why the wisdom of nonholiness is the key to a joyful heart. You don’t need to go looking for something sacred—the happiness you seek is right where you are. In this book, a concise summary of Zen teachings unfolds within the ordinary comedies and tragedies of everyday life, beginning with the delightful nonholiness Burkett experienced in the presence of his original teacher, Shunyru Suzuki.
Tim Burkett

Tim Burkett

Author Bio

Tim Burkett began practicing Zen Buddhism in San Francisco in 1964 with renowned teacher Shunryu Suzuki. He is the former CEO of the largest nonprofit organization in Minnesota for individuals with mental illness and served as guiding teacher of Minnesota Zen Meditation Center from 2004 to 2021. He is a psychologist, a Zen Buddhist priest, and the author of Nothing Holy About It, Zen in the Age of Anxiety, and Enlightenment Is an Accident. He and his wife, Linda, have two grown children and two grandchildren.

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Praise for the book

David Chadwick

author of Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki

“Amidst Tim Burkett's insights into Buddhism and life, there emerges a wonderful, intimate picture of Shunryu Suzuki. I learned a lot from this book.”

Red Pine

author of Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits

“Fresh and personal and full of great stories culled from a life devoted to the cultivation of wisdom and compassion. A wonderful testament.”

Steve Hagen

author of Buddhism Is Not What You Think: Finding Freedom Beyond Beliefs

“I have long been aware of Tim Burkett's deep respect and appreciation for his teacher, Suzuki Roshi. Now I know why. Here's a touching account of how great an impact one life can have upon another.”

from the foreword by Norman Fischer

author of Training in Compassion

“Enjoy this wonderful, useful, profound yet modest book that expresses the true spirit of Zen. It and its warm-hearted author are blessings for the world, and I am honored and very pleased to introduce them to you.”
Nothing Holy about It: The Zen of Being Just Who You Are

Tim Burkett

Nothing Holy about It: The Zen of Being Just Who You Are

$13.99 USD