(By Tsem Rinpoche) Professor Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki (18 October 1870 – 22 July 1966) was a prolific Japanese writer known for his translations of important Zen (Chan) and Shin (Jodo Shinshu or ‘Pure Land’) Buddhist texts. His work was instrumental in igniting widespread interest in Buddhism in the West, and was a significant catalyst in the worldwide revival of Buddhism in the late 19th Century. Suzuki was very successful in explaining the concepts of Zen Buddhism to Westerners who had very little to no knowledge of the religion. His success was due to his ability to present Zen Buddhist concepts as profound religious thought. He demonstrated the extraordinary ability to understand the complex yet fundamental concepts of Zen and Shin Buddhism from a young age. However, he is remembered more for his skill with language, theme and nuance — gifts which allowed him to effectively explain Buddhist philosophy to a Western audience. During his lifetime, Suzuki published more than 100 books including works that he had translated himself. These translations mainly concern the relationship of Zen Buddhism to everyday life, although he also wrote about other aspects and forms of Buddhism as well, such as the workings of the mind. […]