The Swans Come to the Lake Daisetsu Suzuki – “The most culturally significant Japanese person, in international terms, that has ever existed” - Gary Snyder, American Beat Poet

The Development of Buddhism is AsiaDevelopment Buddha born in north India/Nepal ( BCE) Theravada & Mahayana – Syncretism w/ other cultures Buddhism spreads to China around 100 CE Buddhism in Japan 6 th cent., Zen emerges 13 th cent. Zen focus is on Meditation and Insight into Reality Experiential practice emphasized more than theory Originated w/ Buddha’s silent sermon holding a flower Direct Transmission from Teacher to Student 2 Schools of Zen: Soto (zazen) and Renzai (koans)

D.T. Suzuki: author of “Satori” article 1870 – 1965 Zen Teacher, Translator, Popularizer Buddhist Modernist who focused on the practical application of Buddhism to everyday life in the world. Born in isolated feudal Japanese Samurai culture Dies in Post Modern World – East and West Exchange Teaches at Columbia University, NYC Teaches at other elite schools in US, Japan, and Europe Comes to Chicago in 1893 to World Parliament of Rels. Removes Zen from its Historical Context for Westerners

Suzuki in America The Zen Life Documentary Well-known people associated w/ DT Suzuki Alan Watts - beat writer, philosopher Allen Ginsberg – poet, icon John Cage – music composer Gary Snyder – poet, teacher Thomas Merton – Trappist monk Joseph Campbell – Myths Houston Smith – Rels. Studies teacher Erich Fromm - psychoanalyst Carl Jung – German psychotherapist Jack Kerouac – Beat writer Christmas Humphreys– Brit. writer Robert Aiken – Amer. Zen teacher

Zen and Buddhist Terms: Satori = Wu = Enlightenment = Unified Consciousness = Prajna = Supreme Perfect Knowledge – noetic quality Mystical Experience – 4 Qualities by William James An inner state of Cons. w/o reference to objects - PCE Satori ≠ Conversion or Salvation, = Freedom (236) Intuitive looking into nature of things, Eureka moment! A supreme act of Will uniting Knower and Known

Descriptions of Satori – sort of ! Supreme Perfect Knowledge, Intuitive, Immediate, Direct Experience Absolute state of mind, Absolute Freedom, Non Dual Whole “in one thought” -- Thatness, Suchness, Being Transcending Dualism, Beyond Rationality and Conceptuality of Mind Cataclysmic, Revolutionary Transformation, “fiery baptism” No Abiding Place: (not Conversion to Faith or Salvation by personal God) Most intimate individual experience of: “self”, “true being” “reality”

“A Zen Life” Video Clips Suzuki’s own experience ◦ See video - 8:42-9:37 The General Experience of Satori ◦ See video - 16:30 – 19:28 Understanding and Expressing this Experience ◦ See video - 27:52 – 29:53 Freedom and Form ◦ See video - 32:45 – 36:00 Negative, Via Negativa ◦ See video - 46:08 – 46:56