Zen Buddhism: Selected Writings of D. T. Suzuki

No other figure in history has played a bigger part in opening the West to Buddhism than the eminent Zen author, D. T. Suzuki, and in this reissue of his best work readers are given the very heart of Zen teaching. Zen Buddhism, which sold more than 125,000 copies as an Anchor paperback after its publication in 1956, includes a basic historical background as well as a thorough overview of the techniques for Zen practice. Concepts and terminology such as satori, zazen, and koans, as well as the various elements of this philosophy, are all given clear explanations. Suzuki takes nothing for granted in the reader's understanding of the fundamentals, but he does not give a merely rudimentary overview. Each of the essays included here, particularly those on the unconscious mind and the relation of Zen to Western philosophy, go far beyond other sources for their penetrating insights and timeless wisdom. The most important aspect of D. T. Suzuki's work is his unparalleled ability to communicate the experiential aspect of Zen, capturing the essence of Zen philosophy with exceptional eloquence.