Selected Works of D.T. Suzuki, Volume II


Book Description

"Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki is considered a key figure in the introduction of Buddhism to the non-Asian world. Many in the West encountered Buddhism for the very first time through his writings and teaching, and for nearly a century his work and legacy havecontributed to the ongoing religious and cultural interchange between Japan and the rest of the world, particularly the United States and Europe. As an early and influential representative of Zen Buddhism outside of Japan, Suzuki shaped the global conversation about the nature of religious practice for much of the twentieth century. This is the first of a multivolume series gathering the full range of Suzuki's writings. Volume 1 (Zen) presents a collection of Suzuki's classic essays as well as lesser-known but equally influential articles on Zen Buddhist thought and practice. Chinese and Japanese characters, which were originally removed from most post-World War II editions of Suzuki's essays, have been reinstated, and the romanization of Buddhist names and technical terms has been updated uniformly throughout the volume. This collection also contains an in-depth introduction to Suzuki's approach to Zen that places his influence in the context of modern developments in religious thought, practice, and scholarship, making this a useful edition for contemporary scholars and students of Buddhism"--Provided by publisher.




Selected Works of D.T. Suzuki, Volume II


Book Description

Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki was a key figure in the introduction of Buddhism to the non-Asian world. Many outside Japan encountered Buddhism for the first time through his writings and teaching, and for nearly a century his work and legacy have contributed to the ongoing religious and cultural interchange between Japan and the rest of the world, particularly the United States and Europe. This second volume of Selected Works of D. T. Suzuki brings together Suzuki’s writings on Pure Land Buddhism. At the center of the Pure Land tradition is the Buddha Amida and his miraculous realm known as paradise or "the land of bliss," where sentient beings should aspire to be born in their next life and where liberation and enlightenment are assured. Suzuki, by highlighting certain themes in Pure Land Buddhism and deemphasizing others, shifted its focus from a future, otherworldly goal to religious experience in the present, wherein one realizes the nonduality between the Buddha and oneself and between paradise and this world. An introduction by James C. Dobbins analyzes Suzuki’s cogent, distinctive, and thought-provoking interpretations, which helped stimulate new understandings of Pure Land Buddhism quite different from traditional doctrine.




Selected Works of D.T. Suzuki, Volume IV


Book Description

Daisetsu Teitarо̄ Suzuki was a key figure in the introduction of Buddhism to the non-Asian world. Many outside Japan encountered Buddhism for the first time through his writings and teaching, and for nearly a century his work and legacy have contributed to the ongoing religious and cultural interchange between Japan and the rest of the world, particularly the United States and Europe. This fourth volume of Selected Works of D. T. Suzuki brings together a range of Suzuki’s writings in the area of Buddhist studies. Based on his text-critical work in the Chinese canon, these essays reflect his commitment to clarifying Mahāyāna Buddhist doctrines in Indian, Chinese, and Japanese historical contexts. Many of these innovative writings reflect Buddhological discourse in contemporary Japan and the West’s pre-war ignorance of Mahāyāna thought. Included is a translation into English for the first time of his "Mahāyāna Was Not Preached by Buddha." In addition to editing the essays and contributing the translation, Mark L. Blum presents an introduction that examines how Suzuki understood Mahāyāna discourse via Chinese sources and analyzes his problematic use of Sanskrit.




Selected Works of D.T. Suzuki, Volume III


Book Description

Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki was a key figure in the introduction of Buddhism to the non-Asian world. Many outside Japan encountered Buddhism for the first time through his writings and teaching, and for nearly a century his work and legacy have contributed to the ongoing religious and cultural interchange between Japan and the rest of the world, particularly the United States and Europe. This third volume ofÊSelected Works of D. T. SuzukiÊbrings together a diverse collection of SuzukiÕs letters, essays, and lectures about non-Buddhist religions and his thoughts on their relation to Buddhism, as well as his reflections on the nature of religion itself. Some of these writings have been translated into English for the first time in this volume. As a long-term resident of the United States, a world traveler, and a voracious consumer of information about all forms of religion, Suzuki was one of the foremost Japanese mediators of Eastern and Western religious cultures for nearly seven decades. An introduction by Jeff Wilson and Tomoe Moriya analyzes SuzukiÕs frequent encounters with texts and practitioners of many religions, considers how events in SuzukiÕs lifetime affected his interpretations of Christianity, Shinto, and other traditions, and demonstrates that his legacy as a scholar extends well beyond Buddhism.




