Understanding Zen

"The authors of this book, who both have university affiliations, present Zen as a "secular doctrine without any necessary relationship to Buddhism or Eastern culture." Some of the seven chapters deal with such concepts as reason, paradox, meaning, and existence and how they relate to Zen. Others explore successfully the origin of Zen, the practice of meditation, and the social implications of Zen. The authors also investigate the Taoist and Buddhist ideas preceding Zen and relate it to Freudian psychology, anarchism, and the dualistic truths of the scientific method. Though this well-done study is accessible to informed lay readers, it is more suitable for academic libraries."—Library Journal

Benjamin Radcliff is a professor in the College of Arts and Letters at the University of Notre Dame. Amy Radcliff has worked as a policy analyst for a variety of universities and municipalities; she is currently at the University of Illinois-Urbana.