Zen Essence

Drawn from Chinese records of Chinese Zen masters of the Tang and Song dynasties, this collection may surprise some readers. In contrast to the popular image of Zen as an authoritarian, monastic tradition deeply rooted in Asian culture, these passages portray Zen as remarkably flexible, adaptive to contemporary and individual needs, and transcending cultural boundaries. These writings represent the most open and direct forms of instruction in the entire Zen canon. What emerges is a picture of Zen, not as a religion or philosophy, but as a practical science of freedom.