Essays in Zen Buddhism (Second Series)

Contents: Author's preface. Essay: 1. The Koan exercise. Appendices. 2. The secret message of Bodhidharma. 3. Two Zen text-books: i. The pi-yen-chi. ii. The case LV-Tao-wu and chien-yuan. iii. The wu-men-kuan. 4. Passivity in the Buddhist life. Appendices. Index.

"In this book the chief stress has been placed on the study of 'The Koan Exercise', which at present constitutes almost the alpha and omega of Zen discipline especially as it is practised in the Rinzai School of the Zen sect. The Koan technique is full of pitfalls, but its development was inevitable and without it Zen might not have survived. In this volume author has also included some Suiboku paintings by both Japanese and Chinese artists."