Hakuin Zenji (1689-1769) was one of the most important of all Japanese Zen masters. His commentary on the <i>Heart Sutra </i> is a Zen classic that reflects his dynamic teaching style, with its balance of scathing wit and poetic illumination of the text. Hakuin's sarcasm, irony, and invective are ultimately guided by a compassion that seeks to dislodge students' false assumptions and free them to realize the profound meaning of the <i>Heart Sutra </i> for themselves. The text is illustrated with Hakuin's own calligraphy and brush drawings.