An Introduction to Zen Buddhism

An Introduction to Zen Buddhism is a 1934 book about Zen Buddhism by Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki. First published in Kyoto by the Eastern Buddhist Society, it was soon published in other nations and languages, with an added preface by Carl Jung. The book has come to be regarded as "one of the most influential books on Zen in the West".^[1]

An Introduction to Zen Buddhism

Cover to 1991 Grove Press edition
Author	D.T. Suzuki
Subject	Zen Buddhism
Publisher	1934 (Eastern Buddhist Society)
Publication place	Japan
Media type	Print
Pages	130
ISBN	0-8021-3055-0 (1991 edition)
OCLC	23975828
Dewey Decimal	294.3/927 20
LC Class	BQ9265.4 .S95 1991

Overview

The book grew out of Suzuki's 1914 publications for the Japanese journal New East. Although the editor, Robertson Scott, suggested that Suzuki publish them in book form, he did not decide to do so until after the 1927 publication of his book Zen Essays, which he decided would be "too heavy" as an introduction to Zen for beginners.^[2] Suzuki intended the resultant volume, 1934's An Introduction to Zen Buddhism, to be used as a companion with the contemporaneously published Manual of Zen Buddhism.^[2]

Synopsis

Release details

An Introduction to Zen Buddhism was published in 1934 in Kyoto by the Eastern Buddhist Society.^[3] The Marshall Jones Company of Boston oversaw first publication in the United States. The 1939 German language edition was published with a preface by Carl Jung.^[4] In 1949, the book was reprinted in London and New York with Jung's preface, translated by Constance Rolfe, included.^[5]

References

1. Wong Kiew Kit (2002). Complete Book of Zen. Tuttle Publishing. p. 240. ISBN 0-8048-3441-5.
2. Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro (1991). An Introduction to Zen Buddhism (reissue ed.). Grove Press. p. 7. ISBN 0-8021-3055-0.
3. Sakanishi, Shio (1937). "review". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 57 (4). American Oriental Society: 445. doi:10.2307/594535. JSTOR 594535.
4. "D.T.Suzuki: Zen Pilgrim to the West". ABC Online. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2009.
5. Bernstein, David W.; Christopher Hatch (2001). Writings through John Cage's music, poetry, and art. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-04408-4.