An introduction to Zen Buddhism

FOREWORD

by Dr.C. G.Jung

DAiSETzTeitaroSuzuki'sw'orksonZenBuddhismare

amongthebestcontributionstotheknowledgeoflivingBudd-

hismthatrecentdecadeshaveproduced,andZenitselfisthe

most impxDrtant fruit that has sprung from that tree whose

roots are the collections ofthe Pali-Canon.^ We cannot be

sufficiendygratefultotheauthor,firstforthefactofhishaving

brought Zen closerto Western understanding, and secondly

forthemanner inwhich hehas achieved thistask. Oriental

religious conceptions are usually so very different from our

Westernonesthateventheverytranslationofthewordsbrings

oneup against thegreatest difficulties, quiteapart from the

meaningoftheideasexposed,whichundercertaincircumstances

arebetterleftuntranslated.IhaveonlytomentiontheChinese

"Tao'\which noEuropeantranslationhasyet achieved.The

originalBuddhistwritingsthemselvescontain viewsand ideas

whicharemoreorlessunassimilable bytheaverageWestern

understanding.Idonotknow,forexample,justwhatspiritual

(orperhapsclimatic?) backgroundorpreparationis necessary

before one can deduce any completely clear idea from the

BuddhistKamma.Inspiteofallthatweknowabouttheessence

ofZen,here toothereisthequestion ofa central perception

ofunsurpassed singularity. This strange perception is called

Saton, and may be translated as "Enlightenment". Suzuki

says(seepage95),"Satoriistheraisond'etreofZen,andwithout
itthereisnoZen."ItshouldnotbetoodifficultfortheWestern

mindtograspwhatamysticunderstandsby"enlightenment",

orwhat is known as "enlightenment" in religiousparlance.

• Theorigin,aaOrientalauthorsthemselvesadmit,isthe"FlowerSermon"

ofBuddha.Onthisoccasionheheldupaflowertoagatheringofstudents,

withoututteringaword.OnlyKas>apaunderstoodhim.(ShuejOhasama:

^en.DtrUbendigeBuddhismusinJapan,1925,p.3.)