November 1, 1995
Myokyo-ni is the Buddhist name of Dr. Irmgard Schloegl, who directs the Zen center Shobo-an in London. Here she seeks to describe Zen and Zen practice from a few different approaches, presenting basic Buddhist thought as well as an overview of the life of the historical Buddha. She gives a section on training in a Japanese Rinzai Zen monastery-perhaps the most unique feature of the book, although her presentation is rather impersonal. Her final section, "Fundamentals," is rambling and might have benefited from further organization and subdivision. The author's style throughout is decidedly Western, with a psychological, philosophical tone that does not sit comfortably with some of the more esoteric writings in the field. For an introduction to the subject, there are better sources, such as Robert Aitken's Taking the Path of Zen (Farrar, 1982). For serious students of Zen, there are valuable insights hidden in the sometimes difficult but heartfelt analyses scattered through the book. Recommended only for libraries collecting comprehensively in this area.-Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., N.Y.