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Dọn nhà, Dọn cửa, Gột rửa trái tim
Tác giả Shoukei Matsumoto là một nhà sư, tu hành tại ngôi chùa mang tên Komyo (Quang Minh) nằm tại thị trấn Kamiya, Tokyo, Nhật Bản.
Năm 2003, thầy gõ cánh cửa chùa Komyo, trở thành nhà sư thuộc phái Bản nguyên tự (Hongan-ji) của Tịnh độ chân tông. Một ngày của nhà sư bắt đầu từ việc dọn dẹp. Dọn dẹp sạch sẽ bên trong ngôi chùa và sân vườn, lau cẩn thận gian giữa của ngôi chùa, khiến nó trở nên sáng bóng. Việc dọn dẹp đó không phải vì đã bẩn, cũng chẳng phải vì bừa bộn. Nó được tiến hành để loại bỏ những đám mây mù ẩn sâu trong trái tim, trong tâm hồn mỗi con người chúng ta. Khi vào thăm ngôi chùa, bạn sẽ cảm nhận được một khoảng không gian thanh bình và êm đềm đến lạ, một khung cảnh khiến trái tim bạn trở nên đủ đầy. Trong sân vườn được dọn dẹp sạch sẽ, không có lấy một chiếc lá rơi, cũng chẳng hề thấy một cọng rác nhỏ. Nếu bạn ngồi ở gian giữa của ngôi chùa, tự nhiên cơ vai sẽ được thả lỏng, kéo giãn, tâm hồn như được tươi mới trở lại.
Để thanh tẩy những dục vọng ngoài thế giới trần tục, phải loại bỏ những bụi bẩn tồn tại trong tâm hồn. Để giũ bỏ những tham lam, phải lau đi những vết bẩn đã bám víu bấy lâu. Khoảng thời gian dọn dẹp thật cẩn thận và lưu tâm tới từng ngóc ngách như thế thực sự là một công việc khiến trái tim con người trở nên trọn vẹn.
Một lối sống đơn giản, trải qua quãng thời gian tìm thấy cái tôi chính trực. Từng giây, từng phút, từng khoảnh khắc, sống với một trái tim hòa nhã và từ tốn. Việc đó có lẽ không chỉ cần thiết đối với nhà sư như thầy, mà đó còn là thái độ không thể thiếu với tất cả mọi người, những người đang tất bật ngược xuôi ở thế giới hiện tại.
Cuộc đời là một chuỗi những ngày tu hành. Từng việc, từng việc mà chúng ta làm sẽ tạo ra trái tim, tạo ra tâm hồn của chúng ta. Nếu tồn tại với cách sống thô tục, tâm hồn sẽ vẩn đục. Nếu tồn tại với cách sống hòa nhã và từ tốn, dụng tâm với mọi sự trên đời này, từng chút một, trái tim bạn sẽ trở nên trong sáng và thanh khiết.
Khi mang một trái tim thanh thuần, thế giới mà bạn nhìn thấy sẽ tỏa sáng lấp lánh.
Một khi thế giới tỏa ra ánh sáng rạng rỡ, con người cũng trở nên hiền hòa hơn trước.
Phái Thiền vốn luôn nổi tiếng mỗi khi nhắc đến công việc dọn dẹp của nhà sư. Trong Phật giáo Nhật Bản, việc dọn dẹp rất được coi trọng, đó là một hành động “thanh tẩy tâm hồn.” Thông qua cuốn sách này, thầy Shoukei Matsumoto muốn truyền tải tới bạn đọc hình ảnh tu hành của các nhà sư, cũng như giới thiệu nghi thức dọn dẹp hằng ngày được thực hiện tại ngôi chùa. Về nghi thức của phái Thiền, thầy tổng hợp lại dựa trên cuộc nói chuyện với thiền sư Yoshimura Shoyo, một vị hòa thượng của phái Tào Động, hiện đang hoạt động rất năng nổ với tư cách là thiền sư chế biến món ăn chay, cùng với tăng sĩ Seigaku – người hiện đang sinh sống tại Berlin, Đức và truyền bá phái Thiền (ZEN) của Nhật Bản ra khắp thế giới.
Thầy mong rằng trong thời gian rảnh rỗi, mọi người cũng có thể cùng thử nghiệm nghi thức dọn dẹp được các nhà sư thực hiện trong chùa một cách vui vẻ tại ngôi nhà của mình.
Không có gì là khó cả. Nếu như bạn có thể tự nhủ với lòng mình rằng: “Mình muốn vừa ở nhà vừa bồi dưỡng vẻ đẹp tâm hồn,” vậy thì chẳng phải việc nhà – công việc thực hiện mỗi ngày sẽ trở thành “công việc bồi dưỡng vẻ đẹp tâm hồn” hay sao? Và không chỉ bồi dưỡng vẻ đẹp tâm hồn của bản thân, dọn dẹp cũng chính là bồi dưỡng vẻ đẹp tâm hồn của những người xung quanh bạn.
“Nếu như việc dọn dẹp hằng ngày có thể trở thành cơ hội để bạn tìm thấy được bản ngã, với tôi, không còn gì hạnh phúc hơn thế”.
Năm 2003, thầy gõ cánh cửa chùa Komyo, trở thành nhà sư thuộc phái Bản nguyên tự (Hongan-ji) của Tịnh độ chân tông. Một ngày của nhà sư bắt đầu từ việc dọn dẹp. Dọn dẹp sạch sẽ bên trong ngôi chùa và sân vườn, lau cẩn thận gian giữa của ngôi chùa, khiến nó trở nên sáng bóng. Việc dọn dẹp đó không phải vì đã bẩn, cũng chẳng phải vì bừa bộn. Nó được tiến hành để loại bỏ những đám mây mù ẩn sâu trong trái tim, trong tâm hồn mỗi con người chúng ta. Khi vào thăm ngôi chùa, bạn sẽ cảm nhận được một khoảng không gian thanh bình và êm đềm đến lạ, một khung cảnh khiến trái tim bạn trở nên đủ đầy. Trong sân vườn được dọn dẹp sạch sẽ, không có lấy một chiếc lá rơi, cũng chẳng hề thấy một cọng rác nhỏ. Nếu bạn ngồi ở gian giữa của ngôi chùa, tự nhiên cơ vai sẽ được thả lỏng, kéo giãn, tâm hồn như được tươi mới trở lại.
Để thanh tẩy những dục vọng ngoài thế giới trần tục, phải loại bỏ những bụi bẩn tồn tại trong tâm hồn. Để giũ bỏ những tham lam, phải lau đi những vết bẩn đã bám víu bấy lâu. Khoảng thời gian dọn dẹp thật cẩn thận và lưu tâm tới từng ngóc ngách như thế thực sự là một công việc khiến trái tim con người trở nên trọn vẹn.
Một lối sống đơn giản, trải qua quãng thời gian tìm thấy cái tôi chính trực. Từng giây, từng phút, từng khoảnh khắc, sống với một trái tim hòa nhã và từ tốn. Việc đó có lẽ không chỉ cần thiết đối với nhà sư như thầy, mà đó còn là thái độ không thể thiếu với tất cả mọi người, những người đang tất bật ngược xuôi ở thế giới hiện tại.
Cuộc đời là một chuỗi những ngày tu hành. Từng việc, từng việc mà chúng ta làm sẽ tạo ra trái tim, tạo ra tâm hồn của chúng ta. Nếu tồn tại với cách sống thô tục, tâm hồn sẽ vẩn đục. Nếu tồn tại với cách sống hòa nhã và từ tốn, dụng tâm với mọi sự trên đời này, từng chút một, trái tim bạn sẽ trở nên trong sáng và thanh khiết.
Khi mang một trái tim thanh thuần, thế giới mà bạn nhìn thấy sẽ tỏa sáng lấp lánh.
Một khi thế giới tỏa ra ánh sáng rạng rỡ, con người cũng trở nên hiền hòa hơn trước.
