• Breath Sweeps Mind

  • By: Jakusho Kwong-roshi
  • Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (217 ratings)

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Breath Sweeps Mind  By  cover art

Breath Sweeps Mind

By: Jakusho Kwong-roshi
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Publisher's summary

From a Dharma successor to the late Shunryu Suzuki-roshi comes Breath Sweeps Mind, an invitation to experience the living presence of a true Zen master. With more than 40 years of experience practicing traditional Zen, Jakusho Kwong-roshi removes some of the mystery surrounding this enigmatic philosophy. Here is clear instruction in its core principles and how it relates to our everyday world, including methods of zazen meditation, why delusion is inseparable from enlightenment, turning our light inward, and more.

Breath Sweeps Mind presents a refreshing and easily accessible transmission of Zen practice to help us return to our own profundity ¿ which is always with us ¿ and realize the richness of this very moment.

©2005 Kwong Roshi (P)2005 Sounds True

What listeners say about Breath Sweeps Mind

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

This is a wonderful examination of Zen and person by a master. Jakusho Kwong-roshi is funny, poingnant, insightful and authentic. His stories bring to life some of the rather esoteric aspects of Zen. His voice is soothing, his message profound.

He quotes a poem from Tozan:

Do not try to see the objective world.
You, which is given, is an object to see is quite different from you yourself.
I'm going my own way and I meet myself,
which includes everything I meet.
I am not something which I can see as an object.
When you understand self, which includes everything, you have your true way.

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55 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

I loved it

This is a slow moving dharma talk with lots of space to experience the void between words. I found myself soaking it in. There is a lot of wisdom within. It isn't like a lots of recent Buddhist marketed self help type audios that are sort of a hyped sales pitch for whatever method is new. It's like an old school teacher talking to his students. I found it very refreshing and I learned a lot. Felt like a zen retreat.

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35 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Complete. Effortless. Wonderful.

....took a walk with it... came home and sat with it on my mind.

Was one of the first times listening to an audiobook where, once I put it down, I felt perfect, at ease, calm, and held a kind of internal peace that I've never really experienced before. And I'm no stranger to inner peace and calm. I'm a life coach, and it's what I do. But with that I'm incredibly picky when it comes to information, especially integrating new information. ...this book, .. is perfect.

I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the subjects of peacefulness and release. I'm grateful that I found this book. Jakusho Kwong-Roshi thoughtfully speaks on the subject with ease and clarity, and with such a way that you identify with him and his words effortlessly.

Pretty cool feeling after listening to an audiobook on a subject that I'm no stranger of.
Nice work. ...very nice work.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A great book

this is a terrific book. Genuine and full of good teaching. The talks are clear and wise. If you have an interest in Zen or in life...this is a must listen. Enjoy!

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Zen for real people

Jakusho Kwong-roshi brings humor, compassion and clear explanations to some Zen concepts that had previously evaded me. I listen to certain sections over and over, it's like peeling an onion - the layers fall away to reveal a new more fascinating layer and a deeper understanding.
One of the treasures in my library, now and for many lifetimes to come!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

You're better off finding a podcast about Buddhism

This is basically a recording of a guy giving a lecture about maintaining positive thinking. Which I don't have a problem with, but it reminded me of a basic podcast (which are free btw) I can't say I gained anything from this but maybe it just wasn't my style either. I stopped it within listening to a few chapters and regretted spending my Audible credit on what could easily be put into a podcast category.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent ebook. Many thanks Jakusho Kwong-roshi

Would you consider the audio edition of Breath Sweeps Mind to be better than the print version?

I will definitely buy the book and add it to my collection.

Which character – as performed by the narrator – was your favorite?

Jakusho Kwong-roshi

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Breath Sweeps Mind

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Important but not concise

Any additional comments?

Felt this one was a bit stale... I found it bland in its message and delivery. Maybe this is because I listened to it right after 'You're It' by Alan Watts (life changer) and my expectations had to been set to high in comparison. Either way, I would recommend purchasing 'You're It' before giving this one a go.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not for everyone and not what I expected

Some may enjoy it, but it wasn't very enriching for me. I'm sure that's my fault. I was expecting more from Suzuki Roshi dharma successor. Expectations will get you every time. I couldn't finish it, but it may work for others.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Common sense Zen for the soul.

Great, plain-spoken American English talk on being yourself with lots of great Zen stories on sutra commentaries.

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