The Essentials of Zen Buddhism

by D.T. Suzuki

Attempts to elucidate the nature and experience of Zen Buddhism as well as its close connection with Japanese culture. Bibliogs.

Genres: Buddhism

584 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1962

About the author

Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki (鈴木 大拙 貞太郎 Suzuki Daisetsu Teitarō; rendered "Daisetz" after 1893) was Professor of Buddhist philosophies at Ōtani University. As a translator and writer on Buddhism and Eastern philosophy, he greatly helped to popularize Japanese Zen in the West.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this in high school, time for a re-read. Talked about the ready and open mind, the Zen mind and the preparedness to accept new information and the openness to nothingness required for proper Zen practice. Not an easy read, but then that was possibly my age at the time, I shall soon find out.

[Aimee Jay · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Zen abhors repetition or imitation of any kind, for it kills. For the same reason, Zen never explains but only affirms. Life is fact and no explanation is necessary." (p. 53) And yet, this entire book just repeats itself over and over again for almost 500 pages. The whole thing felt incredibly ironic and hypocritical to the supposed meaning of Zen. Felt like reading an essay where the writer is desperately trying to hit the word count by repeating the same thing over and over, just written slightly differently. I regret spending $50 on this.

[Dan Ader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can only quote the Master: “We teach ourselves; Zen merely points the way.”

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on Zen Buddhism of the past century. D.T. Suzuki was a hugely influential writer, and this is a compilation of the best essays he wrote on Zen across his career. This version is now out of print, hard to find, and expensive, but if you're interested in Zen and can find a copy it's well worth the purchase.