‘An absolute affirmation must rise from the fiery crater of life itself.’

I liked the bit where, just to make a point, a Zen master cut a cat in half because a couple of the fellas couldn’t decide which side of the Monastery it should belong to. At least we’re reassured by Suzuki that the cat is surely on its way to Buddhahood.... I wonder where that cat is now. ( )

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.

Works by D.T. Suzuki should be on everyone's reading list. He is the foremost authority on Zen.

Works by D.T. Suzuki should be on everyone's reading list. He is the foremost authority on Zen.

If you are expecting a logical explanation of Zen Buddhism in this book you will be sorely disappointed. Suzuki doesn't even attempt to do that (nor should he, in my opinion). Zen does not make sense at all if you approach it that way.

This book is a classic, but I don't recommend reading it as the first book on Zen (Herrigel's approach would probably be more useful for the Western readers), nor do I think it should be read as the last book. It is, after all, an introduction and doesn't try to be more than that. ( )