D.T. Suzuki: Introducing Zen Buddhism to the West
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Professor Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki (18 October 1870 – 22 July 1966) was a prolific Japanese writer known for his translations of important Zen (Chan) and Shin (Jodo Shinshu or ‘Pure Land’) Buddhist texts. His work was instrumental in igniting widespread interest in Buddhism in the West, and was a significant catalyst in the worldwide revival of Buddhism in the late 19th Century.
Suzuki was very successful in explaining the concepts of Zen Buddhism to Westerners who had very little to no knowledge of the religion. His success was due to his ability to present Zen Buddhist concepts as profound religious thought.
He demonstrated the extraordinary ability to understand the complex yet fundamental concepts of Zen and Shin Buddhism from a young age. However, he is remembered more for his skill with language, theme and nuance — gifts which allowed him to effectively explain Buddhist philosophy to a Western audience.
During his lifetime, Suzuki published more than 100 books including works that he had translated himself. These translations mainly concern the relationship of Zen Buddhism to everyday life, although he also wrote about other aspects and forms of Buddhism as well, such as the workings of the mind. Suzuki was proficient in Chinese, English, Pali, Sanskrit and several European languages.
The value of Professor Suzuki’s efforts in kindling Western (and worldwide) interest in Buddhism is immeasurable. It is my hope that by telling his story, I will inspire a new generation of people to pursue their own spiritual journey.
Early Life
Professor D.T. Suzuki was born Teitaro Suzuki to a Samurai family on October 18, 1870, in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. He was the fourth son of Ryojun Suzuki, a physician. Today, a humble monument — a tree with a rock placed underneath — marks the place where he was born.
At the time of his birth, Japanese feudalism was in decline. The corresponding loss of prestige and privilege of the samurai class to which his family belonged meant that he was raised in relative poverty. The Suzuki family experienced further misfortune when Ryojun Suzuki passed away in 1876. His mother raised him in these difficult circumstances, even renting part of their house to boarders. Suzuki attended a local high school and befriended Kitaro Nishida who would later become a significant thinker of Western philosophy and Zen.
His humble upbringing coupled with his mother’s Jodo Shinshu Buddhist faith sparked Suzuki’s interest in spirituality and religion. He first received Zen spiritual training in Kokutai-ji under the guidance of a Zen master, Setsumon Roshi, while still in high school.
When he was only 18 years old, D.T. Suzuki began working as a tutor of mathematics, writing, reading and English in a fishing village.
Secular and Spiritual Education
When Professor D.T. Suzuki was 21 years old, his older brother, an established lawyer, sponsored his education at Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the present-day Waseda University in Tokyo. Initially, he continued his spiritual training under the guidance of Imakita Kosen, a Rinzai master.
However, both his mother and his teacher passed away within a short span of time in 1892. Following their deaths, he accepted the suggestion of his childhood friend, Kitaro Nishida, to study Western philosophy, the Chinese language, Pali, Sanskrit and European languages at Tokyo University.
While at Tokyo University, D.T. Suzuki continued his Zen training under the guidance of Kosen Roshi at Engaku-ji Temple in Kamakura. After Kosen Roshi’s passing, he then went under the guidance of his teacher’s main student, Soyen Shaku.
Soyen Shaku was a promising Zen master, naturally gifted and inclined towards Dharma. He began receiving instruction from Kosen Roshi when he was just 22 years old. At the age of 25, Soyen Shaku went to Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) to further his knowledge of Buddhism, focusing mainly on Theravada Buddhism and the Pali language, and to live the life of a Theravadan monk for three years. It was Soyen Shaku who gave Suzuki the name ‘Daisetsu‘, which means “Great Humility”, but when written in Kanji can also mean “Great Stupidity”, “Great Clumsy,” or “Great Simplicity.”
Soyen Shaku recognised the spiritual potential within Suzuki, and trained him in strict discipline. Suzuki was advised to live like a simple monk in the temple although he was never ordained. In addition, he was advised to engage in sitting meditation (zazen) for long periods of time.
Suzuki later described his life in Engaku-ji Monastery in his book, The Training of the Zen Buddhist Monk as:
“… a life of humility; a life of labour; a life of service; a life of prayer and gratitude; and a life of meditation.”
