In this companion volume to The Three Pillars of Zen, Kapleau establishes guidelines for Western practitioners of Zen Buddhism, offering appealing, simple answers to the questions Westerners most often ask. Among the topics discussed in this informative, user-friendly book: "Transcendental Meditation: Who Transcends What?", "Can I Practice Zen and Be a Good Jew (or Catholic)?", "Reading About Enlightenment Is Like Scratching an Itchy Foot Through Your Shoe," and "Meditation Is an Escape--What Are You Doing to Help Society?" Kapleau's eloquence, humor, and authority make this an indispensible handbook for understanding Zen in the Western world."It strikes new ground by presenting Zen practice in a thoroughly Western milieu...Weighty matters are dealt with so entertainingly that it is hard to put the book down"--John Blofeld
"Taken either for itself or as a companion to Kapleau's classic The Three Pillars of Zen, this is an excellent introduction."--Library Journal
"Kapleau goes into many areas of Zen little explored in Western writings, areas that both perplex and titillate Western students--. His comments and expositions are incisive, humorous, and well illustrated with personal anecdotes and amusing stories."--Re-Vision
"An important contribution to our understanding of Zen in the Western world, where it is now becoming a steadily growing spiritual force."--Lama Govinda, author of Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism and A Living Buddhism for the WestRoshi Philip Kapleau was the founder of the Rochester Zen Center and the author of numerous books, including Zen: Merging of East and West and The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching, Practice, and Enlightenment. Kapleau studied and taught Zen for more than 50 years, completing over sixteen years of study and practice in both Japan and America. He died in 2004.
