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Title: All "Wisdom," No "Compassion."
Review: Buddhism is based on wisdom AND compassion. Mr. Hagen's new book, like his first book, "Buddhism: Plain and Simple," does an excellent job in describing the "wisdom" component of Zen Buddhism. But just like in his first book, Mr. Hagen's new book is totally devoid of any discussion of the "compassion" component. Thus, this book makes Zen Buddhism seem like a purely intellectual excercise, devoid of any warmth or heart. Compare, for example, Mr. Hagen's books with anything written by "Bhante G," Henepola Gunaratana. In his books, Bhante G makes (Theravada) Buddhism come alive with wisdom AND compassion. The tone of Bhante G's books is one of warmth, with a human face. Maybe that is why some are more attracted to Theravada Buddhism, and turned off by the abstractness of Zen (as Zen is portrayed by some, including Mr. Hagen).
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