Matthiensen's long road to being a Buddhist monk takes him through many trials and tribulations and sometimes mixed with a sense of relief and surprise. In summary, it delves into the greater purpose of spiritualism for humanity: the particularity of the quest, coupled with universality of the discipline, notwithstanding the appreciation of the ordinary.
In the beginning days of his interest in Zen culture, Matthiesen sought to question the western ways of knowing i.e. knowledge as an accumulation of thought and analysis. Instead he was impressed with the Zen way of knowing (or rather `not-knowing'). From these humble beginnings, Matthiesens's immersion into Zen culture did not occur fully until a personal tragedy (the death of his wife) made him see things differently. During these times Zen provided a vehicle for his personal spiritual journey.
At times Matthiesen aligns his personal quest with literal Zen teaching and in some parts of the chapter he alludes to a much broader connotation of spirituality -- that goes beyond personal search to include collective consciousness. During his days at the dragon river, Matthiensen gets to know first-hand experience of Zen studentship. Such experiences are not always pleasant. In the act of attaining concentration and bliss he seems to be constantly battling with selfish thoughts and the prejudices of the ego.
The last two or three chapters provide a brief historical biography of various Zen teachers starting from 12th century. The purpose is perhaps to enlighten the western reader about the roots and depth of Zen culture. Being a Buddhist monk, this could also be seen as a way to trace his own genealogy in the myriads of Buddhist teachers and a way to assure the perpetuality of Zen culture.