---
product_id: 66627029
title: "Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons Paperback – June 5, 2018"
brand: "james ishmael fordjoan halifax"
price: "781041₫"
currency: VND
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/66627029-introduction-to-zen-koans-learning-the-language-of-dragons-paperback
store_origin: VN
region: Vietnam
---

# Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons Paperback – June 5, 2018

**Brand:** james ishmael fordjoan halifax
**Price:** 781041₫
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons Paperback – June 5, 2018 by james ishmael fordjoan halifax
- **How much does it cost?** 781041₫ with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/66627029-introduction-to-zen-koans-learning-the-language-of-dragons-paperback)

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Learning the Language of Dragons is a useful introduction to someone generally interested in what koans are ...
  

*by R***H on Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2018*

Introduction of Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons  is a useful introduction for someone interested in what koans are and to learn about the “process” of koan Introspection. It can also serve someone who has already begun to formally “walk down the path” of koan introspection as Roshi Ford often describes as examining :"the fundamental matter …of you, me, everything”.I am forever grateful for my teacher (and dharma heir to James Ford) for suggesting I take up koan study. I have found koan study to be both  “a whack on the back of the head” and a "dousing of freezing water". Disconcerting or refreshing as those might be to long held conceptions. James Ford provides, history, context and a gentle loving guide to understanding this sometimes intimidating but also special  “spiritual technology” which is as useful today as it was in the 9th century. It can be read over and over and still remain fresh to the heart. Recommended.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    A book about koans that is about much more than koans
  

*by M***R on Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2018*

Always a delight to read a new book by Roshi James Ford. He brings a unique perspective to Zen studies, a scholarly approach that combines the best of both ancient Buddhist texts plus a wide range of contemporary Buddhist scholars and teachers. In addition, he has a penchant for clarifying Buddhist traditions and practices to help make sure that Buddhism continues to thrive in the US, in ways that can help individuals but also maintain the rigor of traditional Buddhism practice.This book is a bit of a misnomer in that it is really about more than koans. The book has 27 chapters and it really isn't until chapter 10 that he delves into koans. Early chapters focus on the life of Buddha and explaining the basics of Zen Buddhist practice, such as breathing, posture, and the history of Buddhism. Much of this information will be old hat to Buddhist practitioners but even when reviewing this material, Roshi Ford's long-time practice and scholarly bent make it so that these sections reward careful attention so that beginners and long-time practitioners would get something out of it.Starting around chapter 10, Roshi Ford digs into koan studies. I have read a fair amount of books about koan study. This one covers some of the initial history of koans and the place of koans within the general practice life. He reviews some basic koans, including the Mu koan, though unlike other books on koans, he doesn't dig into particular koans into much depth, focusing more on the general nature of koan practice.Throughout the book, Roshi Ford weaves his own experiences in the dharma, though he does this in a more modest way than other Zen books (other authors seem to concentrate on their own personal experience as a lens to help others understand practice). For him, I feel like his own personal practice and experience are less important than the wide scope and tradition of Zen history. Important to share his own experiences, but more important to weave into the narrative the teachings of others.This is a quick read, written in clearly defined chapters of about 4 to 20 pages each. Thank you for your teaching Roshi Ford.  Highly recommended!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    More A Prologue to Zen Study ... Than an Intro to Koans.
  

*by F***K on Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2018*

I have long known how instruction, teaching, and mastery differ: (a) *Instructors* set the table where students will eat the meal that (b) *Teachers* prepare with the food that (c) *Masters* have found, planted, cultivated, harvested, and brought to the marketplace all by themselves. This book only sets a table – and only an altar at that – which sits in an empty studio at the farthest arc of just one of the many cul de sacs along *The Way* where one can pause to watch kabuki or lip sync with an actor's karaoke. It leaves one with the question: What is the original face of Zen, before Zen... the Buddh- before buddh-ISM? How are mind-ful and mind-less the same or not the same? As such, the fact of this book is a koan in itself and I give it FOUR STARS insofar as it may yet succeed as a point of embarkation -- or resumption -- on The Way.

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*Product available on Desertcart Vietnam*
*Store origin: VN*
*Last updated: 2026-03-19*