D.T. Suzuki was a product of New Buddhism which flourished in Japan after the Meiji era. During the Meiji Restoration, the traditions of Zen Buddhism had been altered. For instance, in the past, Zen monks were required to spend several years in intensive study, including reading commentaries and memorising sutras. New Buddhism afforded Suzuki the opportunity to undergo his Zen training as a lay person.
Career in the Open Court Publishing Company
In the 1890s, an unexpected opportunity to work abroad presented itself to Professor D.T. Suzuki. Soyen Shaku had met Dr. Paul Carus, a German-American philosopher and the managing editor of Open Court Publishing Company, at the 1893 World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Dr. Carus approached Shaku for assistance in preparing Eastern spiritual literature for publication. The work included translations from various Asian languages to English and Shaku recommended Suzuki for the task.
Suzuki moved to America to work in Open Court’s translation department, and stayed with Dr. Carus at the Hegeler Carus Mansion in Illinois. His first assignment was to translate the classic Tao Te Ching from ancient Chinese. Many years later, Suzuki revealed that he was unhappy with the product of his first official translation project because he felt that it failed to capture the true depth of meaning of complex Chinese ideas.
Next, Suzuki started working on the translation of Ashvaghosha’s The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana (1901) and simultaneously worked on his first book, Outlines of Mahayana Buddhism (1907).
In addition to his work in Open Court’s translation department, Suzuki was also involved in typing, proofreading and photography. In 1906, he translated a book authored by Soyen Shaku titled The Mahayana Buddhist Outlook on Zen Buddhism, a project that marked the beginning of his career as an English language writer. However, Suzuki’s own view was that Zen was heavily influenced by Chinese Taoism.
Swedenborg Influence
In the 1890s, Professor D.T. Suzuki collaborated with Albert Edmund on a translation project at Open Court. A British Swedenborgian, Albert Edmund gave Suzuki a copy of one of Swedenborg’s books, Heaven and Hell, translated to English from its original Latin.
After the publication of his first book, Outlines of Mahayana Buddhism, Suzuki left his post at Open Court and went to London to further his study of Emanuel Swedenborg’s philosophy. He was referred to the British Swedenborg Society by Albert Edmund.
In 1908, Suzuki translated Swedenborg’s English edition of Heaven and Hell into Japanese, while taking the content of the French and German editions into consideration. After the completion of this project, Suzuki continued to translate several of Swedenborg’s books such as Divine Love and Wisdom and The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrines into Japanese.
Marriage and Return to Japan
In 1906, Professor D.T. Suzuki met his future wife, Beatrice Erskine Lane, at a lecture given by Soyen Shaku. Beatrice was a Theosophist and a graduate of Radcliffe College. She introduced Suzuki to Theosophism, and he became an active Theosophist and eventually joined the Theosophical Society – Adyar. She was also intimately associated with the Baha’i movement in both America and Japan.
Beatrice and Suzuki married five years later and decided to move to Japan. The couple were committed to spreading the understanding of Mahayana Buddhism and lived in a cottage on the Engaku-ji Temple grounds until 1919. During this time, Suzuki taught at the Peer’s School in Tokyo.
In 1921, they moved to Kyoto where Suzuki accepted the post of Professor of Buddhist Philosophy at Otani University. He became renowned for his expertise in Zen history and practice, and Kegon philosophy, which he considered the tool of intellectual analysis for the practice of Zen.
In Kyoto, Suzuki and Beatrice established the Eastern Buddhist Society to spread the Mahayana Buddhist doctrine. The Society offered seminars, lectures, and had their own educational journal, The Eastern Buddhist. Living in Kyoto also gave Suzuki the opportunity to discuss Zen Buddhism with the renowned Zen Buddhist scholar, Dr. Hoseki Shinichi Hisamatsu at Shunkoin Temple in the Myoshinji Temple complex.
The couple spent most of their time in Japan until 1936 when Suzuki served as an exchange professor at the University of London. Around this time, he also participated in the World Congress of Faiths. As his popularity as a writer grew, Suzuki returned to America and in 1951, he embarked on a teaching tour at universities throughout the country. From 1952 to 1957, Suzuki held a steady teaching position at Columbia University.
During this period in the United States, he became acquainted with the works of those from the California Academy of Asian Studies (now known as the California Institute of Integral Studies) such as Judith Tyberg, Saburo Hasegawa and Alan Watts.
The Eastern Buddhist Society
Suzuki, Beatrice and several other like-minded people such as Sasaki Gessho and Akanuma Chizen established the Eastern Buddhist Society (EBS) in Kyoto in 1921. The main objective of EBS was to “convey the true spirit of Buddhism to the modern world” through its many projects and activities such as:
- Research and translations of Buddhist texts
- Publication of an English language journal, titled The Eastern Buddhist
- Lectures, seminars and group discussions
The Eastern Buddhist contained articles on various aspects of Buddhism, writings by modern Buddhist thinkers, and classical Buddhist texts in the English language. The first edition of this journal was published in 1921. Publication halted during World War II and resumed once again in 1965. After the passing of Professor D.T. Suzuki, Nichitani Keiji, Abe Masao, Nagao Gadjin and other eminent Buddhist scholars served as the editors of this unique journal.
Writing Work and International Acclaim
In the early 1920s, there was a concern that the Zen masters of the time could not present the fundamental concepts of Zen if they packaged it in a modern light. Undeterred, Professor D.T. Suzuki took the initiative to “under[take] a tentative experiment to present Zen from [the] common-sense point of view.”
In 1927, Suzuki published Essays in Zen Buddhism which contained a collection of fundamental texts to introduce the principles of Zen Buddhism and their application in secular life.
He began the essay by describing the promise of Zen in our everyday lives:
“Zen in its essence is the art of seeing into the nature of one’s own being, and it points the I from bondage to freedom. By making us drink right from the fountain of life, it liberates us from all the yokes under which we finite beings are usually suffering in this world.”
https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/01/30/d-t-suzuki-essays-in-zen-buddhism/
Suzuki placed particular emphasis on the reconstruction of our character. He wrote, “Our ordinary life only touches the fringe of personality, it does not cause a commotion in the deepest parts of the soul.” Essays in Zen Buddhism became a classic and is often used as a moral guideline to modern living even today.
Following the publication of Essays in Zen Buddhism, Suzuki published more articles and books that targeted the English-speaking audience and he gained widespread popularity in the United States and Europe as a prominent scholar of Japanese culture and Zen. In the mid-20th Century, he wrote several more books that contained some of the most celebrated introductions and examinations of Zen Buddhism.
Suzuki was interested in the development of Buddhism in China, particularly through the examination of Chinese texts that contained the teaching style and words of classical Chinese masters such as Wumenguan (Gateless Passage) and Biyan Lu (Blue Cliff Record). He was also interested in how Zen influenced Japanese history and culture, and later wrote a book titled Zen and Japanese Culture. In addition, he translated the Lankavatara Sutra and wrote a commentary on its Sanskrit terminology.
Suzuki’s books are widely read in the West and many important personalities have commented on them and on the author himself. For instance, the famous psychoanalyst Carl Jung wrote a 30-page commentary to Suzuki’s An Introduction to Zen Buddhism:
“Suzuki’s works on Zen Buddhism are among the best contributions to the knowledge of living Buddhism. We cannot be sufficiently grateful to the author, first for the fact of his having brought Zen closer to Western understanding, and secondly for the manner in which he has achieved this task.”
Carl Jung on Suzuki, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism
In addition, William C. Barret (1913-1992), a Professor of Philosophy at New York University, compiled Suzuki’s articles and essays about Zen into a book titled Studies of Zen.
In his later years, Suzuki developed an interest in Jodo Shinshu (Pure Land Buddhism), the faith of his mother, to the extent that he translated its related texts and gave lectures on the subject at the Buddhist Churches of America. In his book on Jodo Shinshu titled Buddha of Infinite Light, Suzuki stated that:
“Of all the developments that Mahayana Buddhism has achieved in East Asia, the most remarkable one is the Shin teaching of Pure Land Buddhism.”
D.T. Suzuki, Buddha of Infinite Light: The Teachings of Shin Buddhism, the Japanese Way of Wisdom and Compassion
Although Suzuki was of the view that Jodo Shinshu Buddhism was Mahayana Buddhism’s most remarkable development in East Asia, he did not attempt to promote this branch of the faith in the West and continued with his efforts to propagate Zen.
In addition to the Zen and Jodo Shinshu faiths, Suzuki was interested in Christian mysticism. He compared the Christian mystic, Meister Eckhart to a Jodo Shinshu follower from the Tokugawa period, Myokonin.
