A nice quotes on Zen via Marc,

"before studying Zen – man is man and mountains are mountains – yet things are confused."

"while studying Zen – man is no longer man and mountains are no longer mountains."

"after studying Zen – man is man and mountains are moutains – yet things are no longer confused."

My take on Zen is even more down to earth.  To me, Zen is just a tool to remove mental wedgies.  Just as brushing your teeth regularly keeps your teeth healthy and smelling fresh, practicing zazen regularly removes mental debris stuck in your mind before they could infest and grow into something more menacing.

Zen doesn't deliver truth or meaning of life, just a more comfortable perspective, a product created out of necessity by those who suffered enough to shave their heads over thousands of years ago.  It won't help you if you are crazy though just as you can't brush your teeth if you can't hold a toothbrush.  That's what shrinks are for.  It will help you if your mind is tangled into a ball of mess by your own doing.

Thank goodness Zen masters don't charge like doctors do.