Shunryū Suzuki

Born 1904

From Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan · Nationality: Japan, Empire of Japan · Writes nonfiction

Quotes

“In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's there are few.”
Beginner's Mind
“The highest truth is daiji, translated as dai jiki in Chinese scriptures. This is the subject of the question the emperor asked Bodhidharma: "What is the First Principle?" Bodhidharma said, "I don't know." "I don't know" is the First Principle.”
Lotus Sutra No. 6 lecture at the Zen Mountain Center February 1968
“Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.”
Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen, p. 127
“You should rather be grateful for the weeds you have in your mind, because eventually they will enrich your practice.”
Right Practice
“When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.”
Quoted in Enter the Heart of the Fire : A collection of Mystical Poems 1981 by

Books by Shunryū Suzuki in order

Books by Shunryū Suzuki in the order they were published, from Zen Mind (1970) to Zen Zihni Baslangic Zihni (2016).

Authors readers of Shunryū Suzuki often like, from our AI-written notes

DōgenThe thirteenth-century founder of Sōtō Zen. Suzuki's teaching draws on Dōgen's emphasis on sitting and on the way practice itself is enlightenment. Readers of Suzuki often go to Dōgen's Shōbōgenzō.
Thich Nhat HanhA Vietnamese Zen teacher who wrote simply and practically about mindfulness in everyday life. He appeals to readers who like Suzuki's accessible tone.
Alan WattsA British writer who popularised Zen and other Eastern ideas for Western readers in the mid-twentieth century. Readers interested in Suzuki's historical context often read him.
Pema ChödrönA Tibetan Buddhist teacher in the American tradition who writes directly about groundlessness and staying present. Her books suit readers who like Suzuki's emphasis on not seeking results.
Charlotte Joko BeckAn American Zen teacher in the same lineage tradition who wrote practical books on everyday practice and dropping expectations.