Two arrows meeting in mid-air

Through a comprehensive introduction and twenty-one chapters centered on koans from classic collections, western literary sources, and modern encounters, this book explains the relevance of koan study to Zen training today. It illuminates the value of koans in the practice of self-realization and their aliveness within the teacher-student relationship. Most importantly, the uniqueness of the koan as a means of studying the self is clearly shown in the context of the Buddhadarma--not as an archaic curiosity, but as a vibrant opportunity to fully appreciate this life.--