Zeal for Zen

The Zen scholar and author of Hints in Haiku offers a revealing introduction to Zen thought and practice in this collection of essays.

In 1964, when he accepted a visiting professorship at Coe College teaching non-Western studies, Norimoto Iino wrote this uniquely insightful introduction to Zen for his students. As he says in the preface, “Zen is a subject notoriously elusive. It goes beyond the happiest form of linguistic expression.” And yet, Iino pursues his topic with illuminating clarity and probing insight.

In Zeal for Zen, Iino discusses Zen as an ever-evolving way of seeing and a powerful antidote to the egoistic pursuit of power. He covers a wide range of topics, from Soto Zen and Zen prayer to mathematics, modern physics, and the Zenlike works of English philosopher Alfred North Whitehead.