This book by the largest specialist in the history of Zen Buddhism is the first volume of fundamental research, and is devoted to the history, philosophy and religious concepts of Zen. Starting with a consideration of the ideas of various Mahayana schools in India, to which the Zen teaching dates back, G. Dumoulin shows how, under the influence of Taoist ideas in China, Zen crystallized into an independent and unusually original school of Buddhism. Particular attention is paid to the influence of Zen on various types of Chinese art and culture in general.