"Among Buddhist traditions, Zen has been remarkably successful in garnering and sustaining interest outside the Buddhist homelands of Asia, and "zen" is now part of the global cultural lexicon. This deeply informed book explores the history of this enduring Japanese tradition - from its beginnings as a form of Buddhist thought and practice imported from China to its reinvention in medieval Japan as a force for religious, political, and cultural change to its role in Japan's embrace of modernity. Going deeper, it also explores Zen through the experiences and teachings of key individuals who shaped Zen as a tradition committed to the embodiment of enlightenment by all. By bringing together Zen's institutional and personal dimensions, Peter D. Hershock offers readers a nuanced yet accessible introduction to Zen as well as distinctive insights into issues that remain relevant today, including the creative tensions between globalization and localization, the interplay of politics and religion, and the possibilities for integrating social transformation with personal liberation."--Jacket.

Pt. I. Zen Origins : 1. Buddha, Dharma and Sangha from India to China -- 2. The Japanese Transformation of Buddhism -- 3. From Chinese Chan to Japanese Zen ; Pt. II. Public Zen : 4. Rinzai Zen -- 5. Sōtō Zen -- 6. Ōbaku Zen -- 7. Zen in a Modernizing Japan ; Pt. III. Personal Zen : 8. Practicing Zen -- 9. Zen Exemplars : Dōgen, Ikkyū, Hakuin and Ryōkan -- 10. Zen Here and Now -- Notes -- Works Cited -- Further Reading : Historical Background of Buddhism -- Historical Background of Zen : Chinese Chan -- Japanese Zen -- Primary Sources in Translation -- Contemproary Works on Zen Practice -- Index.