D.T. Suzuki

[Meian]

Hello, recently it was suggested that I might read some works of D. T. Suzuki. I wish to know if anyone else has, and if there are certain works to try first? Or some feedback, perhaps? Thank you for your consideration. [emoji120][emoji271]

Gassho2, meian stlh

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[Kokuu]

H Meian

D T Suzuki is an interesting author and his work helped to stimulate the growth of Zen in America in the 20th century.

However, and Jundo will doubtless expand on this more fully, he is definitely someone who predates good historical research into Zen and maintains a very romantic view of Zen which takes a great deal at face value. I like his three volumes of Zen essays but would not put reading him particularly high on a list, especially for Soto Zen folk. His book Zen and Japanese Culture looks at the relationship between Zen and tea ceremony, haiku, swordmanship and other aspects of Japanese culture but he does, to my mind, rather oversell the centrality of Zen to Japanese culture as the influence has been both ways and it can be hard to know where Zen has influenced Japanese culture and where it is a product of it.

In summary, reading Suzuki is interesting but far from essential.

Apologies for running long.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[Jundo]

Hi Meian,

As Kokuu said, (Daisetsu) D.T. Suzuki, was a pioneer 100 years ago in introducing Zen to the west. I find his books still to be quite valuable and detailed on Zen history and practices. However, his focus was primarily Rinzai Zen, with little emphasis on Zazen/Shikantaza (he takes a philosophical stance, and almost never mentions sitting Zazen in either the Rinzai or Soto way), almost no mention (especially positive mention) of Soto Zen, and with a rather romantic and idealized spin on history. He also was bending over backwards to make Zen and Buddhism appeal to a western audience, so left out anything that did not strike him as modern or "scientific" (which, frankly, is not always a bad thing at all, but it gives a very misleading view on how Zen and Buddhism are actually practiced by ordinary people and priests in Asia). For these reasons, he is great, but also rather dated and narrow in focus.

Here is an essay that summarizes recent criticism of his work by scholars. I don't agree with everything in the essay, but it will give you a taste of the debate about Suzuki.

https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/daisetsu-teitaro-suzuki-zen/

It makes the following additional points, besides the above:

- Brian Victoria, in 'Zen at War' and other writings, criticized Suzuki as a militarist. Frankly, I find that criticism exaggerated and unfair, based on much twisting of facts by Victoria to place Suzuki in the worst light. Much is historical hindsight concerning Suzuki, who was supportive of his country in time of war, but who could not have known the real story of what was happening in Germany or the actual world situation because the Japanese press was so heavily censored at the time, and he never visited Europe or China except as a tourist.

- Suzuki was very interested in presenting a kind of "reverse Orientalism" to show westerners the romantic superiority of Japanese society, customs, religions. It presents a very romantic view of Japan in general, and Japanese traditional arts, not only Zen, in order to emphasize a kind of cultural superiority. The truth is usually a bit more complicated and down to earth.

The comment from the essay about Soto Zen is worth mention here:

Suzuki presents Zen from the Rinzai school as “the Zen” in and of itself, and makes few references to the Sōtō school, against which he revealed an obvious partiality and prejudice. Suzuki favored kōans and sudden enlightenment (satori) over seated meditation (zazen) and the understanding of enlightenment as a gradual process. To Suzuki, Dōgen Zen was too passive, quietist, gradualist, and intellectualist. This partiality was one of Suzuki’s greatest influences, as it would be how most casual readers in the West understood Zen until recent decades.

However, we should be grateful to him as the passage by which many of us first encountered Zen. If you keep all of the above in mind, he is very much worth reading, almost anything by him (much available online), but take it all with a large dose of salt.

Sorry to run long.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Ryumon]

As Jundo says, Suzuki was one of the first dharma gates in the west, at least in the US. His influence was very powerful among artists and composers, and there's a wonderful biography of John Cage, by a former zen practitioner, which goes into great detail about Suzuki's lectures in NYC and the many artists and musicians who attended them.

https://kirkville.com/book-review-where-the-heart-beats-john-cage-zen-buddhism-and-the-inner-life-of-artists/

Suzuki's zen writings are very "fortune cookie-ish," and many of the ideas about zen that Cage learned are not ideas I'd heard elsewhere, but I do think that Suzuki primed the pump for the next generation of zen teachers in the US. His influence was also a catalyst for the beats, notably Ginsberg, Kerouac, and Snyder.

https://allenginsberg.org/2011/10/d-t-suzuki-1870-1966/

Gassho,

Ryūmon

sat

[Meian]

Kokuu, Jundo, Ryumon, I am grateful to you all for your in-depth and helpful responses. I apologize for my delay in answering. I will review the links you provided, and will try to reply more soon.

Deep Bows
meian st

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[Meian]

Thank you for the information, and I have started to share with them. I did explain initially that there are different styles of Zen, but have not gone in-depth on this matter, as there is something of a language barrier, so this will take time. Among their favorites of D. T. Suzuki is one of the more popular works mentioned in this thread. Ironically, part of what Suzuki's style is known for may also have influenced a wholly unrelated text, "The Japanese Mind," that seems to have developed something of a cult following.

I did, however, share a few well-known Soto Zen authors/masters for them to consider, along with titles that are among my favorites. Among these are Loori, Nishijima Roshi, and Okumura. I was aiming for 'most accessible', and possibly available in Japanese also. The links provided in this thread will also allow for enlightening discussions over time.

I look forward to additional feedback on this topic. It is interesting that Suzuki's work attracted artists and poets, as the ones who have recommended him to me are in STEM industries (which is how I know them). However, some are writers also, so I guess it is still the same. I have noticed this in the west as well -- STEM professionals who are writers, speaking out at the intersection of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, trying to get the world to listen. And at this global intersection, very often, is Zen.

gassho, meian stlh

[Tai Shi]

I was aware of DT Suzuki shortly after. As a boy I did not know much. In 1976, I took general psychology. In college book store I saw a book Zen Mind, Beginner Mind, read the book knowing little. I came to Treeleaf Zendo, my education. I need the straight forward talk. Lack humility.
Gassho
sat/ lah

[Jundo]

I was aware of DT Suzuki shortly after. Zen Mind, Beginner Mindh

Zen Mind Beginner's Mind is Shunryu Suzuki. D.T. Suzuki is a different fellow.

Gassho, J

ST+lah

[Anchi]

Hi Meian,

i would suggest you “A Zen Life: D.T. Suzuki” (DVD)
it's a wonderful video and good to watch.

https://www.wildmind.org/blogs/book-reviews/a-zen-life-dt-suzuki-dvd

This is a great film and testimony about the first steps of Zen Buddhism in the Western World.
I highly recommend it.


If you want I can send you ?
Please leave your address in PM so i can send it to you for free .

Sorry for running long.