The canon of self-help Buddhism

When I first began studying Zen Buddhism in 1965, books about Zen were not many.  The little library at the temple where I studied may have had about thirty or forty books.  D.T. Suzuki and a few other scholars were the main source.  They stuck pretty much with the accepted canon of Buddhism.  

What I shall call the canon of self-help Buddhism was still in the wings.  Christianity, of course, led the way when looking for antecedents and models for such a canon.  The Bible can be considered to be the oldest self-help book in the world with numberless self-help spinoffs such as the famous, The Power of Positive Thinking (1952) by Norman Vincent Peal.  What typifies such books is they are usually written by authors outside of the mental health profession.  Such books offer guidance that any person reading the book might find useful to help them with their psychological struggles.  If I were to come up with the canon of self-help Buddhism it might include examples like these listed below.

The Backdoor to Enlightenment: Eight Steps to Living Your Dreams and Changing Your World by Za Rinpoche and Ashley Nebelsieck

A Mindful Way: Eight Weeks to Happiness by Jeanie Seward-Magee and Thich Nhat Hanh (Foreward)

Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears by Pema Chödron

Everyday Zen: Love & Work by Charlotte Joko Beck and Steve Smith

The Tibetan Art of Serenity: How to Conquer Fear and Gain Contentment by Christopher Hansard 

Sweeping Changes: Discovering the Joy of Zen in Everyday Tasks by Gary Thor

Zen in Touch: The Seven Factors of Living Happiness by Khai Thien

White Collar Zen: Using Zen Principles to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Your Career Goals by Steven Heine 

Zen and the Art of Anything by Hal W. French, Marianne Rankin and Kwang-ming Wu

Everyday Dharma: Seven Weeks to Finding the Buddha in You by Willa Miller

The Mindfulness Workbook: A Beginner's Guide to Overcoming Fear & Embracing Compassion by Thomas B. Roberts

A Truthful Heart: Buddhist Practices for Connecting with Others by Jeffrey Hopkins

Personally, I have nothing against the authors or these books.  The problem as I see it is that Buddhism, and Zen in particular, is not fundamentally about self-help which means these books offer no real insight into Buddhism, itself, if this is what an average beginner is seeking.  In fact, there is more about the fundamentals of Buddhism to be found in the Encyclopedia Britannica Online (Academic Edition) than any self-help book might offer. 

One misconception about Buddhism that may lead to a proliferation of such books is that Buddhism is 'this worldly' which, by the way is not true, so that it offers a practical approach for how the average person might deal with the problems of everyday life.  But the average person is not on the Buddha's list of those who make it to nirvana.  Much less are the bulk of his discourses addressed to the average, worldly person or "prithagjana".  

In Sanskrit, a prithagjana is defined as someone of the lower class.  This is in contrast with the Buddhist arya-sravaka or holy person which we see often translated by the term "noble disciple".  Needless to say, this subject is hardly addressed in modern circles of politically correct Buddhism.  It is troubling for obvious reasons, because it makes Buddhism read elitist—which in fact it is!  This elitism, however, is based upon one's spiritual aptitude—not on gender or being a monastic.

While I will not argue against the pragmatic use of Buddhism to help the average person cope with the vicissitudes of mundane life which, by the way, is all part of skillful means, I will say, however, that real Buddhism goes quite beyond what the canon of self-help Buddhism has to offer.  Therefore, it behooves the exceptional beginner to look into the traditional canon of Buddhism which includes the Pali Nikayas and the Mahayana canon.  Personally, I like both of the canons.  They are equally subtle and both help open the door to pure Mind which transcends the mundane.

Comments

[nathan]

I don't know about the book you cited, but Pema Chodron's work holds up pretty well in my opinion. She's not soft and mushy, and really doesn't hand out spiritual candy and "good feelings" - she has even written a detailed book on Shantideva's Way of the Bodhisattva.

As for the rest of what you cited, I totally agree.

[NellaLou]

This point needs to be brought up repeatedly. Relaxation therapy, "Zen Habits" or the "Mindful Corporate Executive" may have some utilitarian purpose but in and of themselves they do not comprise all of Buddhism.

[Paul B.]

Good post. I liked it because I can relate this to my own brand of religiosity.

For some time now I have considered myself as being a "Zen Christian." Or at one time even a "moderate neo-humanistic Zen Christian Buddhistic Mormon!"

But what are your thoughts on attempting to amalgamate Zen Buddhism with Christianity? I see many parallels with the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and the Buddha although the Christ was very firm on the aspect of 'divinity' and salvation through Him, while the Buddha was not.

[Emily Breder]

My sentiments exactly! These kinds of books are enormously helpful to the average layperson, but they are to the Suttas as a pond is to the ocean.