Phái Thiền vốn luôn nổi tiếng mỗi khi nhắc đến công việc dọn dẹp của nhà sư. Trong Phật giáo Nhật Bản, việc dọn dẹp rất được coi trọng, đó là một hành động “thanh tẩy tâm hồn.” Thông qua cuốn sách này, thầy Shoukei Matsumoto muốn truyền tải tới bạn đọc hình ảnh tu hành của các nhà sư, cũng như giới thiệu nghi thức dọn dẹp hằng ngày được thực hiện tại ngôi chùa. Về nghi thức của phái Thiền, thầy tổng hợp lại dựa trên cuộc nói chuyện với thiền sư Yoshimura Shoyo, một vị hòa thượng của phái Tào Động, hiện đang hoạt động rất năng nổ với tư cách là thiền sư chế biến món ăn chay, cùng với tăng sĩ Seigaku – người hiện đang sinh sống tại Berlin, Đức và truyền bá phái Thiền (ZEN) của Nhật Bản ra khắp thế giới.
Thầy mong rằng trong thời gian rảnh rỗi, mọi người cũng có thể cùng thử nghiệm nghi thức dọn dẹp được các nhà sư thực hiện trong chùa một cách vui vẻ tại ngôi nhà của mình.
Không có gì là khó cả. Nếu như bạn có thể tự nhủ với lòng mình rằng: “Mình muốn vừa ở nhà vừa bồi dưỡng vẻ đẹp tâm hồn,” vậy thì chẳng phải việc nhà – công việc thực hiện mỗi ngày sẽ trở thành “công việc bồi dưỡng vẻ đẹp tâm hồn” hay sao? Và không chỉ bồi dưỡng vẻ đẹp tâm hồn của bản thân, dọn dẹp cũng chính là bồi dưỡng vẻ đẹp tâm hồn của những người xung quanh bạn.
“Nếu như việc dọn dẹp hằng ngày có thể trở thành cơ hội để bạn tìm thấy được bản ngã, với tôi, không còn gì hạnh phúc hơn thế”.
236 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2011
743 people are currently reading
5086 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 788 reviews
June 26, 2018
Confession time: my house is an absolute mess.
It’s not dirty just, very, very messy. There are books everywhere. I used to organise them but I have long since run out of shelf room. Books pile up, they get shoved into corners and form giant stacks and then I can’t find the ones I want (though all the best ones get shelved, of course.)
I need to sort them out. So after reading this I found myself going online and buying four new bookshelves to display the rest of my books on. This monk argues that our homes reflect our minds, and in a way it is true. If our homes are disorganised and messy then our minds become unfocused and disorganised. Our homes, our temples, reflect our thoughts and our degree of motivation for the day. And I really do agree with this sentiment.
However, not all of us live as monks do. Some of us have to go to work. Some of us have university commitments. Some of us have both at once and some even more things to deal with. The point is not all of us can rise early in the morning and clean the entire house everyday (like this monk argues we should do) because there is simply too much to deal with in real life. We don’t all have the benefits of a stress free day spent in meditation and walking the grounds of a Buddhist temple.
This book shares a strong ideal, though it is one shared in complete ignorance about how the rest of the world works.
It’s not dirty just, very, very messy. There are books everywhere. I used to organise them but I have long since run out of shelf room. Books pile up, they get shoved into corners and form giant stacks and then I can’t find the ones I want (though all the best ones get shelved, of course.)
I need to sort them out. So after reading this I found myself going online and buying four new bookshelves to display the rest of my books on. This monk argues that our homes reflect our minds, and in a way it is true. If our homes are disorganised and messy then our minds become unfocused and disorganised. Our homes, our temples, reflect our thoughts and our degree of motivation for the day. And I really do agree with this sentiment.
However, not all of us live as monks do. Some of us have to go to work. Some of us have university commitments. Some of us have both at once and some even more things to deal with. The point is not all of us can rise early in the morning and clean the entire house everyday (like this monk argues we should do) because there is simply too much to deal with in real life. We don’t all have the benefits of a stress free day spent in meditation and walking the grounds of a Buddhist temple.
This book shares a strong ideal, though it is one shared in complete ignorance about how the rest of the world works.
June 12, 2018
This book perhaps reads the best if you think that you will use those hints and opinions that you can use, and view the rest as an interesting view on places of Zen and the mind of those who live in them. This book clearly works best if you have already decluttered and minimalized (or nearly-minimalized) your place, though some points would work already.
It is a book on cleaning the house inside and outside (outside being the garden and walkways), plus cleaning your body and mind. There are some nice illustrations within. The writer is a Zen buddhist monk in Tokyo, who shows us how they do cleaning in Zen temples, and what they think of it, and personal clealiness and eating. What they use while cleaning, and what they wear while cleaning, is also quite interesting (and cute, in my opinion).
There's talk about when to clean, airing out, weather, avoiding procrastination; cleaning for particular places and rooms (including hard-to-reach places, slide doors, and the altar). There's also talk of repairing, scenting, mold removal; enjoying seasonal changes, organization of objects, and spring cleaning. Sometimes certain cleaning operations are done on certain-numbered days, which is interesting. I do find it strange, when it comes to talk of their eating, that they avoid onions, leeks, and garlic, because I really like having them in my foods, but I can still understand and accept that in some places they are not used.
The book made me also think about seasonal clothes: both doing this, and just having the same clothes year-round available, appeal to me but the mention here certainly makes me weigh mentally the benefit of both approaches. The point about cleanliness and cleaning helping the state of mind I find true, even if I'm not yet quite as good about cleaning.
Certainly this book makes me think about how I can improve my cleaning, and those viewpoints and activities I can't/won't have are still interesting to read about. Which makes me see that this book is well worth reading, and quite inspiring.
It is a book on cleaning the house inside and outside (outside being the garden and walkways), plus cleaning your body and mind. There are some nice illustrations within. The writer is a Zen buddhist monk in Tokyo, who shows us how they do cleaning in Zen temples, and what they think of it, and personal clealiness and eating. What they use while cleaning, and what they wear while cleaning, is also quite interesting (and cute, in my opinion).
There's talk about when to clean, airing out, weather, avoiding procrastination; cleaning for particular places and rooms (including hard-to-reach places, slide doors, and the altar). There's also talk of repairing, scenting, mold removal; enjoying seasonal changes, organization of objects, and spring cleaning. Sometimes certain cleaning operations are done on certain-numbered days, which is interesting. I do find it strange, when it comes to talk of their eating, that they avoid onions, leeks, and garlic, because I really like having them in my foods, but I can still understand and accept that in some places they are not used.
The book made me also think about seasonal clothes: both doing this, and just having the same clothes year-round available, appeal to me but the mention here certainly makes me weigh mentally the benefit of both approaches. The point about cleanliness and cleaning helping the state of mind I find true, even if I'm not yet quite as good about cleaning.
Certainly this book makes me think about how I can improve my cleaning, and those viewpoints and activities I can't/won't have are still interesting to read about. Which makes me see that this book is well worth reading, and quite inspiring.
October 28, 2018
Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk from a Tokyo temple, talks down to readers in How to be Anal Retentive A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind.
Living in a clean house helps your mind in an immensely positive way, not least because, duuuuh, it’s nice to live in a clean house, and cleaning in itself can be quite calming – I totally agree. But that’s the entire book. “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Hardly an original sentiment and definitely not in need of an entire book, however short, to explain something so straightforward a concept. And, my word, do you notice how thin the material is! It’s 100% filler.
In case you’re a drooling imbecile heading in for your latest lobotomy, he literally describes cleaning, cleaning instruments (brooms, dustpans, rags), and how to clean sinks and windows: soap, water, rags, elbow grease. WOOOOOAH! Mind. Blown. Get Colombo off the case, the age-old mystery of how to clean a sink is solved!
