No one has contributed more to the amazing interest in Zen Buddhism in the Western world than the author of this volume. Dr. Suzuki has dedicated his life to the subject of Zen, and to interpreting its philosophy and concepts for the Western reader. Of his more than a dozen works currently available in English, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism is most suitable as the basic text for the general reader interested in understanding Zen.

After situating Zen both in Buddhism and in Oriental culture, Suzuki then answers the fundamental question What is Zen? in an incisive, lucid chapter that also refutes several misconceptions common in the West. Continually drawing on his extraordinary knowledge of both Eastern and Western cultures, philosophies, and religions, he illustrates each concept of Zen with concrete examples abounding in wit and wisdom. Zen is not only a philosophy-a way to self¬understanding-it is also primarily and ultimately a discipline, and Dr. Suzuki gives due attention to the practical aspects of this discipline. More than any other volume on the subject, An Introduction to Zen Buddhism is an indispensable guide to an understanding of this rich, provocative subject.

One of the world's leading authorities on Zen Buddhism, 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 generally acknowledged a classic introduction to the subject for many years. It provides, along with Suzuki's Essays and Manual of Zen Buddhism, a framework for living a balanced and fulfilled existence through Zen.

Included in this volume are Suzuki's famous study Enlightenment and Ignorance, a chapter on Practical Methods of Zen Instruction, the essays On Satori -- The Revelation of a New Truth in Zen Buddhism and History of Zen Buddhism from Bodhidharma to Hui-N ng (Yeno), and his commentary on The Ten Cow-herding Pictures which have long been used in Zen to illustrate the stages of spiritual progress.

One of the world's leading authorities on Zen Buddhism, 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. This abridged reissued introduction presents the nature, technique and practice of Zen. A Japanese Zen master, Dr Suzuki taught regularly in the USA and Europe.

An inspiration to the likes of Thomas Merton, Aldous Huxley, John Cage, Jack Kerouac, and more, D. T. Suzuki was the single greatest ambassador of Zen Buddhism to the West.

In this seminal anthology, a perfect sourcebook for the student of Zen, Suzuki collects the famous sutras, or sermons, of the Buddha, the gathas, or hymns, the intriguing philosophical puzzles known as koan, and the dharanis, or invocations to expel evil spirits. Included also are the recorded conversations of the great Buddhist monks--intimate dialogues on the subjects of momentous importance. In addition to the written selections, all of them translated by Dr. Suzuki, there are reproductions of many Buddhist drawings and paintings, including religious statues found in Zen temples, each with an explanation of its significance, and the great series of allegorical paintings The Ten Oxherding Pictures.

Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki's The Training of the Zen Buddhist Monk invites you to step inside the mysterious world of the Zendo, where monks live their lives in simplicity. Suzuki, best known as the man who brought Zen classics to the West, sheds light on all phases of a monk's experience, from being refused admittance at the door to finally understanding the meaning of one's koan. Suzuki explains the initiation ceremony, the act of begging, and the life of prayers, meditation, and service.

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.

The Manual of Zen Buddhism, written by author and essayist Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, is a work that was instrumental and spreading far eastern philosophy to the west. As stated by the author, the object of this book, is to inform the reader of the various literary materials relating to the monastery life. Foreign students often express their desire to know about what the Zen monk reads before the Buddha in his daily service, where his thoughts move in his leisure hours, and what objects of worship he has in the different quarters of his institution. This work will satisfy their desire.

Having moved through the stages of emptiness, the individual is so in harmony with life that he is content to be inconspicuous, to be an instrument, not a leader.

This collection of essays and lectures by D. T. Suzuki (1870-1966) covers a wide range, from Mahayana Buddhism generally and the Zen school in particular, to Japanese art and culture, to the relationship between Zen Buddhism and Western psychology. Suzuki, whose work has had a profound and lasting influence, communicates his insights clearly and energetically. The clarity of his presentation makes The Awakening of Zen a book for novice and scholar alike.

This is a study of Buddhist mysticism, contrasted and compared with Christian mysticism, particularly the writings of Meister Eckhart. Suzuki explores Buddhist and Christian concepts of infinity, eternity and the transmigration of souls. This book explains many difficult Buddhist concepts, including kono-mama, a state of spiritual contentment. Also included is extensive material about the 'Pure Land' school of Zen Buddhism of Renno Shonin, particularly translations of source material. -sacred text

2013 Reprint of 1955 Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. This collection of essays reprints seven articles or lectures written by Suzuki beginning in 1906. The are: The Zen Sect of Buddhism Zen Buddhism An Interpretation of Zen-Experience Reason and Intuition in Buddhist Philosophy Zen: A Reply to Dr. Hu Shih Mondo The Role of Nature in Zen Buddhism Index

A masterclass in enlightenment and simplicity. In The Training of the Zen Buddhist Monk, Zen master and scholar D.T. Suzuki explains the origin, culture and practices of Zen Buddhism as he leads readers on a journey into the hidden world of the Zen monastery--a journey that can transform the way we see the world. 


Human life is not always governed by economic principles: there is something more in it, and the peace and happiness we all are seeking is attained only when this 'something more' is understood. It is most unfortunate that our modern life is systematically moving away from this thought, in fact deliberately trying to stifle the inner voice.



There is (among the monks) at the same time a certain reverential attitude towards nature and her resources. In this machine age I have a strong desire to see this feeling of reverence towards nature restored and also the 'living' use of things generally more properly appreciated by us.


