# Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

4 Hacker News commenters recommended Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended for its clear take on beginner's mind, which readers say changed how they think; no critics or caveats surfaced.

## Why people recommend it

- Idea of beginner's mind (1 comments): "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46859844))
- Changed how readers think (1 comments): "This book changed the way I thought about things" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47307852))
- Memorable sitting and breathing practice (1 comments): "I still remember practicing the sitting and breathing like it was a magical tome." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47568369))
- Seen as worth a look (1 comments): "seems worth taking a look at" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48976151))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Mind Illuminated by Culadasa](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mind-illuminated.md): 8 recommend
- [Seeing That Frees by Rob Burbea](https://hackerapproved.com/p/seeing-that-frees.md): 3 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1611808413?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9781611808414) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki", https://hackerapproved.com/p/zen-mind-beginner-s-mind/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).