In the 1940s, access to Suzuki’s books became scarce. All the copies in Japan were lost in the great fire that destroyed a quarter of Tokyo. Moreover, the copies in England had gone out of print.
Determined to salvage the situation, Christmas Humphreys, the President of London’s Buddhist Society, travelled to Tokyo in 1946. Humphreys worked with Suzuki to translate new texts and to reprint what remained of Suzuki’s previous works. This collaboration resulted in another compilation of essays titled Essays in Zen Buddhism.
In addition, Christmas Humphreys wrote a foreword to Beatrice’s book titled Mahayana Buddhism.
Professor D.T. Suzuki and New Buddhism
In 1868, Japan opened her doors to the international community during the Meiji Restoration. However, this modernisation caused some backlash against Buddhism, which was labelled by the government as “a corrupt, decadent, anti-social, parasitic, and superstitious creed, inimical to Japan’s need for scientific and technological advancement.”
The Meiji Government wanted to eradicate Buddhist customs that were considered “incapable of fostering the nativist sentiments that would be vital for national, ideological cohesion.” To make things worse, the newly-introduced industrialisation efforts had had a negative impact on the traditional patrons of Buddhist monasteries.
However, a new generation of Buddhist leaders emerged to salvage the situation. These leaders agreed that the old Buddhist traditions needed to be revitalised to better fit the needs of the emergent modern Japan. As a result, New Buddhism (Shin Bukkyo) was established.
The New Buddhism movement was initiated by a group of intellectuals that included Professor D.T. Suzuki’s teachers, Imakita Kosen and Soyen Shaku, who had been exposed to the Western way of thinking. This modern generation of Buddhist leaders saw New Buddhism as a way of preserving Buddhism from persecution and, at the same time, contributing to Japan’s cultural force.
The idea of New Buddhism was in line with Suzuki’s idea that “…religions are each a sort of organism, an organism that is [through time] subject to ‘irritation’ and therefore shows the capacity to change or evolve.”
Later Buddhist scholars such as Martin Verhoeven and Robert Sharf argued that the Japanese Zen Buddhism promoted by Soyen Shaku and Imakita Kosen was different from pre-Meiji era Zen Buddhism. This is the de-traditionalised and essentialised Zen Buddhism that Suzuki effectively promoted in the West.
In his later years, Suzuki’s role evolved from that of a reporter to that of a contributor who enriched the school of Zen Buddhism. The Japanese philosopher of the Kyoto School, Nishitani Keiji echoed this belief:
… in Dr. Suzuki’s activities, Buddhism came to possess a forward-moving direction with a frontier spirit … This involved shouldering the task of rethinking, restating and redoing traditional Buddhism to transmit it to Westerners as well as Easterners.
… To accomplish this task it is necessary to be deeply engrossed in the tradition, and at the same time to grasp the longing and the way of thinking within the hearts of Westerners. From there, new possibilities should open up in the study of the Buddha Dharma which have yet to be found in Buddhist history … Up to now this new Buddhist path has been blazed almost single-handedly by Dr. Suzuki. He did it on behalf of the whole Buddhist world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._T._Suzuki
According to Richard M. Jaffe, the Chair of the Department of Religion at Duke University, Suzuki was “one of the most culturally influential Asians of the 20th century.”
Professor D.T. Suzuki and Japanese Nationalism
Professor D.T. Suzuki has been criticised for his pre-World War II support of Japanese nationalism and of the Japanese war effort. Suzuki had supported the Nihonjinron philosophy, which emphasised the unique characteristics of Japanese culture. He attributed it to the concept of Zen because it contained the essence of all religion and philosophy. Suzuki presented Zen as an expression of Asian spirituality, superior to the Western way of thinking.
Robert Sharf, Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of California, Berkeley has argued that Suzuki’s claim that Zen embodies the essence of all religion and philosophy to be an expression of his nationalism and less-than-noble intentions:
“The Nihonjinron cultural exceptionalism polemic in Suzuki’s work – the grotesque caricatures of ‘East’ versus ‘West’ – is no doubt the most egregiously inane manifestation of his nationalist leanings. … One is led to suspect that Suzuki’s lifelong effort to bring Buddhist enlightenment to the Occident had become inextricably bound to a studied contempt for the West.”