When (the source of life and death) is not thoroughly understood, the eyes rove, the heart palpitates, the viscera writhe, as if a fire-ball were rolling up and down inside the body. And who is the one, again, that undergoes this torture? If you want to know who this one is, dive down into the depths of your being, where no intellection is possible to reach; and when you know it, you know that there is a place where neither birth nor death can touch.


DAISETSZ TEITARO SUZUKI was a student of the Zen master Shaku Soen and a Japanese author of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen and Shin that were instrumental in spreading interest in Far Eastern philosophy to the West. Suzuki was also a prolific translator of Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit literature. He spent several lengthy stretches teaching and lecturing at Western universities, and devoted many years to a professorship at Otani University, a Japanese Buddhist school.



Cover illustration & 45 interior full page illustrations by Zen master artists. A new introduction by Morgan Buchanan, an author and contemporary expert on Eastern meditation.

Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki (18 October 1870 - 12 July 1966) was a Japanese author of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen (Chan) and Shin that were instrumental in spreading interest in both Zen and Shin (and Far Eastern philosophy in general) to the West. Suzuki was also a prolific translator of Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit literature. Suzuki spent several lengthy stretches teaching or lecturing at Western universities, and devoted many years to a professorship at Ōtani University, a Japanese Buddhist school.

He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963.

Suzuki's books have been widely read and commented on by many important figures. A notable example is An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, which includes a 30-page commentary by famous analytical psychologist Carl Jung, who wrote of Suzuki:

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.

But Jung was also critical, warning against an uncritical borrowing from Asian spirituality. (wikipedia.org)

Shin is the uniquely Japanese flowering of the type of Buddhism known as Pure Land. It originated in the thirteenth century with the charismatic and prophetic figure Shinran (1172-1263), whose interpretation of the traditional Pure Land teachings was extremely influential in his own lifetime and remain so today. In a period when Japanese Buddhism was dominated by an elitist monastic establishment, Shinran's Shin teaching became a way of liberation for all people, regardless of age, class, or gender.

Although Shin is one of Japan's greatest religious contributions--and is still the most widely practiced form of Buddhism in Japan--it remains little known in the West. In this book, based on several lectures he gave in the 1950s, D. T. Suzuki illuminates the deep meaning of Shin and its rich archetypal imagery, providing a scholarly and affectionate introduction to this sometimes misunderstood tradition of Buddhist practice.

If the Western world knows anything about Zen Buddhism, it is down to the efforts of one remarkable man, D.T. Suzuki. The twenty-seven year-old Japanese scholar first visited the West in 1897, and over the course of the next seventy years became the world's leading authority on Zen. His radical and penetrating insights earned him many disciples, from Carl Jung to Allen Ginsberg, from Thomas Merton to John Cage. In Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist Suzuki compares the teachings of the great Christian mystic Meister Eckhart with the spiritual wisdom of Shin and Zen Buddhism. By juxtaposing cultures that seem to be radically opposed, Suzuki raises one of the fundamental questions of human experience: at the limits of our understanding is there an experience that is universal to all humanity? Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist is a book that challenges and inspires; it will benefit readers of all religions who seek to understand something of the nature of spiritual life.

The Manual of Zen Buddhism, written by author and essayist Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, is a work that was instrumental and spreading far eastern philosophy to the west. As stated by the author, the object of this book, is to inform the reader of the various literary materials relating to the monastery life. Foreign students often express their desire to know about what the Zen monk reads before the Buddha in his daily service, where his thoughts move in his leisure hours, and what objects of worship he has in the different quarters of his institution. This work will satisfy their desire.

Best known as the man who brought Zen classics to the West, Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki sheds light on all phases of a monk's experience, from being initially refused admittance at the Zendo's door to the definitive understanding the meaning of one's koan as the final act of ordinance into Zen priesthood. The Training of the Zen Buddhist Monk invites us inside the mysterious world of the Zendo, where monks live their lives in monastic simplicity. Suzuki reveals the subtle intricacies of the initiation ceremony, a monk's duty to beg among the laity, and he explains the spiritual remuneration of prayer & meditation as well as a life of service to others. Initially published in 1934, this exceptional hardcover edition contains handsome illustrations of diverse scenes from the life training of a Zen monk. DAISETZ TEITARO SUZUKI (1870-1966) was Japanese author who wrote essays and books on topics such as Buddhism, Zen, and Shin. His books played a role in making the west more knowledgeable with Far Eastern philosophy. He taught at western schools as well as Japanese schools. He was also a translator of Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit.

Outlines of Mahayana Buddhism is a comprehensive book written by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki in 1908. The book provides an in-depth introduction to the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, which is one of the two main branches of Buddhism. The author explores the key principles and teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, including the concept of emptiness, the bodhisattva ideal, and the nature of reality.The book is divided into four sections, each of which covers a different aspect of Mahayana Buddhism. The first section provides an overview of the history and development of the tradition, while the second section delves into the philosophical and metaphysical underpinnings of Mahayana Buddhism. The third section explores the practical applications of the teachings, including meditation and mindfulness practices, and the fourth section discusses the role of Mahayana Buddhism in contemporary society.Throughout the book, Suzuki draws on his extensive knowledge of Buddhist philosophy and his deep understanding of the Mahayana tradition. He provides clear and concise explanations of complex concepts, making the book accessible to both scholars and lay readers. Outlines of Mahayana Buddhism is a valuable resource for anyone interested in exploring the rich and diverse world of Buddhist thought and practice.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.