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Zen and the brain: toward an understanding of meditation and consciousness
Short Title: Zen and the brain
Format: Book
Publication Year: 1998
Publisher: MIT Press
Place of Publication: Cambridge, Mass.
Sources ID: 21912
Visibility: Private
Abstract: (Show)

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.

Subjects: 
Neuroscience and Contemplation
Science and Contemplation
Contemplation by Applied Subject