Then he describes cleaning the toilet, the floors, doing the laundry, ironing the laundry, storing clothes. At one point he literally describes washing your face and brushing your teeth. I mean, is this an instructional manual for aliens inhabiting their first human host – what’re we babies?? Who actually needs to be told that cleaning your teeth is a good idea?! If you don’t know what to clean and how, let alone to brush your fucking teeth every day, AND you can read this book, you need to be studied!
Matsumoto frames the bleeding obvious throughout with a woowoo pseudo-spiritual bent like:
"If you enter a damp bathroom, your heart also becomes damp. If mould grows in a bathroom, then mould also grows in your heart. If the body is washed sloppily, then impurities of the heart cannot be removed... If the bathroom is kept clean, then you can keep your heart clean as well."
… yeah, so just keep your bathrooms clean for hygienic reasons, ok?
I agree with a lot of what this book is promoting: clean living space, clean living in general like eating clean, practicing mindfulness, prioritising sufficient sleep, not putting off tomorrow what you can do today, respecting all living things, being organised, and not cluttering up your house with needless junk. But I didn’t need to read a book affirming my beliefs, nor do I expect the information contained within these covers will be anything anyone isn’t already aware of.
Keep your house clean by not acquiring this unnecessary book!
Living in a clean house helps your mind in an immensely positive way, not least because, duuuuh, it’s nice to live in a clean house, and cleaning in itself can be quite calming – I totally agree. But that’s the entire book. “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Hardly an original sentiment and definitely not in need of an entire book, however short, to explain something so straightforward a concept. And, my word, do you notice how thin the material is! It’s 100% filler.
In case you’re a drooling imbecile heading in for your latest lobotomy, he literally describes cleaning, cleaning instruments (brooms, dustpans, rags), and how to clean sinks and windows: soap, water, rags, elbow grease. WOOOOOAH! Mind. Blown. Get Colombo off the case, the age-old mystery of how to clean a sink is solved!
Then he describes cleaning the toilet, the floors, doing the laundry, ironing the laundry, storing clothes. At one point he literally describes washing your face and brushing your teeth. I mean, is this an instructional manual for aliens inhabiting their first human host – what’re we babies?? Who actually needs to be told that cleaning your teeth is a good idea?! If you don’t know what to clean and how, let alone to brush your fucking teeth every day, AND you can read this book, you need to be studied!
Matsumoto frames the bleeding obvious throughout with a woowoo pseudo-spiritual bent like:
"If you enter a damp bathroom, your heart also becomes damp. If mould grows in a bathroom, then mould also grows in your heart. If the body is washed sloppily, then impurities of the heart cannot be removed... If the bathroom is kept clean, then you can keep your heart clean as well."
… yeah, so just keep your bathrooms clean for hygienic reasons, ok?
I agree with a lot of what this book is promoting: clean living space, clean living in general like eating clean, practicing mindfulness, prioritising sufficient sleep, not putting off tomorrow what you can do today, respecting all living things, being organised, and not cluttering up your house with needless junk. But I didn’t need to read a book affirming my beliefs, nor do I expect the information contained within these covers will be anything anyone isn’t already aware of.
Keep your house clean by not acquiring this unnecessary book!
May 2, 2018
3 and a half stars.
"Think of your home as an allegory for your body."
In Zen, it is often said that the profane is sacred and that the sacred is profane; that's why what can seem like menial tasks to some are viewed as ascetic practices for monks, as Shoukei Matsumoto explains in this little book.
"A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Clean Mind" is basically exactly what the title promises: it's an insightful explanation of the way cleaning and maintenance is handled in the context of a Zen monastery, how those practices reflect Buddhist principles, are a part of one's meditation and mindfulness practice - with some advice on how to reproduce the techniques in one's own home.
I enjoyed the read, even if I didn't really learn anything new. Matsumoto does a wonderful job in showing how Buddhist outlook and principles can really be an integral part of everything one does through the day, But I also found the book a bit repetitive, and while some of the advice is very interesting and inspiring, it is not always practical or easily applicable in a non-monastery context (I do not have shoji paper doors, for instance).
That being said, it was a nice reminder to add a layer of mindfulness to my housekeeping and gave me a lot of chew on regarding some choices of house cleaning supplies and various household items. Monks try to waste as little as possible, and if there's something I take away from this read, it is to be a bit more diligent on that front. It reminded me of a book I read years ago about the Japanese way of practicing voluntary simplicity in one's lifestyle, that also emphasized neatness and reducing ownership of material possessions to a minimum.
A quick and inspiring read!
"Think of your home as an allegory for your body."
In Zen, it is often said that the profane is sacred and that the sacred is profane; that's why what can seem like menial tasks to some are viewed as ascetic practices for monks, as Shoukei Matsumoto explains in this little book.
"A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Clean Mind" is basically exactly what the title promises: it's an insightful explanation of the way cleaning and maintenance is handled in the context of a Zen monastery, how those practices reflect Buddhist principles, are a part of one's meditation and mindfulness practice - with some advice on how to reproduce the techniques in one's own home.
I enjoyed the read, even if I didn't really learn anything new. Matsumoto does a wonderful job in showing how Buddhist outlook and principles can really be an integral part of everything one does through the day, But I also found the book a bit repetitive, and while some of the advice is very interesting and inspiring, it is not always practical or easily applicable in a non-monastery context (I do not have shoji paper doors, for instance).
That being said, it was a nice reminder to add a layer of mindfulness to my housekeeping and gave me a lot of chew on regarding some choices of house cleaning supplies and various household items. Monks try to waste as little as possible, and if there's something I take away from this read, it is to be a bit more diligent on that front. It reminded me of a book I read years ago about the Japanese way of practicing voluntary simplicity in one's lifestyle, that also emphasized neatness and reducing ownership of material possessions to a minimum.
A quick and inspiring read!
January 16, 2018
In 2017 I began to incorporate more self-care and spiritual practises into my life. In 2018 it has been my goal to really engage with a more mindful, present, and tranquil lifestyle. For that reason I felt very conflicted about what to rate this book. I loved the essence of this book and was so sure I was going to adore it, before I began reading. In actuality, I loved the idea of it more than the end result.
This book opens up the ideologies behind many of a monk's daily practises and shows how the reader can also use the same mindful techniques to improve their environment and mindset. I really appreciated how, for such a short book, this provided details on a multitude of everyday items in the Japanese culture. I found these sections of interest but, perhaps, not of great use to a Western reader. Once I understood the simple concept of the book - how cleaning is led about getting rid of grime and more about cultivating the mind - there was nothing more this book had to offer me as I have little use on knowledge of how to properly care for a shōji or a monk's clothing.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Shoukei Matsumoto, and the publisher, Penguin, for this opportunity.
This book opens up the ideologies behind many of a monk's daily practises and shows how the reader can also use the same mindful techniques to improve their environment and mindset. I really appreciated how, for such a short book, this provided details on a multitude of everyday items in the Japanese culture. I found these sections of interest but, perhaps, not of great use to a Western reader. Once I understood the simple concept of the book - how cleaning is led about getting rid of grime and more about cultivating the mind - there was nothing more this book had to offer me as I have little use on knowledge of how to properly care for a shōji or a monk's clothing.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Shoukei Matsumoto, and the publisher, Penguin, for this opportunity.
September 30, 2021
Pretty bizarre short book that tells you how to clean your temple. The practical parts were either obvious (how to brush your teeth), not applicable (I don't have a temple or monk garment that needs to be darned) or holier-than-thou and unrealistic (you need to clean your whole place every morning before you do anything else, or else your soul will be unclean), and the rest was just... kind of there? Neither intersting in a spiritual sense nor in a practical one.
August 13, 2025
A small slim, very simplistic volume, from a (japanese) zen buddhist monk with cleaning tips with a lot of authoritarian religious proselytizing about cleaning, putting things neat, putting elbow grease into things. Put that way, I am not sure why I was charmed about it, but I was, maybe because there was this vibe of Japanese temple (or shrine will be similar) about it, and it was nostalgic armchair travelling. I also agreed with some of the points even if they are put in a very authoritarian religious way, there is some truth to it.
This seems to have been published originally in the Marie Kondo fad era, and maybe I should give that book a second chance.
I learnt a lot about Japanese temple details and it was interesting (the armchair travelling thing!) even if I do not really need tips on how to clean altars or repair shoji screens...(But he is very right about cleaning and putting away tools as you cook)
This seems to have been published originally in the Marie Kondo fad era, and maybe I should give that book a second chance.
I learnt a lot about Japanese temple details and it was interesting (the armchair travelling thing!) even if I do not really need tips on how to clean altars or repair shoji screens...(But he is very right about cleaning and putting away tools as you cook)
October 28, 2019
The main difference between authentic self-help books and patchworked ones is in the authors. Authors who don’t practice what they preach speak empty words. They leave no marks on their audience’s memories. The example of books written by false teachers are plenty. They fluff up the market, but nobody remembers the titles or authors.
Authors who practice what they preach, their words stick. Words that stick result in follow-up actions, in retention of information, in happier environments.
Books written by people who practice what they preach pretty much create dents in the readers’ minds, consequently and occasionally dents in the book market as well. Books such as 4-Hour Week, or The Art of Not Giving a Fuck, Daring Greatly or the Ten Arguments to Delete Your Social Media Account. These books, when you read them, would wobble your step and blur your vision, forcing you to recalibrate your reality with the ideals and ideas lined in those books – for a while, at least.
But the Monk’s cleaning book is like a lot of books written by spiritualists: They begin by polishing the mundane and until it transcends to the heavens, embodying the St. Bernard motto: Qui laborat, cor levat ad Deum cum manibus. He who works raises his heart to God with his hands.
And that’s just the thing that has been missing in modern how-to books. Strictly secular how-to books shy from including the big pictures, the spiritual aspect of daily toils. In contrast to the secular, the biggest core value in books written by practicing teachers is the awareness of the whole, the priceless wisdom gained through practice, rather than from rote.
***
When I loosened the screws on my daily practices, my house fell apart. Every week, I was doing too many things, and there was little room for meaning. I came home too exhausted to even fall asleep that I woke up sorrier the next day.
I knew that I was too distracted. That I needed to make more time for meditation. That the busier I was, the more I needed meditation. But I was too tired to face the spiritual flaying of hour-long meditations. I did what I could, stealing 5-15 minutes here and there, between my tasks. Enough to keep me functioning at the taught and tight level where I was, but nowhere near the deep sleep, meaningful serving, or restorative quality of proper practice.
So I thought, what if we negotiate this lack of meditation practice? What if there was a way that I could meditate while cleaning house. Like how I am meditating while running, watching my breath and body closely?
Ever since I found my particular brand of spirituality, Islamic but delivered in voices of the Buddhist masters, I've applied a litmus test to any new lesson or script. If the tip works well whether I'm running or writing, it's worth keeping. If the tip worked while I'm drunk or sober, it's a keeper. SO WHAT WRONG COULD HAPPEN FROM TAKING CLEANING TIPS FROM A MONK?
Now, in the traditions of Goenka-ji’s Vipassana courses, it is not advised to attend a meditation course if you’re going through a rough patch in your life. Similarly, you should not go on a physically strenuous endeavor if you’re still recovering from dehydration or the bends.
I was reminded of this the hard way. I was reminded that you should also not start reading a cleaning book by a monk if you’re too tired to apply their lessons. Because monks speak true, write truer, and scathe deep if you balk against their command.
Instead of finding the drive to clean, I bruised. My ego felt crushed and the house became overwhelming. Instead of cleaning, I rebelled and littered. Piles of dishes and laundry grew. I slept in filth, and refused to use a toothbrush.
I should have waited for a time when I had slept enough, was feeling hugged and loved enough, to read the book.
***
Eventually, that time came.
I was there, in that safe and fed place where I was able to attend the words in this book. And daily transcendence came closer within reach. There’s the mopping and sweeping, the clearing of dishes and living spaces, the making up of bed at the crack of dawn, and the prayers and meditations done in a well-made room. Simple, reachable, applicable paths of enlightenment.
Having them come from a priest, from someone who practices his cleaning duties with as form of worship, the words become law. His dishes and toilets embody pathways to God. His wakeful moments filled with reverence, and his sleep in service of his vessel. The vessel by which he would reach عرش الرحمن, the Throne of God.
And because his words were true, my house has been neat for more than a week. Because his words were true, I have been picking up more often than before. I have been living in a place more respectable than the sty I’d been dwelling in the past six months.
It’s still too soon to know whether my spirit and mind has improved since I began wiping the surfaces, but at least I’m not paralysed with self-loathing. And every time I clean, the veil is lifted slightly and my heart expands a bit. Every morning I wake up to a clean living room, I'm reminded that every day is a gift. That every act of self-care is a gentle and certain blessing. That my blessings are abundant. That I am worthy enough.
Authors who practice what they preach, their words stick. Words that stick result in follow-up actions, in retention of information, in happier environments.
Books written by people who practice what they preach pretty much create dents in the readers’ minds, consequently and occasionally dents in the book market as well. Books such as 4-Hour Week, or The Art of Not Giving a Fuck, Daring Greatly or the Ten Arguments to Delete Your Social Media Account. These books, when you read them, would wobble your step and blur your vision, forcing you to recalibrate your reality with the ideals and ideas lined in those books – for a while, at least.
But the Monk’s cleaning book is like a lot of books written by spiritualists: They begin by polishing the mundane and until it transcends to the heavens, embodying the St. Bernard motto: Qui laborat, cor levat ad Deum cum manibus. He who works raises his heart to God with his hands.
And that’s just the thing that has been missing in modern how-to books. Strictly secular how-to books shy from including the big pictures, the spiritual aspect of daily toils. In contrast to the secular, the biggest core value in books written by practicing teachers is the awareness of the whole, the priceless wisdom gained through practice, rather than from rote.
***
When I loosened the screws on my daily practices, my house fell apart. Every week, I was doing too many things, and there was little room for meaning. I came home too exhausted to even fall asleep that I woke up sorrier the next day.
I knew that I was too distracted. That I needed to make more time for meditation. That the busier I was, the more I needed meditation. But I was too tired to face the spiritual flaying of hour-long meditations. I did what I could, stealing 5-15 minutes here and there, between my tasks. Enough to keep me functioning at the taught and tight level where I was, but nowhere near the deep sleep, meaningful serving, or restorative quality of proper practice.
So I thought, what if we negotiate this lack of meditation practice? What if there was a way that I could meditate while cleaning house. Like how I am meditating while running, watching my breath and body closely?
Ever since I found my particular brand of spirituality, Islamic but delivered in voices of the Buddhist masters, I've applied a litmus test to any new lesson or script. If the tip works well whether I'm running or writing, it's worth keeping. If the tip worked while I'm drunk or sober, it's a keeper. SO WHAT WRONG COULD HAPPEN FROM TAKING CLEANING TIPS FROM A MONK?
Now, in the traditions of Goenka-ji’s Vipassana courses, it is not advised to attend a meditation course if you’re going through a rough patch in your life. Similarly, you should not go on a physically strenuous endeavor if you’re still recovering from dehydration or the bends.
I was reminded of this the hard way. I was reminded that you should also not start reading a cleaning book by a monk if you’re too tired to apply their lessons. Because monks speak true, write truer, and scathe deep if you balk against their command.
Instead of finding the drive to clean, I bruised. My ego felt crushed and the house became overwhelming. Instead of cleaning, I rebelled and littered. Piles of dishes and laundry grew. I slept in filth, and refused to use a toothbrush.
I should have waited for a time when I had slept enough, was feeling hugged and loved enough, to read the book.
***
Eventually, that time came.
I was there, in that safe and fed place where I was able to attend the words in this book. And daily transcendence came closer within reach. There’s the mopping and sweeping, the clearing of dishes and living spaces, the making up of bed at the crack of dawn, and the prayers and meditations done in a well-made room. Simple, reachable, applicable paths of enlightenment.
Having them come from a priest, from someone who practices his cleaning duties with as form of worship, the words become law. His dishes and toilets embody pathways to God. His wakeful moments filled with reverence, and his sleep in service of his vessel. The vessel by which he would reach عرش الرحمن, the Throne of God.
And because his words were true, my house has been neat for more than a week. Because his words were true, I have been picking up more often than before. I have been living in a place more respectable than the sty I’d been dwelling in the past six months.
It’s still too soon to know whether my spirit and mind has improved since I began wiping the surfaces, but at least I’m not paralysed with self-loathing. And every time I clean, the veil is lifted slightly and my heart expands a bit. Every morning I wake up to a clean living room, I'm reminded that every day is a gift. That every act of self-care is a gentle and certain blessing. That my blessings are abundant. That I am worthy enough.
January 17, 2018
What a delightful little book. I read it from cover to cover within an hour and found it calming and fascinating in equal measure.
This bestseller by a Zen Buddhist monk is in the tradition of books about minimalism, mindfulness and decluttering. It draws a line from cleaning your home and living in an uncluttered space, to cleansing your soul and feeling calm and fulfilled. Shoukei Matsumoto explains that in the temple, the monks begin their day by sweeping dust away, not because the temple is dirty or messy, but to take away the gloom in their hearts. And he explains that undertaking household tasks mindfully and with joy will make you happier and more enlightened.
“Life is a daily training ground, and we are each composed of the very actions we take in life.”
I should admit at the outset that while I’m a fan of this aspirational approach, I am not one of life’s naturally tidy people. Rooms in my house frequented by visitors might muster an 8 out of 10 rating — marks detracted for dusty shelves and skirting boards, and a few scattered magazines — but the hidden areas of my home would score far lower; I have messy bookshelves, an untidy desk and a frankly embarrassing wardrobe full of unworn clothes.
Perhaps these messy hidden spaces are symptoms of a cluttered mind, complicated emotions and years of emotional baggage? All I know is that January usually sees me wishing for clean lines and empty surfaces. While I’m a long, long way from owning as few possessions as a Buddhist monk, the spirit of the book spoke to me and there were many practical tips as well as pearls of wisdom for me to take away.
“When ironing, visualize yourself ironing out the wrinkles in your heart.”
How different is this Zen approach to my own! For many years, when my four children were young, Sunday evening was my designated ironing time. Out would come the laundry baskets of clean washing and I would position my ironing board in front of the television set and treat myself to marathon sessions of Dawson’s Creek to get me through the ordeal of school uniforms and work shirts.
I’ll be honest and say that not being a Zen master, I doubt I could have maintained this visualizing of my heart for two to three hours. But now that my ironing pile is smaller, maybe I can manage a mindful and serene twenty minutes?
The book is divided into sections such as Understanding Cleaning, Useful Items, The Kitchen, Personal Items, Outside the Home, and Body and Mind. And the charming line drawings should not go unmentioned — they complemented the book’s message with their pleasing simplicity.
Having no tokonoma or butsuma of my own to tend to, and no shoji paper screen doors to clean or repair, the book provided an absorbing insight into domestic Japanese culture. I imagine people will find it interesting and enlightening on many different levels.
Matsumoto’s parting thought is that spring cleaning is not only a way of clearing the mind of all the year’s grime but that — when undertaken with your family — it can also strengthen the bonds you share. Now if I can just persuade my family to read this little book and adopt its principles…
A lovely book with a simple but effective message — do read it.
This bestseller by a Zen Buddhist monk is in the tradition of books about minimalism, mindfulness and decluttering. It draws a line from cleaning your home and living in an uncluttered space, to cleansing your soul and feeling calm and fulfilled. Shoukei Matsumoto explains that in the temple, the monks begin their day by sweeping dust away, not because the temple is dirty or messy, but to take away the gloom in their hearts. And he explains that undertaking household tasks mindfully and with joy will make you happier and more enlightened.
“Life is a daily training ground, and we are each composed of the very actions we take in life.”
I should admit at the outset that while I’m a fan of this aspirational approach, I am not one of life’s naturally tidy people. Rooms in my house frequented by visitors might muster an 8 out of 10 rating — marks detracted for dusty shelves and skirting boards, and a few scattered magazines — but the hidden areas of my home would score far lower; I have messy bookshelves, an untidy desk and a frankly embarrassing wardrobe full of unworn clothes.
Perhaps these messy hidden spaces are symptoms of a cluttered mind, complicated emotions and years of emotional baggage? All I know is that January usually sees me wishing for clean lines and empty surfaces. While I’m a long, long way from owning as few possessions as a Buddhist monk, the spirit of the book spoke to me and there were many practical tips as well as pearls of wisdom for me to take away.
“When ironing, visualize yourself ironing out the wrinkles in your heart.”
How different is this Zen approach to my own! For many years, when my four children were young, Sunday evening was my designated ironing time. Out would come the laundry baskets of clean washing and I would position my ironing board in front of the television set and treat myself to marathon sessions of Dawson’s Creek to get me through the ordeal of school uniforms and work shirts.
I’ll be honest and say that not being a Zen master, I doubt I could have maintained this visualizing of my heart for two to three hours. But now that my ironing pile is smaller, maybe I can manage a mindful and serene twenty minutes?
The book is divided into sections such as Understanding Cleaning, Useful Items, The Kitchen, Personal Items, Outside the Home, and Body and Mind. And the charming line drawings should not go unmentioned — they complemented the book’s message with their pleasing simplicity.
Having no tokonoma or butsuma of my own to tend to, and no shoji paper screen doors to clean or repair, the book provided an absorbing insight into domestic Japanese culture. I imagine people will find it interesting and enlightening on many different levels.
Matsumoto’s parting thought is that spring cleaning is not only a way of clearing the mind of all the year’s grime but that — when undertaken with your family — it can also strengthen the bonds you share. Now if I can just persuade my family to read this little book and adopt its principles…
A lovely book with a simple but effective message — do read it.
February 12, 2021
I read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever by Marie Kondō at the start of 2016 and, when I read about A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind, I thought it might offer similar nuggets which I could incorporate into my routines.
Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk at the Komyoji Temple in Kamiyacho, Tokyo, explains how a monk’s day begins with cleaning, and the various rituals, many cleaning based, which punctuate the day.
This slim, quick-to-read guide offers practical cleaning tips, as well as insights into life in a Buddhist temple, however it is far too weighted towards the daily routines of the monks and so less applicable to those who live in an ordinary home.
That said, I did pick up a few good tips, for example...
- Newspaper will come in handy when cleaning glass. Lightly crumple a piece of newspaper, apply a small amount of soap and water, then wipe your windows until they are squeaky clean. Newspaper is much better than rags or towels when cleaning windows
- Once you learn how to see how your inner turmoil manifests itself through your surroundings, you can reverse engineer this, mastering yourself by mastering the space in which you live
One of the messages is around how you approach cleaning, it's not what you clean, but how you approach the task. Apparently one of Buddha’s disciples achieved enlightenment solely through the act of sweeping.
OK, but not a patch on The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever - which I loved and still use many of the techniques.
3/5
Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk at the Komyoji Temple in Kamiyacho, Tokyo, explains how a monk’s day begins with cleaning, and the various rituals, many cleaning based, which punctuate the day.
This slim, quick-to-read guide offers practical cleaning tips, as well as insights into life in a Buddhist temple, however it is far too weighted towards the daily routines of the monks and so less applicable to those who live in an ordinary home.
That said, I did pick up a few good tips, for example...
- Newspaper will come in handy when cleaning glass. Lightly crumple a piece of newspaper, apply a small amount of soap and water, then wipe your windows until they are squeaky clean. Newspaper is much better than rags or towels when cleaning windows
- Once you learn how to see how your inner turmoil manifests itself through your surroundings, you can reverse engineer this, mastering yourself by mastering the space in which you live
One of the messages is around how you approach cleaning, it's not what you clean, but how you approach the task. Apparently one of Buddha’s disciples achieved enlightenment solely through the act of sweeping.
