Written from experience the author bridges the gap between Eastern and Western religious philosophy in this comparative study of the Buddhist and Christian religious practices and philosophical outlook. The author was brought up as a Zen Buddhist and was later baptized a Christian. He deepened his understanding of Christianity by entering the Jesuit community and practicing the spiritual exercises of St Ignatius. Through this he became increasingly aware of the enormous similarities between the practices of the Zen monastic life and that of the Catholic novitiate. His training was under the famous Master Omori Sogen.