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Zen Is Right Here: The Wisdom of Shunryu Suzuki
The profound Zen teachings of Suzuki Roshi brought to life by personal stories and anecdotes from his students.
Shunryu Suzuki’s extraordinary gift for conveying traditional Zen teachings using ordinary language is well known to the countless readers of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind . In Zen Is Right Here , his teachings are brought to life powerfully and directly through stories told about him by his students. These living encounters with Zen are poignant, direct, humorous, paradoxical, and enlightening; and their setting in real-life contexts makes them wonderfully accessible.
Suzuki Roshi gave profound teachings that were skillfully expressed for each moment, person, and situation he encountered. He emphasized that while the ungraspable essence of Buddhism is constant, the expression of that essence is always changing. Each of the stories presented here is an example of this versatile and timeless quality, showing that the potential for attaining enlightenment exists right here, right now, in this very moment.
This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series.
The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.
Shunryu Suzuki’s extraordinary gift for conveying traditional Zen teachings using ordinary language is well known to the countless readers of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind . In Zen Is Right Here , his teachings are brought to life powerfully and directly through stories told about him by his students. These living encounters with Zen are poignant, direct, humorous, paradoxical, and enlightening; and their setting in real-life contexts makes them wonderfully accessible.
Suzuki Roshi gave profound teachings that were skillfully expressed for each moment, person, and situation he encountered. He emphasized that while the ungraspable essence of Buddhism is constant, the expression of that essence is always changing. Each of the stories presented here is an example of this versatile and timeless quality, showing that the potential for attaining enlightenment exists right here, right now, in this very moment.
This book is part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series.
The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.
160 pages, Paperback
Published October 22, 2019
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About the author
David Chadwick
48 books15 followers1945-
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 15, 2021
Comforting.
October 26, 2024
To Shine One Corner Of The World
The Zen monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki (1904 -- 1971) came to the United States from Japan in 1959 where he worked to teach Buddhism and founded two Zen centers: the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and the San Francisco Zen Center. He wrote "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" (1970), a highly influential book about Zen.
David Chadwick, a long-time student of Suzuki wrote a biography of the life and thought of his teacher, "Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Thought of Shunyu Suzuki" (1999). Shortly thereafter, Chadwick published a short book "To Shine One Corner of the World" (2001) which presented brief recollections and vignettes of encounters with Suzuki recounted by his students and found in the archives of the Zen Center. This book went out-of-print, but it has been reissued in this volume as "Zen is Right Here" (2019) published in the Shambala Pocket Library series of Shambala Press, which aims to present brief, readable books of religious teachings from leaders and texts across time and traditions.
This book is short and can be read quickly, with each page consisting of a paragraph or two detailing an encounter with Suzuki. Often the student asks a question or otherwise provokes a comment or teaching from the Roshi. The responses are frequently humorous, down-to-earth, and almost always paradoxical and unexpected. They aim to jar the reader and to encourage reflection on everyday life. Here are a few examples of the tenor of the book.
"One morning when we were all sitting zazen, Suzuki Roshi gave a brief impromptu talk in which he said, 'Each of you is perfect the way you are and you can use a little improvement.'"
"After an evening lecture, a man in the audience asked : 'You say that Zen is everywhere. So why do we have to come to the Zen Center?"
'Zen is everywhere,' Suzuki Roshi agreed. 'But for you, Zen is right here.'"
"Now and then Suzuki Roshi would make this point: 'In the Lotus Sutra, Buddha says to light one corner-- not the whole world. Just make it clear where you are.'"
There is much to be pondered in these little teachings. The book includes an Introduction by Chadwick, a Glossary of Buddhist terms, and suggestions for further reading.
The book reminded me of another religious tradition in the stories and anecdotes frequently recounted of Hasidic Rebbes in their encounters with disciples. The book also reminded me of a dear recently-deceased friend. We participated for many years in a study group on the Buddhist Suttas. He was affectionately known to our group as the "pacceka buddha" -- as one who had the qualities to achieve Enlightenment on his own. He was learned, quiet, and modest and was comfortable in himself and in living in the present.
