Japan

wonder

work

nationality

Japanese

race / ethnicity

buddhist

religion

Zen Buddhist

occupation / innovator as

philosopher

university teacher

translator

psychologist

scientific organization

Japan Academy

innovator in the field of

history of Japan

Buddhism

is the basis for love and power as love without wonder is a sensational affair, and power without wonder is mere force and compulsion.

And when the wonder has gone out of a man he is dead. . . When all comes to all, the most precious element in life is wonder. Love is a great emotion, and power is power, but both love and power are based on wonder. Love without wonder is a sensational affair, and power without wonder is mere force and compulsion. (D. H. Lawrence)

is purposeless. Whereas pragmatism appeals to the usefulness of truth -zen aspires to the purposelessness of work and to not leaving any trace behind as one lives one's life.

The tathatd-concept is what makes Zen approach pragmatism and existentialism: they all accept experience as the basis of their theorization, and this experience is closely attached to the world of relativities. Zen, however, is different in a most significant way from pragmatism: Whereas pragmatism appeals to the practical usefulness of truth, that is, the purposefulness of our action, Zen emphasizes the purposelessness of work or being detached from teleological consciousness, or, as Zen characteristically expresses it, not leaving any trace behind as one lives one's life. It is in this spirit that Hui-nkng (Yen in Japanese), the sixth patriarch and the originator of Chinese Zen, strongly insisted on the identity or simultaneity of dhyzna and praj62 (Suzuki 1951 : 6)

is, in contrast to pragmatism (which appeals to the usefulness of truth), something that aspires to the purposelessness of work and to not leaving any trace behind as one lives one's life.

 must be understood from the inside, not from the outside. One must first attain intuition and then proceed to the study of all its objectified expressions.

Zen must be understood from the inside, not from the outside. One must first attain what I call prajÃ± -intuition and then proceed to the study of all its objectified expressions. To try to get into Zen by collecting the so-called historical materials and to come to a conclusion which will definitely characterize Zen as Zen, Zen in itself, or Zen as each of us lives it in his innermost being, is not the right approach. (1953, 27)

's seed of universality is due to the very fact of its unique Japaneseness (its simplicity, practicality and flexibility).

The argument of East-Asian particularity based on Zen's simplicity, practicality and flexibility, was also the seed of its universality. The creation of Chinese Chan Buddhism from Indian dhyana showed the ease with which Buddhism accommodated Confucianisrn first and then Taoism. Its further transfor1nation to Japanese Zenthe adaptation of Chan to Japanese societywas evidence of its flexibility, and its ability to adapt. In Suzuki's 1907 essay, he argued that zen is both uniquely Japanese and also a trans-religious, universal spirituality and the essence of Buddhism. In a continuity with the Chicago position, he argued that it is ur1iquely Japanese and hence a source of national pride, but of llniversal applicability, and therefore available to be Japan's contribution to the world. The delegation to Chicago had repackaged Sliin Bukkyo as Eastern Bt1ddhism and offered it as the universal religion of the future... Suzukiafter an apprenticeship with Cart1s and a decade of engagement with the ¥estern discourse-made the further transition from Eastern Buddhism to Zen.

D.T. Suzuki

Authors(0)

D.T. SuzukiThinkers

D.T. Suzuki