SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

8.Zen Buddhism and the WestThe extent of western interest in Zen can be seen from thefact that when Buddhism is mentioned, almost immediatelyWesterners call Zen to mind. As Pure Land Buddhismbears a close external resemblance to Christianity, Westernersfeel little attraction to it. Zen is most representative of theOrient. The simple yet profound culture which it created hasgreat appeal to the West. Naturally, to communicate this to theWest, it is absolutely necessary to have material written inEuropean languages. In this respect the work of the lateDr. Daisetz Suzuki has been phenomenal. Likewise the aid ofhis late wife, Beatrice Suzuki, must not be overlooked. Many ofhis works in English have been translated into German andFrench, thus making their contents more available to a largernumber of people. His most popularly read works are AnIntroduction to Zen Buddhism, Living by Zen, Manual of ZenBuddhism, The Training of the Zen Buddhist Monk and Zen andIts Influence on Japanese Culture. His practice and writingsmainly belong to that of the Rinzai School, the other schoolsbeing almost completely ignored. When Western scholars refer84