The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World

A comprehensive, accessible guide to the fascinating history of Zen Buddhism—including important figures, schools, foundational texts, practices, and politics.

Zen Buddhism has a storied history—Bodhidharma sitting in meditation in a cave for nine years; a would-be disciple cutting off his own arm to get the master's attention; the proliferating schools and intense Dharma combat of the Tang and Song Dynasties; Zen nuns and laypeople holding their own against patriarchal lineages; the appeara...