The New York Times has called Alan Watts, “perhaps the foremost Western interpreter of Eastern thought for the modern world.” This month, we’re pleased to release his book Zen: A Short Introduction with Illustrations by the Author, a beautiful gift edition of a work he originally published in 1948. Zen captures the essence of Zen Buddhism as a religion and a way of life by embodying the aesthetic of Zen itself. As with brushstrokes in a Japanese ink painting, the words have been used sparingly and arranged precisely, with no unnecessary embellishments. Illustrated with calligraphy and drawings by the author, this reprint of an old classic will delight fans of Alan Watts, while introducing new readers to a legendary author who infused groundbreaking scholarship with literary brilliance.

One of the youngest people ever to receive dharma transmission (the authorization to teach Zen) in the United States, Gesshin Claire Greenwood is also a skilled vegan cook, feminist, and author of the book Just Enough: Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan’s Buddhist Temples. When Greenwood was twenty-two and fresh out of college, she found her way to a Buddhist monastery in Japan. She was drawn deeply into Zen’s all-encompassing approach to life and how to live it, the way Zen practice does not shy away from the big questions of life while still resting in the perfection of the present moment. While at the monastery, she discovered a particular affinity for working in the kitchen, especially the practice of using what was at hand to create delicious, satisfying meals. 

I first heard of Dogen when I was 19 or 20 years old. I am 53 now. So I’ve been acquainted with Dogen for most of my life. Dogen was a Japanese Buddhist monk and writer who lived around 800 years ago, from the year 1200 to 1254. He was barely older than I am now when he died. 

When I first heard of Dogen, I assumed I was a latecomer. I figured that the people of Japan had read and studied Dogen’s philosophy for the past 800 years. I assumed that Dogen’s ideas were part of Japan’s national philosophical identity.