Thich Thien-An presents the two dynamic aspects of Zen - its philosophy and its way of life. He traces the history of Zen within the general context of Buddhist thought, then focuses on the essential union of theory and practice, sitting and action, wisdom and compassion.

For the beginning student, Zen Philosophy, Zen Practice offers a concise and through grounding in Zen theory and technique. For the advanced student, its simplicity and clarity of style removes the mystery surrounding many interpretations of Zen and deepens understanding of how to apply Zen practice in daily life. Each of the fourteen chapters fully describes a specific meditation practice, ranging from relatively simple to more complex techniques, as taught by the various traditions of Zen Buddhism.

Dr.Thich Tien-An, author of Buddhism and Zen in Vietnam, was one of Vietnam's most influential modern scholars and religious leaders.

Amazon.com Customer - A little known gem in a sea of literature referring to zen buddhism. A book i find myself referring back to more often than any other i own. The first time i read it i gained more insight into the history of zen, where it was coming from, and the people it arrived through. Most importantly at the end of every chapter is a method of practicing zazen. This, along with the stress on practicing zen principles in daily life is why i would highly recommend this book to the beginning zen practitioner.