Zen and the brain : toward an understanding of meditation and consciousness /
James H. Austin.
- 2nd MIT pbk. ed.
- Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press, 1999, c1998.
- xxiv, 844 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. [712]-[825]) and index.
Part 1: Starting to point toward Zen -- Part 2: Meditating -- Part 3: Neurologizing -- Part 4: Exploring states of consciousness -- Part 5: Quickening -- Part 6: Turning in: the absorptions -- Part 7: Turning out: the awakenings -- Part 8: Being and beyond: to the stage of ongoing enlightenment.
"In this book Zen Buddhism becomes the opening wedge for an extraordinarily wide-ranging exploration of consciousness. In order to understand which brain mechanisms produce Zen states, one needs some understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the brain. Austin, both a neurologist and a Zen practitioner, interweaves the most recent brain research with the personal narrative of his Zen experiences. The science is both inclusive and rigorous; the Zen sections are clear and evocative. Along the way, Austin examines such topics as similar states in other disciplines and religions, sleep and dreams, mental illness, consciousness-altering drugs, and the social consequences of the advanced stage of ongoing enlightenment."--BOOK JACKET.