A Zen Buddhist Encounters Quakerism

I had a chance to study Quakerism at Swarthmore College as a visiting scholar for one year from April, 1989. I attended from time to time the Sunday worship at Swarthmore Friends Meeting and at Pendle Hill (a Quaker center for study and contemplation near Swarthmore). I also became one of the more regular sitters at a weekly meeting for Zen sitting held at Pendle Hill. Through these experiences I had a glimpse of Quakerism as it actually lives today for many Friends in that area.

The present article tries to compare Quakerism with Zen Buddhism, but it is by no means a systematic, exhaustive comparison. Rather, it is a personal attempt to understand more deeply some salient features of Quakerism that I have happened to notice as a Zen follower.