OK, but not a patch on The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever - which I loved and still use many of the techniques.
3/5
February 18, 2018
Un po' di tempo fa un'amica, proprietaria di una bella, vecchia casa sull'Appennino modenese, si è sentita chiedere da una coppia di conoscenti, singalesi e buddhisti: "Questa casa è un ottimo posto per meditare. Ce la presti per un incontro residenziale di meditazione con il monaco-capo di Milano?". Lei si è schermita: "La casa è in disordine, è sporca". "Non c'è problema, ci pensiamo noi". Detto fatto: una squadra di cinque persone ha tirato a lucido la casa, e dopo l'incontro di meditazione l'ha restituita in condizioni perfette, tanto da far auspicare alla padrona di casa un periodico ripetersi della surreale esperienza.
Così, quando ho visto questo titolo in libreria, non ho potuto resistere all'ironia del caso: a chi altro è capitato di accostare nella stessa frase buddhismo e pulizie due volte di fila? O forse è vero che niente succede per caso, e che la vita ci tesse continue trame e ci tende garbate trappole. Fatto sta che è un librino perfetto per chi, come me, detesta fare le pulizie per il loro carattere ripetitivo e per l'effimera durata dei risultati del lavoro. Per chi, come me, pratica la raccolta differenziata dei rifiuti un po' per buon senso e un po' per dovere, più che per convinzione. Per chi, come me, prima di buttare un oggetto lo ricicla quattro volte destinandolo a usi differenti. Perché questo librino dà un senso, un significato alle noiose attività di spolverare, fare il bucato e riordinare; ricorda di sentirsi grati per le cose banali e fondamentali allo stesso tempo come il cibo, l'acqua, il cambiare delle stagioni; dà un valore alle cose di cui sempre più spesso valutiamo solo il prezzo; insomma, toglie la polvere alla routine.
Mi torna alla mente un ricordo di trent'anni fa: mia figlia bambina, di forse tre o quattro anni, mi vien dietro per casa mentre stiamo facendo i preparativi per la sua festa di compleanno, e tutta contenta canta: "Bisogna pulire con felicità!" Forse avevo una figlia zen e non lo sapevo.
Così, quando ho visto questo titolo in libreria, non ho potuto resistere all'ironia del caso: a chi altro è capitato di accostare nella stessa frase buddhismo e pulizie due volte di fila? O forse è vero che niente succede per caso, e che la vita ci tesse continue trame e ci tende garbate trappole. Fatto sta che è un librino perfetto per chi, come me, detesta fare le pulizie per il loro carattere ripetitivo e per l'effimera durata dei risultati del lavoro. Per chi, come me, pratica la raccolta differenziata dei rifiuti un po' per buon senso e un po' per dovere, più che per convinzione. Per chi, come me, prima di buttare un oggetto lo ricicla quattro volte destinandolo a usi differenti. Perché questo librino dà un senso, un significato alle noiose attività di spolverare, fare il bucato e riordinare; ricorda di sentirsi grati per le cose banali e fondamentali allo stesso tempo come il cibo, l'acqua, il cambiare delle stagioni; dà un valore alle cose di cui sempre più spesso valutiamo solo il prezzo; insomma, toglie la polvere alla routine.
Mi torna alla mente un ricordo di trent'anni fa: mia figlia bambina, di forse tre o quattro anni, mi vien dietro per casa mentre stiamo facendo i preparativi per la sua festa di compleanno, e tutta contenta canta: "Bisogna pulire con felicità!" Forse avevo una figlia zen e non lo sapevo.
January 4, 2021
“La palabra Buda significa <>. Si llevamos una vida ordenada, lograremos dormir bien, y mantenernos bien despiertos bajo la luz del sol.”
Un libro que nos ofrece una forma positiva y espiritual de ver la limpieza.
En contraste con la vida materialista y hedonista de los hogares occidentales, el autor, que es monje budista zen, nos cuenta cómo se realiza la limpieza diaria en los templos y por qué.
Un hogar limpio, ordenado, bien ventilado y minimalista, nos ayuda a tener una mente más serena y centrada. Aunque es evidente que no vamos a tener una casa como un templo budista, sí que hay cosas que podemos poner en práctica y, sobre todo, cambiar nuestra visión de la limpieza.
Hace unos años que he empezado a llevar a cabo este tipo de ideas en mi propia casa y he notado mucha diferencia en mi día a día. Al reducir notablemente los objetos en casa al mínimo necesario, todo está más ordenado y la limpieza es más rápida y efectiva. La rutina mañanera de limpiar cada día hace que no se acumule la suciedad y que empiece el día de forma serena para disfrutar del hogar a lo largo de toda la jornada.
Un libro que nos ofrece una forma positiva y espiritual de ver la limpieza.
En contraste con la vida materialista y hedonista de los hogares occidentales, el autor, que es monje budista zen, nos cuenta cómo se realiza la limpieza diaria en los templos y por qué.
Un hogar limpio, ordenado, bien ventilado y minimalista, nos ayuda a tener una mente más serena y centrada. Aunque es evidente que no vamos a tener una casa como un templo budista, sí que hay cosas que podemos poner en práctica y, sobre todo, cambiar nuestra visión de la limpieza.
Hace unos años que he empezado a llevar a cabo este tipo de ideas en mi propia casa y he notado mucha diferencia en mi día a día. Al reducir notablemente los objetos en casa al mínimo necesario, todo está más ordenado y la limpieza es más rápida y efectiva. La rutina mañanera de limpiar cada día hace que no se acumule la suciedad y que empiece el día de forma serena para disfrutar del hogar a lo largo de toda la jornada.
June 30, 2020
I expected this book to change my life but it was literally how to clean a house and some really silly stuff I don't think anyone can implement.
January 21, 2018
Thanks to NetGalley and to Penguin UK for providing me an ARC copy of this book that I freely chose to review.
Sometimes I read the title and the description of a book in one of my favourite genres and it is intriguing enough or it has something that makes me want to read it. But sometimes I see a book that is completely different to what I normally read but still, it seems to call me and this is one of those books.
As I am about to move (houses and countries), I thought a book about cleaning (not only our houses but also our minds) might be an asset. And, oh boy, was I right!
This book does what it says on the tin. I can’t guarantee you that you’ll end up cleaning more if you read it, but I’d be surprised if it doesn’t make you think about the process.
I don’t know how accurate a translation of the original this is, but I loved the simple style of writing. Although the sentences are not elaborate or complex, and the ideas it contains seem extremely simple, they are beautiful in their simplicity and unassuming. This is not a book of advice that will quote analytics, statistics, and numbers of followers. It just explains what life for Zen monks living at a temple is like, and explains their philosophy.
I am not very house-proud and I can’t claim to spend a lot of time cleaning (and even less thinking about cleaning), but there are some chores that I do enjoy, and some whose mechanics can free my mind and make me forget the things around me. Although this is not what the book is about (it is a way of life and it is very specific and ordered), I think most of us will identify with some of the thoughts behind it.
The book highlights the importance of respecting nature, our bodies, our possessions (and we don’t need many), all life, and each other. It is a short book and it is also a relaxing read that will make you look at things differently and give you some pause. And, as I said, you don’t need to be big on cleaning to enjoy it.
I thought I’d share some examples of passages I highlighted from the book, so you can get an idea of what to expect:
I hope you enjoy applying the cleaning techniques introduced here in your home. There’s nothing complicated about them. All you need is a will to sweep the dust off our heart.
‘Zengosaidan’ is a Zen expression meaning that we must put all our efforts into each day so we have no regrets, and that we must not grieve for the past or worry about the future.
It goes without saying that dust will accumulate in a home that is never cleaned. Just as you have finished raking the leaves, more are sure to fall. It is the same with your mind. Right when you think you have cleaned out all the cobwebs, more begin to form. Adherence to the past and misgivings about the future will fill your head, wresting your mind from the present. This is why we monks pour ourselves heart and soul into polishing floors. Cleaning is training for staying in the now. Therein lies the reason for being particular about cleanliness.