Kubota, Hiroshi and Nawrocki, Johann, Religion and National Identity in the Japanese Context
However, another scholar, Kemmyo Taira Sato, the former director of The Buddhist Society, does not agree with this critical assessment of Suzuki:
“In cases where Suzuki directly expresses his position on the contemporary political situation — whether in his articles, public talks, or letters to friends (in which he would have had no reason to misrepresent his views) — he is clear and explicit in his distrust of, and opposition to, State Shinto, right-wing thought, and the other forces that were pushing Japan toward militarism and war, even as he expressed interest in decidedly non-rightist ideologies like socialism.
In this Suzuki’s standpoint was consistent from the late nineteenth century through to the post-war years. These materials reveal in Suzuki an intellectual independence, a healthy scepticism of political ideology and government propaganda, and a sound appreciation for human rights.”
Sato, Kemmyō Taira, D. T. Suzuki and the Question of War
Later Life, and Death
In the 1950s, Professor D.T. Suzuki returned to the United States and spent the next decade delivering talks and lectures in prominent universities such as Harvard, Columbia and the University of New Mexico. He was also elected as President of the Cambridge Buddhist Association. In 1956, the Zen Studies Society in New York was established for the purpose of supporting his work.
When he was 90 years old, Suzuki went on a four-week tour to India as an official State Guest. When he was 94 years old, Suzuki returned to New York, where he was later introduced to a Catholic monk, Thomas Merton, with whom he began a dialogue on Christianity via letters. Suzuki also attended the East-West Philosopher’s Conference in Honolulu.
Legacy
During his lifetime, Professor D.T. Suzuki received many honours including Japan’s National Cultural Medal in recognition of his achievements as a distinguished Zen scholar who promoted Japan and introduced Zen Buddhism to the world. He published over 100 books in both English and Japanese that include studies of Pure Land and Zen Buddhism, various Buddhist classics, and works by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu.
Suzuki was not only popular among his contemporaries, but also inspired a younger generation of writers such as Alan Watts, who spent his life studying and propagating Suzuki’s teachings, and musicians like John Cage.
The D.T. Suzuki Museum
In 2011, the D.T. Suzuki Museum was established in Suzuki’s hometown, Kanazawa. It celebrates Suzuki’s life and achievements through his writings, and is an invaluable repository of information about this prolific author-translator’s philosophies.
The clean, serene, and simple architecture of the museum serves as a reflection of Suzuki’s religious scholarship and lifestyle. It was designed by the famed architect Taniguchi Yoshio, whose portfolio includes the Heisei Chishinkan wing of the Kyoto National Museum, the Toyokan wing of the Tokyo National Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
A sense of tranquility can be felt throughout the museum complex. The three buildings in the museum are connected by corridors built around the Water Mirror Garden pond. The complex also has a contemplative space, which consists of a large room that extends all the way to the Water Mirror Garden. In addition, it contains a learning space at one end that houses both English and Japanese books written by Suzuki.
Getting There
Visitors can take Kanazawa’s Loop Bus and get off at stop number LL7 or RL10. The museum is also just a 10-minute walk from the nearby 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.
Videos of Suzuki’s Teachings and Experiences
A Zen Life by D.T. Suzuki
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/AZenLifeD.T.Suzuki.mp4
D.T. Suzuki: The Swordsman and the Cat
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/D.T.SuzukitheSwordsmantheCat.mp4
D.T. Suzuki on Being Natural
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/DTSuzukiBeingNatural.mp4
D.T. Suzuki: Complications Arising from Discrimination
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/DTSuzukiComplicationsArisingfromDiscrimination.mp4
D.T. Suzuki on Nirvana
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/DTSuzukionNirvana.mp4
D.T. Suzuki on the Teaching of the Lankavatara
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/DTSuzukiontheTeachingoftheLankavatara.mp4
Recommended Reading (Free Download)
The texts above were sourced from legitimate book-hosting services offering these texts for free download. They are made available here for purely educational, non-commercial purposes.
More Books Written or Translated by D.T. Suzuki
Sources:
- https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/D._T._Suzuki
- https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/74355.D_T_Suzuki?page=2
- http://web.otani.ac.jp/EBS/about.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._T._Suzuki
- https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/01/30/d-t-suzuki-essays-in-zen-buddhism/
- https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4211.html
- http://www.kanazawa-museum.jp/daisetz/english/
- https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/sage-works-d-t-suzuki/#!
