[.ca] An Introduction to Zen Buddhism (ISBN 0802130550)

The most basic material on Zen:
Zen Buddhism was systemically introduced to the West by Zen master Suzuki. He wrote several books on Zen in plain English and those books are still counted as basic materials to understand Zen. This book cites numerous anecdotes of the heyday of Zen Buddhism, Tang dynasty. This is the typical style of Zen primer. Buddha attacked the Hinduist concept of atman. Atman is similar to the Platonic forms, that is, all phenomenons have their substance. This way of thought is deeply ingrained in our language. For example, ¡®I¡¯ am always ¡®I¡¯. When I was 5 years old, when I was 20 years old, and when I will be 60 years. And that, we think, with no questioning, those ¡®I¡¯s should have the same identity. And our friends should be so. But those ¡®I¡¯ and she/he could not be the same ones. What always is there is only the name we give. You could know it with no being lost in thought. Buddha taught that the object that our attention is directed lacks the substance and what we really recognize is only the name. The enlightenment, the ultimate goal of Buddhism, is just breaking through the boundaries of that kind of mundane thought. But achieving such breaking is near-impossible. We could understand what Buddha said but knowing is not doing. Mahayana Buddhism built up heady mountain of scriptures. By the 12 c., it amounted to 160 thousands pages in total. Zen suspected that the enlightenment couldn¡¯t be achieved with reading scripts and meditation. It is best reached not by the study of scripture, the practice of good deeds, rites and ceremonies, or worship of images, but by shaking up ordinary inertia. Zen Buddhism employed Koans to do it. Koan is a brief paradoxical statement or question used as a discipline in meditation. The effort to solve a koan is designed to exhaust the analytic intellect and the will, leaving the mind open for response on an intuitive level. There are about 1,700 traditional koans, which are based on anecdotes from ancient Zen masters. They include the well-known example "When both hands are clapped a sound is produced; listen to the sound of one hand clapping." This should sound the at best illogical at worst babble. But koan is the typical way to reach to the enlightenment in Zen Buddhism. And it is inevitable to write the history of Zen Buddhism is to write the list of koans. This book is no exception. But each koan had its own situation. So each koan should be introduced with its own locale. And this determines the writing style of the Zen primers: almost all Zen primers take the form of storytelling. And Zen master Suzuki is an excellent raconteur. But Suzuki restrains himself to storyteller, not interpreter of each koan. So you should guess the meaning of koans by yourself. This is the very tradition of Zen-related books. Suzuki could put the meaning of koans in words. But such wording can¡¯t catch the very essence of koan. You should realize it by yourself. All the cues are in this book.

authoritative and concise:
I don't know very much about Zen, but I can say that this book was very informative for the beginner. In the introduction, Jung characterizes Zen as the path to a new condition of consciousness wherein the conscious mind is allowed to rest so that elements from the unconscious mind can be brought to the surface. What rises out of the unconscious is dependent on what is needed to complete the conscious orientation. This characterization is very fascinating, though I think that Jung, being a psychologist/psychiatrist, naturally has a somewhat constructivist bias for the anti-metaphysical structure of Zen over other religious systems. DT Suzuki himself presents the material with authority and concision. I've not read his "essays" but this work is much shorter, and would serve as preliminary reading. Topics include defining Zen (or rather, saying what it is not), the koan, satori, the monk's life, and the ralationship between Zen and logic (or rather, illogic).