I hate ironing. I must say that after reading this I know what I’ll think about when I have to iron something from now on:
How to Iron. When ironing, visualize yourself ironing out the wrinkles in your heart.
By letting go of everything, you can open up a universe of unlimited possibilities.
A lovely book, a deep book, and a simple book. I kept thinking of friends and relatives who might enjoy/benefit from it (and I don’ t mean because of the state their houses are in!). And I am sure many of you would enjoy it too. Just try it and see.
Sometimes I read the title and the description of a book in one of my favourite genres and it is intriguing enough or it has something that makes me want to read it. But sometimes I see a book that is completely different to what I normally read but still, it seems to call me and this is one of those books.
As I am about to move (houses and countries), I thought a book about cleaning (not only our houses but also our minds) might be an asset. And, oh boy, was I right!
This book does what it says on the tin. I can’t guarantee you that you’ll end up cleaning more if you read it, but I’d be surprised if it doesn’t make you think about the process.
I don’t know how accurate a translation of the original this is, but I loved the simple style of writing. Although the sentences are not elaborate or complex, and the ideas it contains seem extremely simple, they are beautiful in their simplicity and unassuming. This is not a book of advice that will quote analytics, statistics, and numbers of followers. It just explains what life for Zen monks living at a temple is like, and explains their philosophy.
I am not very house-proud and I can’t claim to spend a lot of time cleaning (and even less thinking about cleaning), but there are some chores that I do enjoy, and some whose mechanics can free my mind and make me forget the things around me. Although this is not what the book is about (it is a way of life and it is very specific and ordered), I think most of us will identify with some of the thoughts behind it.
The book highlights the importance of respecting nature, our bodies, our possessions (and we don’t need many), all life, and each other. It is a short book and it is also a relaxing read that will make you look at things differently and give you some pause. And, as I said, you don’t need to be big on cleaning to enjoy it.
I thought I’d share some examples of passages I highlighted from the book, so you can get an idea of what to expect:
I hope you enjoy applying the cleaning techniques introduced here in your home. There’s nothing complicated about them. All you need is a will to sweep the dust off our heart.
‘Zengosaidan’ is a Zen expression meaning that we must put all our efforts into each day so we have no regrets, and that we must not grieve for the past or worry about the future.
It goes without saying that dust will accumulate in a home that is never cleaned. Just as you have finished raking the leaves, more are sure to fall. It is the same with your mind. Right when you think you have cleaned out all the cobwebs, more begin to form. Adherence to the past and misgivings about the future will fill your head, wresting your mind from the present. This is why we monks pour ourselves heart and soul into polishing floors. Cleaning is training for staying in the now. Therein lies the reason for being particular about cleanliness.
I hate ironing. I must say that after reading this I know what I’ll think about when I have to iron something from now on:
How to Iron. When ironing, visualize yourself ironing out the wrinkles in your heart.
By letting go of everything, you can open up a universe of unlimited possibilities.
A lovely book, a deep book, and a simple book. I kept thinking of friends and relatives who might enjoy/benefit from it (and I don’ t mean because of the state their houses are in!). And I am sure many of you would enjoy it too. Just try it and see.
February 7, 2019
This is a great book on cleaning. Some of it is specific to Buddhist temples along with a few specific things you're unlikely to find in the West such as shoji doors but the basic philosophy and the majority of the advice is all really useful and relaxing to read. I liked the emphasis on taking the time to appreciate the everyday things surrounding us in particular.
I think combining this with Marie Kondo's method would lead to some excellent tidying methods. She was definitely influenced by Shinto and other traditional Japanese practices, so that makes sense. I look forward to trying some of these out. ^^
I think combining this with Marie Kondo's method would lead to some excellent tidying methods. She was definitely influenced by Shinto and other traditional Japanese practices, so that makes sense. I look forward to trying some of these out. ^^
May 12, 2018
Một cuốn sách nhẹ nhàng về việc lau dọn nhà cửa, không chỉ đơn thuần là làm cho xong mà còn là đặt tâm hồn mình vào đấy, để gột rửa chính tâm can của mình. Ngoài những bí quyết về dọn dẹp, gột rửa tâm hồn, tác giả còn chú ý rất nhiều đến bảo vệ môi trường, tầm quan trọng của nước, sự gắn kết gia đình và những người xung quanh...
Đọc cuốn sách xong, tất nhiên bạn không thể áp dụng được tất cả, và có một số nội dung cũng không hẳn phù hợp với văn hoá nơi bạn đang sống. Nhưng tôi biết chắc, bạn sẽ như tôi, nhìn thấy việc dọn dẹp trở nên dễ dàng hơn, có thể yêu thích nó hơn nữa. Tìm đến cuốn sách khi tôi đang loay hoay tìm kiếm cách để cân bằng việc dọn dẹp và các công việc khác của cuộc sống, và tôi thấy việc đó dần trở nên nhẹ nhàng và yêu thích nó hơn.
Đọc cuốn sách xong, tất nhiên bạn không thể áp dụng được tất cả, và có một số nội dung cũng không hẳn phù hợp với văn hoá nơi bạn đang sống. Nhưng tôi biết chắc, bạn sẽ như tôi, nhìn thấy việc dọn dẹp trở nên dễ dàng hơn, có thể yêu thích nó hơn nữa. Tìm đến cuốn sách khi tôi đang loay hoay tìm kiếm cách để cân bằng việc dọn dẹp và các công việc khác của cuộc sống, và tôi thấy việc đó dần trở nên nhẹ nhàng và yêu thích nó hơn.
April 20, 2021
O carte mică despre cum trebuie să menținem curățenia și cum dezordinea afectează viața noastră de zi cu zi . Cu multe sfaturi de la călugării budiști . Ma rog multe dintre ele sunt absolut logice , dar din păcate știu ca nu pentru toți 😅 de aceea cred ca o sa fie de folos . Multe lucruri noi nu am aflat , dar oare cum am primit plăcere citind-o . După îți apare un chef să te apuci de curățenie . Am primit doza de motivație pentru astăzi .
May 23, 2019
Un simpatico libretto scritto da un monaco buddhista giapponese che ci da delle dritte su come tenere pulito l'ambiente che ci circonda e ricordandoci che ogni pulizia che facciamo rispecchia la nostra anima interiore. Consigliato a chi ama questo tipo di argomenti.
December 24, 2018
A cute little book I bought as a gift and sneakily read before wrapping it!! Makes sense of some Japanese household things. I liked it a lot.
September 10, 2021
★★☆☆☆ 2.5 stars
July 13, 2021
Misschien ben ik een beetje te materialistisch, maar dit boek heeft me tegelijk ook laten realiseren dat je niet noodzakelijk als een monnik moet leven om de kleine gelukskes ik het leven te kunnen appreciëren.
February 20, 2021
Tiếp tục series thanh tịnh đầu năm.
Bằng cách nào đó thì mình thích cuốn này nhỉnh hơn "Học ăn, Học nấu, Thẩm thấu yêu thương" một xí, chắc vì có thể hiểu và áp dụng từ cuốn này nhiều hơn.
Mà trước giờ mình dọn dẹp nhà cửa cũng hơi bị chuẩn, vì bố mình là người vô cùng sạch sẽ và bố sẽ soi từng hột bụi vết bẩn trong nhà nếu mình dọn chưa sạch í, thế mình đâm ra cũng sạch theo =))
Nhưng cuốn sách này chỉ ra nhiều tầng nghĩa hơn vậy, rằng không gian sống quanh mình phản ánh bản thân và tâm trí của mình cũng như trực tiếp ảnh hưởng đến sức khỏe của mình. Hơn nữa, còn phải dọn dẹp cả bên trong cơ thể, cả thể chất và tinh thần, được thực hiện đều đặn hàng ngày thì cuộc sống mới đủ sạch. Mình cũng rất mê tơi với cái triết lý "không đợi vấy bẩn mới dọn" nữa vì mấy lúc đó, trời ơi ta nói nó lười và nản dã man.
