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A review by lauren_endnotes
An Introduction to Zen Buddhism by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki
4.0
An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, by Daisetz Teitaro (D.T.) Suzuki. Written in English, 1934.
A monk once went to Gensha, and wanted to learn where the entrance to the path of truth was. Gensha asked him, "Do you hear the murmuring of the brook?" "Yes, I hear it," answered the monk. "There is the entrance," the master instructed him.
Suzuki, a scholar in Buddhist philosophy, Zen practitioner, and polyglot (he wrote this book and many books in English), is largely known for "bringing Buddhism to the West" from its roots in China and Japan. His influence spread through Europe and North America, and his students include other well known western Buddhist philosophers, notably Alan Watts, who went on to write scores of books on Zen, philosophy, and mysticism. It was through Watts' work (of which I've read 3 of his books) that I came to his teacher, Suzuki. I'm glad I did.
In these 9 essays, Suzuki provides a straightforward framework of Zen and its tenets, its anti-logical/rational basis, the concept of satori, the use of koans in meditation, touching in mindfulness practice, the daily lives of monks.
"Zen wishes to storm this citadel of topsy-turvydom and show that we live psychologically and biologically and not logically."
.
"If I'm asked what Zen teaches, I would answer, Zen teaches nothing. Whatever teachings there are in Zen, they come out of ones own mind. We reach ourselves, Zen merely points the way."
.
.
I chose to include this book in my #JanuaryinJapan reading list since Suzuki was a leading Japanese figure in Buddhism, because it's been on my shelf for a few years (I bought in Vancouver on 2017), and because the Zen practice permeates Japanese literature, history, art... and in many ways, the entire psyche.
In the foreword of this book, preeminent psychologist Carl Jung says Westerners will have a very hard time conceiving of Zen. But that's the point. Break down. Disrupt. Jumble. Get out of the rational mindset.
A monk once went to Gensha, and wanted to learn where the entrance to the path of truth was. Gensha asked him, "Do you hear the murmuring of the brook?" "Yes, I hear it," answered the monk. "There is the entrance," the master instructed him.
Suzuki, a scholar in Buddhist philosophy, Zen practitioner, and polyglot (he wrote this book and many books in English), is largely known for "bringing Buddhism to the West" from its roots in China and Japan. His influence spread through Europe and North America, and his students include other well known western Buddhist philosophers, notably Alan Watts, who went on to write scores of books on Zen, philosophy, and mysticism. It was through Watts' work (of which I've read 3 of his books) that I came to his teacher, Suzuki. I'm glad I did.
In these 9 essays, Suzuki provides a straightforward framework of Zen and its tenets, its anti-logical/rational basis, the concept of satori, the use of koans in meditation, touching in mindfulness practice, the daily lives of monks.
"Zen wishes to storm this citadel of topsy-turvydom and show that we live psychologically and biologically and not logically."
.
"If I'm asked what Zen teaches, I would answer, Zen teaches nothing. Whatever teachings there are in Zen, they come out of ones own mind. We reach ourselves, Zen merely points the way."
.
.
I chose to include this book in my #JanuaryinJapan reading list since Suzuki was a leading Japanese figure in Buddhism, because it's been on my shelf for a few years (I bought in Vancouver on 2017), and because the Zen practice permeates Japanese literature, history, art... and in many ways, the entire psyche.
In the foreword of this book, preeminent psychologist Carl Jung says Westerners will have a very hard time conceiving of Zen. But that's the point. Break down. Disrupt. Jumble. Get out of the rational mindset.