The chapter on Zen in Japan helps one to appreciate the complexities of Buddhist/zen history.

• Eisai, a Buddhist monk, returned from China in 1191 with the Rinzai teachings (the Southern school of Ch'an). [uses the koan to achieve sudden insight]
• Dogen, another Buddhist monk, returned from China in 1227 with the Soto teachings (the Northern school of Ch'an) [ gradual enlightment by studying the sutras]
• Zen Buddhism (usually just called Zen) became the generic Japanese turn for Ch'an (i.e. both sects). Both traditions place value on sitting meditation.
• "Rinzai's teaching is like the frost of the late autumn, making one shiver, while the teaching of Soto is like the spring breeze that caresses the flower, helping it to bloom" (p. 116)
• In Japan, there are now 22 independent organizations claiming Zen lineage. (Analogous to the many different Christian churches)
• as well, there are many other Buddhist sects in Japan that are not related to Zen.
• The blending of Shinto and Buddhism gave rise to 2 main Japanese Buddhist traditions: Tendai (Mahayana Buddhism) and Shingon (connected to the tantric traditions of India)

There are many "levels" of contact that one can make with Buddhism. One can treat it as a subject to be learned (like physics). However at some stage, one is faced with choices as to whether one wants to commit to a particular perspective or sect/school. Grigg has a chapter called Everyday Zen which discusses the notion of treating everyday ordinary existence with the same mindfulness as one does when engaging in zazen (meditation). "No visible practice of Zen is apparent in this process. There are no institutions to organize and formalize. ... direct awareness and focused doing" and "The deliberate, conscious practice of Zen is a self-defeating process, an exercise in futility" (p. 159). However he concludes with, "Formal Zen and everyday Zen serve each other" (p. 168). There is value in reading about Zen and Buddhism.

The second half of the book devotes a number of short chapters to many of the key ideas in Zen and Taoism. Here is a list of the chapter titles:

• wordlessness
• selflessness
• softness
• oneness
• emptiness
• nothingness
• balance
• paradox
• non-doing
• sponteneity
• ordinariness
• playfulness
• suchness

This is a useful list, much like the list one places on a fridge door. The trick is to weave these ideas into a coherent pattern for living a life. The Zen approach would say that this is easy if you don't try. I agree. But it is also useful to ocassionally review the list, and perhaps the book.