This book, first published in German, awakened wide interest in Zen Buddhism to the general public; only after that the author felt a need for an English edition. This book serves as a historical account of the development of Zen Buddhism. The German edition was well received by the specialists in the field. The historical accuracy of the work was well acknowledged by Buddhist scholars of first rank. The book discusses about the historic development of Zen Buddhism – its origin in China, most likely in the sixth century, the meditation tradition of a thousand years’ duration upon which it was based, and its thirteenth-century transplantation to Japan where it reached its fullest and highest development and then towards the West. While the present book is indispensable for students, researchers and teachers of Zen Buddhism, it is also highly useful for the general reader keenly interested in understanding the history and development of Zen Buddhism across the globe.