A most incisive and engaging explanation of Jodo-Shin Buddhism! This book is entertaining, instructive, and educational, and all in equal proportions. It led me to embark upon a deeper investigation of the Jodo-Shin path.

This book reveals a little known fact, that the great Zen teacher D. T. Suzuki was also a devoted follower of Shin Buddhism. Toward the end of his life, Suzuki - who is best known for his many books on Zen - devoted his energies to translating the monumental work by the founder of Shin Buddhism, Shinran. This treatise is called KyoGyoShinSho (The Teaching, Practice, Faith and Attainment of the Nembutsu Way). Unfortunately, Dr. Suzuki's translation of the KyoGyoShinSho has been out of print for nearly three decades. Hopefully it will be reprinted. Until then we have his essays on Shin Buddhism, as wellas another book of his, Mysticism: Christian and Buddhist, which compares the mysticism of Meister Eckhart with the simple Shin faith of the poet, Saichi.

The great scholar D.T. Suzuki is best known for his work on Zen. In "The Buddha of Infinite Light" Suzuki explores the "Pure Land" or "Shin" Buddhist tradition. This is the most widely followed Buddhist tradition in Japan.

The book consists of lectures Suzuki gave in 1958 to the American Buddhist Acadamy, New York City. They were first published in 1970 and were revised and edited by Professor Taitetsu Unno of Smith College in 1997.

The book is short but dense. It is not a mere summary of the Pure Land Tradition, valuable as that is for those coming to it without background, but a development and an interpretation of it.

Pure Land differentiates between an other-power, or Oya-sama in the spiritual life, in which we respond to a source outside ourself, and a self-power. Most Buddhist teachings, particularly the Theravada tradition, rely on self-power. The practitioner has to work out his own salvation through meditation and right practice and following the eight-fold path.

As I understand it, Pure Land is an other directed form of Buddhism which views Amida Buddha as the source of love, compassion, and the source of salvation. I don't think it quite equates to the Western concept of God, difficult as that concept is to explain. By reflection on Amida Buddha and the chanting of his name, the Pure Land Buddhist hopes to attain the Pure Land with the ultimate goal of Nirvana.

Suzuki writes (page 24)"Pure Land is right here, and those who have eyes can see it around them. And Amida is not presiding over an ethereal paradise; his pure Land is this defiled earth itself." Thus, contrary to what may be the usual interpretation of the Pure Land, Suzuki does not equate the Pure Land to an other worldy heaven but places it within us and our lives to be achieved by faith, practice, and sincerity.This interpretation, I think, tends to establish points of similarity between Pure Land (Shin) and Zen.

This is a learned book with discussions of Buddhist texts and history. As with his works on Zen, Suzuki draws illuminating parallels with western religious thinkers, particularly Eckhart. There is also a chapter I found particularly eloquent on Pure Land Myokinin. This is a term that applies to devoted followers who have attained spiritual understanding but who are not ordinarily learned in a traditional academic sense. Pure Land provides a form of salvation open to everybody willing to trust in Amida rather than an exercise that appeals only to the learned.

This would probably not be the best introduction to Buddhism for a person approaching it for the first time. The book explains the Pure Land tradition shortly but in depth. It shows the appeal of the movement. It thus does not simply present an interpretation of a foreign religious tradition but can help readers of all persuasions understand something of the nature of spiritual life.

This was the first book I ever read on Zen, and it remains, in my mind, one of the best. D.T Suzuki is thorough and imaginative, linking the principles of Zen to the culture and history of Japan, as well as to Western philosophy. Suzuki has a well-deserved reputation as the 20th century's foremost authority on Japanese Zen. While perhaps more of a scholar's book than a practitioner's book, this selection of essays from Suzuki's Zen and Japanese Culture do a wonderful job of conveying the spirit and rich history of Japanese Zen, and its roots in Chinese Ch'an. Faced with a complex topic that by its very nature does not lend itself to written accounts, Suzuki manages to neither over-analyze the topic nor sidestep the issues by refusing comment. The essays selected give a good taste of the complex spectrum of Zen, and its many cultural and historical manifestations, without swamping the reader with material. A fine and complex work by a well-respected figure of the Zen tradition.

It takes a while to understand, but Suzuki really knew what he was talking about. It provides a very good understanding of his take on Zen Buddhism.

Suzuki is considered to be the foremost authority on Zen Buddhism. Suzuki brought Zen thought to America. The best of D.T. Suzuki is included here. I've read quite a bit on the subject and I believe Suzuki has the best grasp of Zen. The reading is difficult, but so is the topic. I highly recommend this book if you really want to get deep into Zen. Another slightly easier book to understand, 'Living Zen' by Robert Linssen uses Suzuki's material quite extensively.

I have 32 volumes of Daisetz which contain 100+ of his books in Japanese that I have read over the last 15 years or so. Still, the English essays like The Spreme Spiritual Ideal (what a title!) and Love and Power as found in this book bring the unforgettable messages of Daisetz to me - no matter how many times I read them.

If you read Daisetz's books, - to be compared to getting a breeze of "his" life pouring out of his books, you may be drawn to the universe you may find very refreshing and vividly alive. I wish that the words/ideas in his books can be made alive and help bring happiness for all!

The Supreme Spiritual Ideal is the simplest and most profound essay I have ever read. It speaks of the author's simple straw house in Japan and compares it to the massive buildings of London. They turn out to be humble metaphors for a cosmic reality brought down to earth. Lovely.

Ok I don't know what en is but I love this book! You can't talk about Zen without talking about Suzuki. The man was responsible for bringing East to West. In all my many spins I have never been able to find someone who can describe an undescribable thing like Zen better than Suzuki. In terms of quality this book is definatly three pounds of flax.

Suzuki's works offer a clear insight look at the often misunderstood world of zen. Suzuki gives the reader the ability to understand zen, rather than dictating what zen is. This work would be of benefit to any one wishing to see if zen is 'right' for them

For those who have yet to read anything by mr. Suzuki, this has to be a must. Suzuki writes from personal experience about the hardest subject imaginable. The book contains, as promised, all the essentials of Zen buddhism, from the most basic precepts of the faith to the details of monastery life. Although dealing with an exceptionally "slippery" subject, mr. Suzuki herds our understanding in the right direction by ceaselessly providing examples and narrowing down the number of interpretations available. The book is very comprehensive in scope, and is perhaps not the easiest introduction to the subject at hand, but nonetheless includes information suitable for both novice and inititate, including a huge number of koans and quotes from different buddhist texts. Dealing with the problem as only a master can, this is probably the most valuable book on Zen available.

When I read this book, the effect was like a bolt of lightening! I was studying Western Philosophy at the time and with all the questions in my mind, this book was like a key that unlocked them! D.T. Suzuki, perhaps the foremost interpreter of Zen Buddhism to the West, has written a book that illuminates Zen in such a clear way, that the effect is like a lamp shining away the darkness of ignorance. I would encourage all people who are looking for a very clearly written, concise introduction to Zen Buddhism to look no further. I would say that "Living by Zen" can even go one step further and "show" what it is like to live by Zen. May all beings be happy and free!

This book is an excellent introductory overview of Zen precepts and practice over the ages. It gives a feel of what it is to live with satori (enlightenment) - very 'normal' they would say - of what is the core 'being' of Zen and what it takes to get 'there'. One of the main draws of this book is the extensive use of quotes and anecdotes from the lives of Zen masters in the discussion of concepts. These provide concrete examples of the workings of Zen, historical insights into the lives of Zen masters and serve to enliven the whole discourse.

The introductory chapters are followed by a discussion on satori - the essence of Zen, followed by a chapter on the various approaches to it within the Zen tradition itself. The last chapter is devoted to a discussion of the Koan, one of the chief methods used by Zen masters in training their disciples. In the concluding sections, Dr. Suzuki also gives insights into what is demanded of the Zen student in his pursuit of satori.

His writing is fluid, the language clear and simple, but never simplistic in the treatment of the subject matter. However, for a more elaborate and systematic treatment of the subject of this book, his other titles (eg. "Zen Buddhism : Selected Writings of D.T.Suzuki", "Essays in Zen Buddhism", etc.) may be referred to.

This is the last text written by the Japanese born scholar/meditator D.T. Suzuki, arguably the most instrumental person in introducing Zen to the U.S., prior to the great meditation masters Shenryu Suzuki and Joshu Sazaki. The book is much less intellectual than other of D.T. Suzuki's works, focusing more on issues of meditation practice through the paintings of Sengai, an eighteenth century zen painter/poet who was ahead of his thime in abstraction even by 19th and 20th century European standards.

Suzuki was a brilliant writer who was able to put forth the foundations of Zen, as it pertained to the warrior, suberply and without flaw. He lightens the darkness of the Sword of Life and the Sword of Death and balances the full scope of the two, how the true warrior knows, through Zen training, when to weild either of them. A remarkable book! Invaluable to the serious Zen practitioner or the martial artist who values the worth of Zen in their training.

This is basically a collection of textx commonly used by Zen Monks in Japan, although not very comprehensive. The Dharanis are somewhat confusing, but the Gathas are nice and work well as liturgy. The Sutra excerpts are pretty run-of-the-mill, not worth comprehensive study, mainly liturgical. There is the Diamond, Heart, an excerpt from the Lotus, as well as some from the Lankavatara and some from the Surangama (more a paraphrase). Then there are numerous teachings from Chinese & Japanese masters. These are pretty good too. The Pictures are interesting as well, but perhaps more suited toward Deity Yoga. The Indian pics have a Tantric, Vajrayana feel to them. This book is not a "How-to" manual. I don't know if D.t. Suzuki actually ever wrote one. It is more of a daily recitation and/or devotional. The kind of thing you read in the morning & evening, or memorize. If you really want a good Zen Buddhist Manual, there are many to choose from, and if you want a good assortement of text, there are many more comprehensive and better organized than this. But, this book has alot of appeal to it and can be quite useful as a book for daily reflection.

