Born in 1943, Tuệ Sỹ joined a Buddhist order at age ten and is recognized as one of the most important Buddhist scholars in Vietnam. A scholar of both Eastern and Western philosophy, he has published numerous works on Buddhism, including General Outline of Zen. Imprisoned from 1978 to 1981 and again from 1984 to 1998 for political reasons, he has lived in Ho Chi Minh City since his release.