Suzuki Daisetsu Teitaro. 2015

“Enlightenment is like everyday consciousness but two inches above the ground”

DAISETSU TEITARO SUZUKI – japanese Buddhologist, philosopher, psychologist, one of the leading popularizers of Zen Buddhism (1870-1966).

Suzuki researched, popularized and promoted non-monastic Zen Buddhism and sought to bring Western and Eastern philosophy and psychology closer together. Suzuki paid special attention to the problems of adapting the phenomena of the Far Eastern culture to other traditions that differ from them. He combined a world-class scholar, a spiritual teacher who had attained enlightenment, which he sought to convey, and the author of more than twenty books, which revealed to the West the essence and goals of Zen Buddhism.

Went down in history of the 20th century as a pioneer of Zen for the Western intellectuals, as a thoughtful explorer of Zen literature, painting, ikebana, tea ceremony. It was his merit that he offered his interpretation of the religious and philosophical, ethical and aesthetic teachings of Zen Buddhism to the Western reader. His works played an important role in the process of bringing together cultures of the East and the West.

WORKS “An Introduction to Zen Buddhism”, “Living by Zen”, “Manual of Zen Buddhism”, “Essays in Zen Buddhism”, “Zen and Japanese Culture”.