Zen Buddhism


Book Description

No other figure in history has played a bigger part in opening the West to Buddhism than the eminent Zen author, D.T. Suzuki, and in this reissue of his best work readers are given the very heart of Zen teaching. Zen Buddhism, which sold more than 125,000 as an Anchor paperback after its publication in 1956, includes a basic historical background as well as a thorough overview of the techniques for Zen practice. Concepts and terminology such as satori, zazen, and koans, as well as the various elements of this philosophy are all given clear explanations. But while Suzuki takes nothing for granted in the reader's understanding of the fundamentals, he does not give a merely rudimentary overview. Each of the essays included here, particularly those on the unconscious mind and the relation of Zen to Western philosophy, go far beyond other sources for their penetrating insights and timeless wisdom. What is most important about D.T. Suzuki's work, however--and what comes across so powerfully in these selections--is his unparalleled ability to communicate the experiential aspect of Zen. The intensity here with which Zen philosophy comes to life is without parallel in the canon of Buddhist literature. Suzuki stands apart from all teachers before or since because of his exceptional ability to eloquently capture in words the seemingly inexpressible essence of Zen.




Manual of Zen Buddhism


Book Description

Manual of Zen Buddhism's main object is to inform the readers to various literary materials relating to the monastery life. It also tells us about those edicts which the Zen monks read before the Buddha in daily service in the different quarters of institution.




An Introduction to Zen Buddhism


Book Description

The highly influential book that helped bring Eastern spiritual principles to the Western world. One of the world’s leading authorities on Zen Buddhism, and a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, D. T. Suzuki was the author of more than a hundred works on the subject in both Japanese and English, and was most instrumental in bringing the teachings of Zen Buddhism to the attention of the Western world. Written in a lively, accessible, and straightforward manner, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism is illuminating for the serious student and layperson alike. Suzuki provides a complete vision of Zen, which emphasizes self-understanding and enlightenment through many systems of philosophy, psychology, and ethics. With a foreword by the renowned psychiatrist Dr. Carl Jung, this volume has been acknowledged a classic introduction to the subject. It provides, along with Suzuki’s Essays in Zen Buddhism and Manual of Zen Buddhism, a framework for living a balanced and fulfilled existence through Zen.




Studies in the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra


Book Description

The title Lankavatara might mean entering Lanka (Perhaps referring to the temporary Mahayana period of Ceylon), suggesting that the doctrine of this scripture are possibly consistent with earlier Buddhism preserved in the Pali language. Suzuki has greatly helped the reader of the basic scripture by discussing the main ideas. He tells how to study this scripture, compares it with the popular Zen Buddhism discusses such typical and important doctrines as Mind-only the Triple body of the Buddha and many minor topics. Suzuki is both an exacting scholar and an understanding exponent of these difficult concepts. He adds a Sanskrit-Chinese-English Glossary, and also an Index. This work is essential for grasping the main ideas of the scripture.




Essays in Zen Buddhism


Book Description




Mysticism, Christian and Buddhist


Book Description

In the first four essays in this collection, D. T. Suzuki reads Meister Eckhart with the eye of a master, pointing out where his understanding deeply coincides with that of Zen Buddhism. Next, he takes on a subject Christians often find difficult, the question of transmigration or reincarnation. Suzuki then compares the dimensionality of the crucifixion with that of enlightenment. In the later essays, Suzuki moves on to the Pure Land tradition of Buddhism, and in particular to the works of Rennyo (1415-1499) and the poetry of Asahara Saichi (1850-1932), for which he provides a rare translation.