The revolutionary figures in this book are those innovative, nonconformist Zen masters who often disguised their spiritual prowess by portraying themselves as lowly drifters, beggars, and Zen "madmen." They are individuals whose unorthodox behavior has defined the radical Buddhist movement known simply as Zen. This book contains stories of Zen "boat-rockers" and rebels that range from early 18th-century China all the way to the bustling streets of modern day America, with a stop in the middle to visit a courageous Zen master who made the ultimate sacrifice while resisting the brutal actions of the Japanese government in World War II. These remarkable masters remind us that the pursuit of spiritual awakening is not an insular process but rather a direct rebellion with the very foundations of suffering in the world.