'Zen is like a telegram. It believes in the very essentials. It has no nonsense around it, no rituals, no chanting, no mantras, no scriptures-just small anecdotes. If you have the right awareness, they will hit you directly in the heart. It is a very condensed and crystallized teaching, but it needs the person to be prepared for it. And the only preparation is meditative awareness.

'Zen books themselves are very fragmentary. They are telegrams-urgent, immediate, not giving you any explanation, but simply giving you the very essence, the perfume of thousands of flowers. You just have to be alert and meditative enough to absorb them. I'm trying to give a context, the right background, because I am talking to people who are not born in the Zen tradition.'-Osho

Osho (1931-1990) is a contemporary mystic whose teachings have inspired millions of people from all walks of life. His works, which are published in more than 40 languages, are transcribed from extemporaneous talks given over a period of 35 years. They cover everything from the individual search for happiness ot the most pressing social, political, and spiritual concerns of our time. The Sunday Times of London has named Osho as one of the '1000 Makers of the 20th Century.' His books are bestsellers in many languages and many countries.

Zen is not a religion, not a dogma, not a creed. Zen is not even a quest, an inquiry; it is non-philosophical. The fundamental of the Zen approach is that all is as it should be, nothing is missing. This very moement everything is perfect.'-Osho

Osho is one of the best known and most provocative contemporary mystics of the twentieth century. HIs wisdom is legendary, as is his skill in guiding his audience to an understanding of complex philosophical concepts using humor and the art of storytelling. In Zen-Its History and Teachings, Osho takes the reader on a journey of understanding that cannot be taught but can only be experienced.

Books on Zen have a reputation for being difficult, and so-called popular books on Zen usually devolve into amorphous New Age-isms. Osho's book is a delightful exception, providing a brief history of Zen's evolution from Buddhism as well as the key ideas that will guide you as you surrender to the principles that are Zen. I especially appreciated Osho's blunt talk mixed with witty humor. (The book is based on excerpts of some of Osho's public addresses.) I've read many books about Zen, but only Osho's comes across as a conversation with a truly vibrant and caring guide.--Danno

I thought this would be a nice book about Zen. It isn't. It is a book full of the teachings of Osho Rajneesh, also called Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. This man made some bizarre statements, and some downright offensive stereotypes of people in this book. My husband, who seriously studies Zen, was really shocked. We'll keep it as a curiousity, but it is NOT a serious book about REAL Zen. (This guy had a commune and was given 90 Rolls Royces by his disciples, and stated at one point that he's had sex with more women than any man alive...make up your own mind as to whether he has something special to teach you.)-Nessa nessa

Contents

Introduction
Part One-Born in laughter; The seed of Zen
Part Two-The lion's roar; Bodhidharma goes to China
Part Three-A marriage with Tao; Sosan, The third Zen patriarch; Tending the ox (a Zen allegory)
Part Four-Rinzei, master of the irrational; Zen goes to Japan
Part Five-Flowers bloom; The Japanese contribution to Zen; A temple for tea (a Zen ceremony)
Part Six-Anecdotes of the absurd; The illogical life
Part Seven-Zen dialogues; Tales of enlightenment
Part Eight-The mystery of the koan; Insoluble puzzles
Part Nine-Zen in the West; A new approach to existence
Afterword
About the author