To find your way home, you must leave the house.

Many have sought the path, as illustrated within this book.

In the west all roads lead to Rome, but not all paths lead to enlightenment...

To hear, we must listen - this book sets out to lend an Eastern voice to the Western ear and express the thoughts behind the words.

MANUAL OF ZEN BUDDHISM by D. T. Suzuki. 192 pp. London : Rider and Company, 1974 (1950) and Reprinted.

Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki was no ordinary man. A Buddhist scholar, and proficient not only in Chinese and Japanese, but also in Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, English, and other languages, after attaining his Enlightenment at the age of twenty-seven he imposed upon himself an extremely difficult task - that of bringing a knowledge of Zen Buddhism to the West, and of somehow trying to get over into English, a language which was quite unprepared to receive them, the ideas and insights of the great Zen Masters.

For over two thousand years, many of Asia's most brilliant intellects have been actively engaged in exploring the mysteries of mind, an exploration which Jung himself was to admit could hardly be said to have yet begun in the West.

Anyone who has looked, for example, in one of the huge collections of Buddhist Scriptures such as the Taisho Tripitaka, or in a comprehensive Sanskrit-Chinese-Japanese Dictionary of Buddhist technical and philosophic terms, will have realized that, Buddhism has developed tens of thousands of words, many of them expressing the finest shades of meaning, for which English has no real equivalents.

This fantastic profusion of ideas and vocabulary, a sort of higher mathematics of thought compared to simple arithmetic, has generated a literature of extraordinary subtlety and sophistication.

One of the fruits of Suzuki sensei's sixty-five years writing, translating, and teaching, is the present book, the object of which, as he states in his Preface, is "to inform the reader of the various literary materials relating to [Zen] monastery life" (page 11). We are, in a sense, being invited into a Zen Monastery, and granted the privilege of viewing a selection of its literary and artistic treasures.

In the case of an actual applicant for admission to a Zen Temple or monastery, no-one would think of simply breezing in and saying : "OK. I'm here. What can you guys offer me?" Applicants, as is well known, are kept waiting at the gate, often for many days, before being allowed the privilege of meeting with the Master.

It's a test, a test of the applicant's humility, respect, and determination. And when the applicant finally does get to see the Master, he is expected to show the same respect, not perhaps so much for the Master as a person as for what he stands for - for the state of enlightenment and for the vast ocean of Buddhist knowledge he represents.

Suzuki sensei, would, I feel sure, have hoped that we ourselves show a similar respect for the contents of the present book - for its Prayers and Invocations; for its selections from the Sutras and from the Zen Masters; and for its fifty interesting plates and illustrations which depict Chinese and Japanese statuary, scroll paintings, woodblocks, etc., of a kind one would find at any Zen Temple in Japan.

All of them are standard Zen and are standard Buddhist fare, but just as at a feast we are not expected to eat everything on the table, readers are free to select whatever most appeals to them, without necessarily being dismissive of items that don't happen to suit their taste.

The more devotionally inclined may be strongly drawn by some of the Prayers. Students of the sutras will be delighted to find one of the key sutras of Zen, the Prajnaparamitahrdaya or Heart Sutra, a sutra one could spend one's life studying (as did Edward Conze), along with extracts from the Lotus, Lankavatara, and the mind-boggling Diamond Sutra, and a useful resume of the Surangama. Those drawn to the early Masters won't be disappointed either.

Personally I was happy to discover Suzuki sensei's fine translation of Seng-ts'an's 'Hsin-hsin-ming' ('On Believing in Mind,' pages 76-82), the very first verse treatise on Zen - which in the original Chinese takes up just two thirds of a page in the more than 100,000 pages of 'Taisho' - a text which embodies the quintessence of Zen and that deserves to be far better known. Here is the first of its thirty-one verses, with my slash marks to indicate line breaks:

"The Perfect Way knows no difficulties / Except that it refuses to make preferences; / Only when freed from hate and love, / It reveals itself fully and without disguise" (page 76).

I don't know how long Suzuki sensei spent on his translations, but I do know that Peter Haskel spent ten years to give us his marvelous translation of Bankei, and I myself, inspired by the version in the present book, spent three years working on a translation of the Hsin-hsin-ming, a text which has yet to yield up its full lode of meaning.

There are many other deep and wonderful texts in this book, including two versions of 'The Ten Oxherding Pictures.' Some of these texts will appeal to one kind of person, others to another. But all will repay careful study by the serious student, and by one who approaches them in an attitude of humility and respect.

Many other Zen anthologies have appeared since Suzuki sensei's pioneering effort, some of them with more 'up-to-date' (though not necessarily superior) translations, but his 'Manual of Zen Buddhism' has always had a special importance for me. After three years spent studying just one of its texts, I wonder how long it will take me to assimilate the rest? And there must have been many in the past, in both China and Japan, who were happy to nibble on much less than the feast provided here.