This volume also includes a generous selection from Morinaga's acclaimed autobiography, Novice to Master: An Ongoing Lesson in the Extent of my Own Stupidity.

Praise & Reviews “Provides food for thought for both experienced Zen students and new comers alike. The translation is eminently readable and Morinaga’s commentary is useful and enjoyable to read. I recommend this to all who wish to learn more about the early teachings of Chan and I commend Wisdom Publications on a delightful volume that I am sure will be read more than once by myself.”—TheZenSite.com “A very accessible helpful commentary from one of the most revered Japanese Zen masters of his generation.”—Martin Collcutt, author Five Mountains: The Rinzai Zen Monastic Institution in Medieval Japan

Soko Morinaga, Author SOKO MORINAGA, recently deceased, was the head of the Japanese Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. Martin Collcutt, Introduction Martin Collcutt is a professor of East Asian studies and history at Princeton University, where he teaches Japanese intellectual and cultural history. He also has a particular interest in the introduction and development of the monastic practice in Japanese Rinzai Zen. In the 1960s he studied and practiced Zen in Japan and met Morinaga Roshi at Daishuin in Kyoto. Subsequently he served as Roshi’s interpreter on some of his visits to the United States and England. His academic background in Japanese Zen and his personal and longstanding involvement with Morinaga Roshi and his teaching makes Professor Collcutt’s informative introduction a valuable contribution to the understanding of this classic text.