Amazon.in Page
This overview of Zen Buddhism isn't so much an instructional guide as a reflection upon Zen as a life philosophy and an artistic influence. While it does have a chapter on technique, it's mostly a mile-high overview of koan (paradoxes and riddles) and mondo (a Q & A-based practice,) and doesn't enter into the fundamentals of meditation. If you're looking for an introduction to Zen practice, this probably isn't your book. Even the book's conclusion, which is meant to address pragmatic matters, does so in an abstract and philosophical way. But this isn't meant to denigrate the book. There are plenty of books that fill that role, and this book has a couple of specialties that set it apart and make it well worth reading.
There are three areas into which this book delves that are sparsely covered in other books. First, there's a chapter devoted to Zen in English Literature, and throughout the book there's much discussion of how Zen influences art, more broadly. The Zen in English Literature chapter draws heavily on a work by R.H. Blyth that is hard to find these days. Second, there's an attempt to relate how ideas of Zen Buddhism can be conveyed to a Western mind. Third, while it's acknowledged as being futile, the author discusses Satori in great depth.
I found a great deal of food-for-thought in this book. The author draws from many and varied sources to convey his message. Though that can also be a bit problematic. For example, Humphreys sometimes launches into ideas that come from yogic or other Eastern philosophies without a great deal of elaboration. There's a certain pretentiousness that's not unexpected from a mid-twentieth century British writer, but the book is by no means a dense read.
If you're looking for a philosophical look at Zen, or one which discusses Zen as an artistic influence, check out this book.