Robin Friedman
The Zen monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki (1904 -- 1971) came to the United States from Japan in 1959 where he worked to teach Buddhism and founded two Zen centers: the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and the San Francisco Zen Center. He wrote "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" (1970), a highly influential book about Zen.
David Chadwick, a long-time student of Suzuki wrote a biography of the life and thought of his teacher, "Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Thought of Shunyu Suzuki" (1999). Shortly thereafter, Chadwick published a short book "To Shine One Corner of the World" (2001) which presented brief recollections and vignettes of encounters with Suzuki recounted by his students and found in the archives of the Zen Center. This book went out-of-print, but it has been reissued in this volume as "Zen is Right Here" (2019) published in the Shambala Pocket Library series of Shambala Press, which aims to present brief, readable books of religious teachings from leaders and texts across time and traditions.
This book is short and can be read quickly, with each page consisting of a paragraph or two detailing an encounter with Suzuki. Often the student asks a question or otherwise provokes a comment or teaching from the Roshi. The responses are frequently humorous, down-to-earth, and almost always paradoxical and unexpected. They aim to jar the reader and to encourage reflection on everyday life. Here are a few examples of the tenor of the book.
"One morning when we were all sitting zazen, Suzuki Roshi gave a brief impromptu talk in which he said, 'Each of you is perfect the way you are and you can use a little improvement.'"
"After an evening lecture, a man in the audience asked : 'You say that Zen is everywhere. So why do we have to come to the Zen Center?"
'Zen is everywhere,' Suzuki Roshi agreed. 'But for you, Zen is right here.'"
"Now and then Suzuki Roshi would make this point: 'In the Lotus Sutra, Buddha says to light one corner-- not the whole world. Just make it clear where you are.'"
There is much to be pondered in these little teachings. The book includes an Introduction by Chadwick, a Glossary of Buddhist terms, and suggestions for further reading.
The book reminded me of another religious tradition in the stories and anecdotes frequently recounted of Hasidic Rebbes in their encounters with disciples. The book also reminded me of a dear recently-deceased friend. We participated for many years in a study group on the Buddhist Suttas. He was affectionately known to our group as the "pacceka buddha" -- as one who had the qualities to achieve Enlightenment on his own. He was learned, quiet, and modest and was comfortable in himself and in living in the present.
Robin Friedman
March 17, 2023
At first I thought it was weired to read, since I normally don't read in this format. But it grew on me and I really enjoyed reading it. It made me smile quite a few times and it made me think about certain aspects just a little bit deeper.
March 2, 2020
A charming little chapbook of quotes by the great Zen teacher of California.
It does a nice job of displaying both his with and often challenging wisdom.
It does a nice job of displaying both his with and often challenging wisdom.
May 31, 2021
What a beautiful little book!
August 30, 2022
Short anecdotes, powerful liberation.
January 17, 2025
More teaching stories and anecdotes of Shunryo Suzuki. A great book filled with humor and joy of Zen.
Would recommend to anyone.
Would recommend to anyone.
April 21, 2025
This book felt like a cold plunge on a hot day. Chest openers. Space.
“It was my first sesshin and, before the first day was over, I was convinced I couldn’t make it. My husband’s turn for dokusan came that afternoon. He asked Suzuki Roshi to see me instead.
‘This is all a mistake,’ I told Roshi. ‘I can’t do this, I just came to be with my husband.’
‘There is no mistake,’ he insisted. ‘You may leave, of course, but there’s no place to go.’”
“It was my first sesshin and, before the first day was over, I was convinced I couldn’t make it. My husband’s turn for dokusan came that afternoon. He asked Suzuki Roshi to see me instead.
‘This is all a mistake,’ I told Roshi. ‘I can’t do this, I just came to be with my husband.’
‘There is no mistake,’ he insisted. ‘You may leave, of course, but there’s no place to go.’”
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews