D.T. Suzuki praising Shin Buddhism?

One Sunday, I was talking with my minister about my research at the time on D.T. Suzuki. The minister then pulled out another book by D.T.Suzuki printed in Japan in 1949, called Living by Zen.*

He wanted me to read a particular chapter, where he said that D.T. Suzuki claimed more people achieved satori (悟り), or Enlightenment, through Jodo Shinshu (Shin Buddhism) than through Zen. I was really skeptical, but I borrowed the book and read it over the week. Here’s what Suzuki had to say:

The fact is undeniable that there are more genuine and practically-working cases of satori [enlightenment] among lay-devotees of Shin [Buddhism] then in Zen circles. This is principally due I think to the absence in Shin of the koan methodology (pg. 166)

I was surprised to see such a strong statement toward Shin and Zen, but in the previous pages he elaborates on this point:

In spite of the superficial calmness, there is in Shin [Buddhism] as much turbulent current and dialectical subtlety as in Zen. Shin does not swing a stick or staff, does not resort to ejaculations, but there are more genuine seekers of truth and salvation in Shin than in Zen, and the clearness of vision, the security of the ground they tread, the exercise of an expansive compassionate community-feeling–such qualities are more frequently and conspicuously met with among Shin devotess than among Zen followers. And the significant fact is that the real living force of Shin resides among its lay-devotees and not among the professional priesthood whose general corruption and degeneracy are to be greatly regretted indeed. (pg. 164-165)

I am not entirely sure why Suzuki would be criticizing Zen and complementing Shin so much in a book about Zen, but then again, Suzuki definitely is a religious free-spirit. He comes from a Shin/Zen upbringing in Japan (his mother was a Shin Buddhist, but he studied Zen later in college), but he does take an unorthodox look at both (his views on Shin occasionally differ from that of the Hongwanji, but who cares?).

It’s kind of nice when someone whose practiced both branches of Buddhism, and studied other paths too (including Christianity) can just call it as he sees it.

Good man.

Namo Amida Butsu

* – Apparently it’s out of print. I couldn’t even find it on Amazon.com, which generally has a great selection. Though printed in Japan by the publisher, Sanseido, the book is in English (thankfully!)