Zen Buddhism

By Christmas Humphreys

Book Overview

A comprehensive look at Zen, one of the most popular forms of Buddhism for Western minds. Chapters include the birth of Zen, the nature of Zen, the fruits of Zen, Zen technique, satori (enlightenment), Zen in English literature, and Zen for the West. Contains many quotations from Zen texts. "A lively, lucid book by an eminent Buddhist." "The author presents a very comprehensive idea of Zen in all its aspects." "The process of Zen is a leap from thinking to knowing . . .Christmas Humphreys expounds with great clarity an often misinterpreted way of life." First published in 1949.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 004294130X
• ISBN13: 9780042941301
• Release Date: December 1984
• Publisher: Mandala Books, Unwin Paperbacks
• Length: 171 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.5" x 0.4" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

Good early (for the west anyway) treatment of zen

This was a very good attempt to explain Zen Buddhism in the face of the author's professed belief that Zen Buddhism cannot be explained and any attempt to do so is ridiculous and doomed to failure. Humphreys writes with the dignified and easy-to-read style of a well-educated Englishman of his day, and although a little bit of the `zenner-than-thou' tone sometimes sneaks into this book it is, on the whole, very well done.