Zen: Merging of East and West

by Philip Kapleau

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 "Transcendental 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.

Genres: Philosophy, Zen, Buddhism, Spirituality

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1980

About the author

A teacher of Zen Buddhism in the Sanbo Kyodan tradition, a blending of Japanese Soto and Rinzai schools.

Reviews

[Eric]

Interesting. Funny/exotic to read a bit from the other sides of the spectrums, someone a bit from the DT Suzuki era, a bit from the koan-y part of zen, and also more believing in the importance of adapting to local culture.

At the risk of being conceited and disrespectful, I had a really hard time with the beginning and the end of the book. Kapleau tends to invoke energies and vibrations and use things like Law of Conservation of Energy to justify things, which as a sort of dry materialist kinda guy, find really really really off putting. Similarly with the karmic retribution stuff, although its interesting to hear that it's not just Westerners that seem to conceive of it in this way.

So yeah, too much Vibe and Energy for me in the beginning, too much Karma at the end, but in the middle... Well! That was something else, somethings in there that seemed to really speak to me, sort of a sense of yep, this is zen teaching, yep this is good. Don't mean to pick and choose, of course. Likewise, the account of his life. Man, one of the American zen pioneers.

[Vijayakumar Belur · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is basically a journey through Zen practice. it doesn't tell you how to do Zen. Written with a western perspective, answers many of the basic doubts of a western seeker. If you are looking for a Zen instructions, you will be disappointed.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as 3 Pillars of Zen. Introductory book for those interested in Zen living in the West. Still as always some good nuggets in there.