Not a Buddhist, just interested in Eastern religions and things metaphysical. For a light introduction to Buddhism and eastern religions in general, I recommend the Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra. It compares the teachings of eastern religions (mainly Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism) to findings in quantum physics.
If you're like me and not much of a reader, its also available in abridged form on both cassette and CD.
What I can tell you of what little I know about Zen is that it tries to call one's attention to the limits of logical thinking. The limits of the intellect is a common theme in all the major eastern religions, but it is especially true in Zen.
Through the intellect we can get only an approximate, filtered interpretation of reality, filtered by our preconcieved ideas and experiences. In our mind's attempt to make sense of our experience, we get a map to the territory, but the map is not the territory itself. And some people's maps are much more useful and helpful to them than others.
But even those are just maps. Approximations based on past experience, and not truly objective. This is why it takes so much more to upset an "enlightened master" than the average person. He/she is able to see the world without that filter of past experience, and see it truly objectively.
Don't know if any of that was helpful to you or not. I also recommend the Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living and the Complet Idiot's Guide to Understanding Buddhism.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15...002-1990719-5793633?n=507846&s=books&v=glance
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15...002-1990719-5793633?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Hee hee!