Nói đi thì cũng phải nói lại, dù cuốn sách không bị nặng quá về tôn giáo và mở mang thêm rất nhiều điều hay ho về phái Thiền thì, nhiều điểm từ trong Thiền viện hay Chùa ra ngoài cuộc sống thường ngày là một con đường dài cả mấy chục cây số. Thể nào mấy bạn phương Tây review cuốn này thấp lè tè vì cách biệt văn hóa và phong cách sống kiểu không kiểu gì mà áp dụng được.
Cơ mà để đọc cho thanh tịnh mình vẫn rất recommend nhaaa.
Bằng cách nào đó thì mình thích cuốn này nhỉnh hơn "Học ăn, Học nấu, Thẩm thấu yêu thương" một xí, chắc vì có thể hiểu và áp dụng từ cuốn này nhiều hơn.
Mà trước giờ mình dọn dẹp nhà cửa cũng hơi bị chuẩn, vì bố mình là người vô cùng sạch sẽ và bố sẽ soi từng hột bụi vết bẩn trong nhà nếu mình dọn chưa sạch í, thế mình đâm ra cũng sạch theo =))
Nhưng cuốn sách này chỉ ra nhiều tầng nghĩa hơn vậy, rằng không gian sống quanh mình phản ánh bản thân và tâm trí của mình cũng như trực tiếp ảnh hưởng đến sức khỏe của mình. Hơn nữa, còn phải dọn dẹp cả bên trong cơ thể, cả thể chất và tinh thần, được thực hiện đều đặn hàng ngày thì cuộc sống mới đủ sạch. Mình cũng rất mê tơi với cái triết lý "không đợi vấy bẩn mới dọn" nữa vì mấy lúc đó, trời ơi ta nói nó lười và nản dã man.
Nói đi thì cũng phải nói lại, dù cuốn sách không bị nặng quá về tôn giáo và mở mang thêm rất nhiều điều hay ho về phái Thiền thì, nhiều điểm từ trong Thiền viện hay Chùa ra ngoài cuộc sống thường ngày là một con đường dài cả mấy chục cây số. Thể nào mấy bạn phương Tây review cuốn này thấp lè tè vì cách biệt văn hóa và phong cách sống kiểu không kiểu gì mà áp dụng được.
Cơ mà để đọc cho thanh tịnh mình vẫn rất recommend nhaaa.
May 1, 2013
Non ho speranza...
pessima casalinga ero, pessima casalinga rimango e nessuna figura è più lontana da me di un monaco buddhista.
Teoricamente i consigli sono buoni, ma non applicabili alla nostra quotidianità, dove, oltre alle pulizie, ci sono centinaia di altre cose da fare.
Pazienza, mi sforzerò di continuare a convivere con nubi e polvere sia sull'anima che sui mobili...
pessima casalinga ero, pessima casalinga rimango e nessuna figura è più lontana da me di un monaco buddhista.
Teoricamente i consigli sono buoni, ma non applicabili alla nostra quotidianità, dove, oltre alle pulizie, ci sono centinaia di altre cose da fare.
Pazienza, mi sforzerò di continuare a convivere con nubi e polvere sia sull'anima che sui mobili...
January 7, 2019
Those who don’t need to read this book will, while those who do need to won’t 😑
That’s the most Zen thing I’ve ever written so I think the book has had an effect...
That’s the most Zen thing I’ve ever written so I think the book has had an effect...
Read
August 18, 2025dios mío se me daría tan bien ser un monje
estoy hecha para la vida contemplativa, la depuración máxima y la limpieza
estoy hecha para la vida contemplativa, la depuración máxima y la limpieza
September 25, 2015
Alcune cose in questo libro sono ASSURDE tipo le tazze che puliscono mentre mangiano (eh?) e che "lavano" mettendoci acqua calda e bevendola. A parte che fa schifo, prima c'hai mangiato il riso e poi ci metti acqua calda e te la bevi? ma così non è pulita! Dove hai appoggiato la bocca mica l'hai pulita, l'hai appena sciacquata casomai!
Ripete in continuazione "pulite tutti i giorni, mi raccomando" tu però fai il monaco e fai quello ventiquattro ore al giorno, certo che lo puoi fare, ma una persona normale? Che ha anche una casa grande magari? E' impossibile!
E poi partono i consigli assurdi tipo "lucidate i pavimenti tutti i giorni, anche se sono puliti" si certo, a che serve? A parte la solita lagna del "purificare lo spirito" ma sei pazzo? Spreco tempo e spreco detersivi e cere, non esiste proprio! "Lavate i vestiti prima di fare il cambio di stagione e metterli via, non metteteli via pensando di lavarli il prossimo anno" ma certo, io mi macchio di sugo ma penso " si, la metto via questa maglia la lavo il prossimo anno!" ma chi ragionerebbe mai così?
Questo libro è anche divertente in certi punti, ma è troppo assurdo per essere veramente utile ( vogliamo parlare dei riquadri che spiegano come pulire i vali sandali giapponesi o i kimoni? emm ).
Ripete in continuazione "pulite tutti i giorni, mi raccomando" tu però fai il monaco e fai quello ventiquattro ore al giorno, certo che lo puoi fare, ma una persona normale? Che ha anche una casa grande magari? E' impossibile!
E poi partono i consigli assurdi tipo "lucidate i pavimenti tutti i giorni, anche se sono puliti" si certo, a che serve? A parte la solita lagna del "purificare lo spirito" ma sei pazzo? Spreco tempo e spreco detersivi e cere, non esiste proprio! "Lavate i vestiti prima di fare il cambio di stagione e metterli via, non metteteli via pensando di lavarli il prossimo anno" ma certo, io mi macchio di sugo ma penso " si, la metto via questa maglia la lavo il prossimo anno!" ma chi ragionerebbe mai così?
Questo libro è anche divertente in certi punti, ma è troppo assurdo per essere veramente utile ( vogliamo parlare dei riquadri che spiegano come pulire i vali sandali giapponesi o i kimoni? emm ).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2018
A dinky little book which offers an insight into the daily life of a monastery and the monks who inhabit it. The cleaning advice offered is pretty much common sense - make sure you involve your family, don't do gardening when it's raining, tidy things away at night before you go to bed and don't leave things unfinished - while some of the tips aren't going to be applicable to the majority of households, but it's interesting to view a snapshot of a vastly different lifestyle.
October 8, 2018
Eye opening book about the fundamental tasks of cleaning. Not only will you be cleaning your house more often, you will be cleaning your mind and heart as well. This book will give a new definition to "chores".
Although it seems as if you won't have any time doing only a fraction of the rituals, selecting those you deem useful and translating them towards your own flow, will prove liberating in the long run.
Although it seems as if you won't have any time doing only a fraction of the rituals, selecting those you deem useful and translating them towards your own flow, will prove liberating in the long run.
April 28, 2021
Це книга про спосіб наповнення світу навколо себе порядком, чистотою, організованістю, лаконічністю. Це книга для тих, хто надихається дзен-буддизмом, японцями і їхньою ритмікою життя.
Тут можна знайти корисні речі і для власного побуту. Як доводить досвід багаторічної практики у монастирях, навколишнє середовище і турбота про нього стають основою для практики внутрішньої також.
Хотів знайти більше про практику, але загалом книга читається дуже швидко і легко.
Тут можна знайти корисні речі і для власного побуту. Як доводить досвід багаторічної практики у монастирях, навколишнє середовище і турбота про нього стають основою для практики внутрішньої також.
Хотів знайти більше про практику, але загалом книга читається дуже швидко і легко.
June 24, 2021
Yay for cleaning motivation! Hehe
Quick easy read about how Buddhist monks keep their homes clean!
Breaks cleaning down into rooms, frequency, and seasonality.
Quick easy read about how Buddhist monks keep their homes clean!
Breaks cleaning down into rooms, frequency, and seasonality.
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