Zen: Tradition and Transition: A Sourcebook by Contemporary Zen Masters and Scholars

Serious training in Zen Buddhist meditation is hard work, as these 11 essays demonstrate. At one Japanese monastery, for instance, morning meditation begins at 4:20 a.m. Fortunately, one can get involved with Zen on different levels, and the contributorspractitioners and scholars, Western and Japanesecover a broad spectrum of approaches. Philip Kapleau, who wrote The Three Pillars of Zen, portrays meditation as a voyage into the vast inner world of mind. Zen abbot Eido Shimano draws parallels between Zen stories, New Testament passages and the Western mystical tradition. Two essays on internal upheavals in North American Zen Communities discuss their emphasis on open dialogue with other religions and the instrumental role of women. Other pieces look at Zen poetry, the master-pupil relationship and little-known Chinese Zen lore. Kraft, assistant professor of Japanese studies at the University of Pennsylvania, helps to bridge the gap between Zen meditation and scholarship.
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