An introduction to Zen Buddhism

AnEvergreenBlackCatBook&^

BC-66

"D.T.Suzuki'sworksonZenBuddhismareamongthebest

contributionstotheknowledgeoflivingBuddhismthatrecent

decadeshaveproduced Wecannotbesufficientlygrateful

totheauthor." —C.G.Jung

NoonehascontributedmoretotheamazinginterestinZen

BuddhismintheWesternworldduringthepastfewyearsthan

theauthorofthisvolume.Nowoverninetyyearsold,

Dr.SuzukihasdedicatedhislifetothesubjectofZen,andto

interpretingitsphilosophyandconceptsfortheWestern

reader.Ofhismorethanadozenworkscurrentlyavailable

inEnglish,AnIntroductiontoZenBuddhismismostsuitable

asthebasictextforthegeneralreaderinterestedin

understandingZen.

AftersituatingZenbothinBuddhismandinOrientalculture,

Suzukithenanswersthefundamentalquestion"WhatisZen?"

inanincisive,lucidchapterthatalsorefutesseveral

misconceptionscommonintheWest.Continuallydrawingon

hisextraordinaryknowledgeofbothOrientalandWestern

cultures,philosophies,andreligions,heillustrateseach

conceptofZenwithconcreteexamplesaboundinginwitand

wisdom.ForZenisnotonlyaphilosophy—awaytoself-

understanding—itisalso"primarilyandultimatelyadiscipline,"

andDr.Suzukigivesdueattentiontothepracticalaspectsof

thisdiscipline.Morethananyothervolumeonthesubject.

AnIntroductiontoZenBuddhismisanindispensableguideto

anunderstandingofthisrich,provocativesubject.