- http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/D._T._Suzuki
- https://swedenborg.com/scholars-swedenborgianism-zen-buddhism/
- https://swedenborg.com/emanuel-swedenborg/about-life/
- https://swedenborg.com/happy-birthday-d-t-suzuki/
- http://sweepingzen.com/d-t-suzuki-bio/
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D.T. Suzuki is such an extraordinary man who continuously learn even when he himself is a Master to teach others. One can see clearly that he had taken in his learnings and fully understanding or realising before he in turn teaches others. It is something internalised and not shallow with just academic knowledge. He has such zest for life that even at age 94, he is still travelling to discover or pursue further knowledge. Most people of that age would have retired to a life of inactivity and just living day to day of waiting for death. Thank you Rinpoche, for sharing with us the life story of this inspiring Master, D.T. Suzuki.
Medicine Buddha puja encourages healing of all levels – physical, mental and emotional healing for those in need.
High resolution file of this thangka is available for download for all dharma practitioners around the world and for those who just want sacred images in their environment. Enjoy, be blessed and share this with others.
Here is the link to free download of this image and many other images: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/downloads/buddha-images.html?nggpage=7
“Our ordinary life only touches the fringe of personality, it does not cause a commotion in the deepest parts of the soul” – to me, I find this phrase very intriguing. Spiritual awakening comes from experience and not a concept of words, it therefore should triggers deeper reflection, contemplation and looking within to arrive a point of awareness.
It’s always wonderful to read about someone who is inspiring and has many talents. Thank you Rinpoche and blog team for sharing about Professor Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki who spread Buddhism to the west and is proficient in so many languagesn??
Very interesting to get to know about D.T Suzuki and all the works he has done for the Buddha dharma.
I am particularly attracted to this old poet sings:
‘When there is a particle of dust in your eyes, the triple world becomes a narrow path; have your mind completely free from objects – and how much this life expands!’
The eyes are resembled our mind which by nature is bright and clear. Our eye couldn’t open when tiny particle gets into it. Just as our mind will be disturbed and commotion when there are presence of conditions such as pleasure and pain, fame and insignificance, gain and loss, praise and blame. The confused and desire mind is our inner enemy which trap us in samsara.
Thank you Rinpoche for your sharing on this incredibly amazing Master of Zen Buddhism. Professor DT Suzuki is remembered by the world for introducing Zen Buddhism to the West with his numerous translation works on it. He was also largely responsible for the revival of Buddhism worldwide in the late 19th century, as well as for kindling the interest of the West in Buddhism.
Owing to his skill with languages and his ability to present Zen Buddhist concepts as profound religious thought, he captivated the West (with its scarce knowledge of the religion ) as they became enthralled by his explanation of Buddhist philosophy and Zen Buddhism.
At an early age, his teacher recognised his spiritual potential and advised him to live like a simple monk in the temple (although he was never ordained) as well as to train in sitting meditation.The dawn of the era of New Buddhism allowed him the opportunity to undergo his Zen training as a lay person.
Suzuki married Beatrice Erskine Lane, who, like him, was committed to spreading the understanding of Mahayana Buddhism. He continued to propagate Zen Buddhism and write prolifically on it. The couple formed the Eastern Buddhist Society to spread the doctrine of Mahayana Buddhism.
In essence, DT Suzuki blazed a trail of New Buddhism – he was a pioneer who reshaped traditional Buddhism to transmit it to Westerners as well as Easterners in a way that they could better accept. His legacy is embodied in his achievements as ” a distinguished Zen scholar who promoted Japan and introduced Zen Buddhism to the world”. As a writer ,he published “over 100 books in both English and Japanese that include studies of Pure Land and Zen Buddhism, various Buddhist classics, and works by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu”! He is also well-remembered as a great teacher!
What an amazing pioneer and trail blazer for Buddhism is Professor DT Suzuki!
This is really inspiring. 100 books on books and essays on Buddhism, Zen and Shin and widely read in the West.
??? Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
D.T. Suzuki was a Japanese author of more than a hundreds of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen and Shin . He was one of a greatest author, on the subject in both Japanese and English at that time. He was also a prolific translator of Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit literature .One of the world’s leading authorities on Zen Buddhism. He was such an amazing great scholar proficient in many languages such as Chinese, English, Pali, Sanskrit and even several European languages. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded with many honours which has inspired many younger generation of writers.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this inspiring post.