Customer Reviews
dirty mirror - By: Mr. Dr. Cullen, 06 Oct 2008 
not very good at all really. although the author has probably reached a place of understanding through endless nihilistic questioning (as expounded through his 'punk' philosophies & experiences)the book is laden with his ego & demonstrates little self control or calm awareness. it's okay if you're looking for an autobiographical account of one man's loss of self through sensory overload, but if the interest comes from that of one seeking 'zen', then maybe best to look elsewhere. there is no zen; there is no master; there only is. &in a cosmos of clean & dirty dishes, this one could do with a bit of a wash.
READ IT! - By: K. Connell, 30 Jun 2008 
Anyone with even the slightest interestin Buddhism, or Zen Buddhism, or Soto Zen Buddhism needs to read this book. It's easy, compelling, hilarious & reflects every day events & emotionsin everyone's life. Brad Warner is a genius! I've read it over & over again!
If you have any interest at all in Buddhism, read this book! - By: Jason, 18 May 2008 I have read many Dharma booksin the last few years, some are great, some are ok & some are dreadful. Without doubt, this book belongsin the "great" camp, even if the author wishes otherwise. For me, reading this book, & then reading it again, made me ask questions of myself. Why am I a Buddhist? What am I tring to achieve, if anything? Who am I? This books provided absolutely no answers whatsoever, & that's exactly the way it should be. No book can give you the answers, & if pretends that it can, burn the book.
No, this book made me ask really important questions of myself & of my practise. Zen is all about asking questions: question yourself, question your teacher, question your practise, question authority. I found some answersin myself, & I also found a bunch of other questions. And, I've really enjoyed asking those questions & looking for the answers. I probably won't find all of them, but that's ok.
I'm not so pretentious to say this was a life changing book, but it sure made me change the way I look at my life. It's deep, profound, funny, interesting & highly recommended.
BTW Brad, you'll be glad to know the book isn't great. But it is really, really, really OK!
Buy Something Else - By: Jason Wareham, 05 May 2008 
This book is ok. Just ok. The author obviously has a good understanding of the subject, & the half of the book that deals with this is very good. However the rest of the book is a let down, feeling more like a terribly written autobiography. i found the writing style very irritating, almost every paragraph ended with, "...and thats just the way it is, buddy.", or something similar. Towards the end the author even starts to rip into other authors who i have never even heard of. You just wish he would stick to the subjectin hand. i brought this book as a result of the glowing references here, it just wasn't for me.
Drenched: How Zazen May Get You Deeper Into Life - By: calmly, 25 Oct 2007 Brad Warner writes fluidly: "Hardcore Zen" is an easy & enjoyable read. He seems to be teaching a "choiceless awareness" not dissimilar to that taught by Krishnamurti orin the Tibetan teachng Dzogchen or by the Zen Master Bankei.
But Brad does practice & advocate zazen, presumably as a way of helping to keep the mind clear. So although he demystifies rebirth & enlightenment, he holds to tradition with zazen. It's not clear why. Perhaps as a grounding technique, so one doesn't get lost or forget. ButI'm wondering if Brad isn't a radical as he initially appears.
How is it each of us has to find his/her own way & yet its that same selfless way of the Buddha? Amazement & bare awareness may not be enough & one will have to plan, to analyze, to think.
So why not, instead of zazen, just go restin one's bed for a while each day?
As attracted as I've been to this book, to Krishnamurti, to Dzogchen, such approaches haven't gotten me far. Instead more pragmatic approaches like David Reynold's Constructive Living & Radical Behaviorism's self-management techniques have been useful to me.
Still "Hardcore Zen" is a very good read & it does have fine things to say about rebirth, enlightenment, & the precepts. Go for it.
