The Way of Zen

The Way of Zen is Alan Watts’s mid-career introduction to Zen Buddhism for Western readers, published by Pantheon in 1957 — written before his looser, more poetic later books. The first half traces the Indian Mahāyāna and Chinese Chan background, the move to Japan, and the institutional history of the Rinzai and Sōtō schools; the second half presents Watts’s framing of Zen as a way of life, with chapters on “Empty and Marvellous”, “Sitting Quietly, Doing Nothing”, zazen, the kōan, the arts (calligraphy, tea, painting, haiku, swordsmanship), and the relation between Zen and Western philosophy of mind.

For decades it has been a standard Anglophone introduction to Zen — sold in the millions, on university Buddhism syllabi from the 1960s onward, and widely credited as the book that prepared the ground in English for the subsequent reception of D.T. Suzuki and Shunryū Suzuki. The standard caveat, voiced by both academic Buddhologists and contemporary Zen teachers, is that Watts wrote about Zen as a sympathetic outsider — his own teacher relationships were brief, and the book sometimes presents personal interpretation as tradition. It is useful as orientation, less useful as a practice manual.

Contents

Reception

For decades the standard Anglophone introduction to Zen — sold in the millions, on university Buddhism syllabi from the 1960s onward, and widely credited as the book that prepared the ground for D.T. Suzuki and Shunryu Suzuki’s subsequent reception. The standard caveat, voiced by both academic Buddhologists and contemporary Zen teachers, is that Watts wrote about Zen as a sympathetic outsider; his own teacher relationships were brief, and the book sometimes presents personal interpretation as tradition. Useful as orientation, less useful as practice manual.

Frequently asked

What is The Way of Zen about?

It is Alan Watts’s 1957 introduction to Zen Buddhism for Western readers. The first half covers the Indian Mahāyāna and Chinese Chan background, the move to Japan, and the Rinzai and Sōtō schools; the second half presents zazen, the kōan, the Zen arts (calligraphy, tea, painting, haiku, swordsmanship), and the relation between Zen and Western philosophy.

How does this book sit in Alan Watts’s career?

It is the mid-career book in which Watts moved from being known primarily as an Anglican-trained writer on Eastern thought to being the leading Anglophone populariser of Zen. The looser, more poetic later books — The Wisdom of Insecurity, The Book — build on the philosophical scaffolding he set out here.

Is The Way of Zen a reliable introduction to Zen practice?

As orientation, yes — it is on university Buddhism syllabi for a reason. As a practice manual, less so. Academic Buddhologists and contemporary Zen teachers note that Watts wrote as a sympathetic outsider with only brief teacher relationships; the book sometimes presents personal interpretation as tradition, which is why it is usually paired with Suzuki rather than read alone.