A Drink of Water for a Thirsty Man in the Desert:
Amazingly my volume of this book was published in 1964 and looking at the preface, the book was created from articles written in Japan in 1914 ... The author states if he can lead the reader to study more of his work he has achieved his goal. This volume will serve to quench the thirst and hunger of any reader who is interested in Zen and it will lead one to try to understand more of the concepts associated with this experience. The introduction is written by Dr. Carl Gustav Jung, who tells us, that the oriental concepts of Tao, satori, and the Buddhist concept of kamma are so different from Western ideas that it is difficult to translate. Yet he gives his highest recommendations to this volume -- no small matter, from one such as he is... a world famous psychiatrist and psychologist. The Zen texts say "enlightenment" is a natural occurence, and that it is a state of insight into the nature of self. Jung tells us it is a state of "spiritual reality", that 'satori' is a psychic occurence. It is a state of 'seeing things differently', a state of "consciousness of the consciousness" ... It is associated with "becoming whole" ... a spiritual experience that is part of consciousness ... but more expansive. Jung considers it is duty to tell Westerners -- it is "the longest of roads" -- "difficulties strew the path" -- "trodden by only a few of our great men" -- it remains for most -- "a beacon on a high mountain, shining out in a haze future". \op.27\c D.T. Suzuki in his "Preliminary" describes the two paths of Buddhism, the Lesser Vehicle and Higher Vehicle. "Personal experience is everything in Zen." \op.33\c"No amount of meditation will keep Zen in one place." \op.41\c He provides chapters on "nihilistic zen", "illogical zen", and "zen a higher affirmation". Practical zen, koans, and acquiring '"satori" or a new viewpoint' are well documented with fine examples. For a book of *only* 132 pages the breadth, width and depth of detail is astonishing. The author proves to be a master of his subject, indeed, no one else can whet the appetite of a beginner and have them searching to know more. This is the best gift a writer can provide -- this author provides us his *very* *best*. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

A Beginning for Zen Students:
The one criticism that Zen practitioners offer in the world of Zen in the Western culture is that it has been intellectualized into absurdity. That is to say, in the Taoist tradition, by understanding Zen is not to understand it. Modern Zen in the West has taken on a psychological approach where one thinks in order to "get it", one must break it down in terms of how the mind responds while in practice. When one does not "get it" then it is written off as silly, irrational or impratical. From the writings of D. T. Suzuki, this irrationality is the root from which the practice begins. To put the student into a state of paradox because, "simply the human tongue is not an adequate organ for expressing the deepest truths". When there is no verbal expression, or thought connected with words in which to speak, then a paradox is set up. A crux that forfits the tongue and makes room for action. Suzuki who is known as the introducer of Zen as well as the foremost authority on the subject in the West writes clearly and accurately, which is impressive knowing that English is not his native language. Throughout the book Suzuki sites many examples of ancient literature of Zen Masters, monks and students who have experienced satori or enlightenment through the use of stories, anecdotes and parables. These "stories" are told as if they are historical, yet are designed to further the student into irrationality. In Western terms, it means to break the yes/no logic of the rational mind. While the book reads easily, Suzuki writes intellectually. Although it is intellectual, there is not a sense he is talking down to the reader or intellectualizing the subject. To epitomize the paradox, Suzuki is describing what is not Zen more so than what is Zen by the sheer fact that Zen is not a thing to grasp or see. By his descriptions, the only way it can be exposed most accurately is through the description of what is not Zen. The reader, after trying to pick sides of what Zen may in fact be will struggle with this. Is this Zen? Or is this not Zen? Upon giving up on the struggle, the last section of the book is reprinted in-part, Suzuki's book, 'The Training of the Zen Monk' and may come to some conclusion that Zen is not a thing or idea or philosophy, but a life to live by. Decribing the techniques and practices of various Zen disciplines, Suzuki emphasizes the strict lifestyle and loyalty to their work. I feel the word "work" best describes this lifestyle. I do not mean a job by any sense of the word, by work as in "doing with conscious intent". But because I dont practice Zen, I can intellectualize a little bit, which is why I practice yoga.

"Satori" Experiences from a Rinzai Master:
D.T.Suzuki is an excellent author and philosopher. This book certainly conveys that fact. Suzuki has a style of treating his readers as intellectuals. As a result, eventhough some of the chapers contain very difficult Zen (especially related to eastern philosophy) ideas and concepts, you can follow them easily. Suzuki is an excellent teacher and this book is worth buying if you are into Zen or Buddhism in general. One quick note, the print is bad and ugly. Didn't make a pleasant reading experience, I thought.