Suzuki Daisetsu in the History of Modern Buddhism

Abstract

The writings of Suzuki Daisetsu (1870-1966) sometimes cause misunderstanding and unnecessary criticism because they often depended on their historical contexts. It seems necessary to examine his biography to understand his writings. In this lecture I pick up the few years between Suzuki’s entering the University of Tokyo (1892) and leaving for America (1897) , and show the relationship between Suzuki and other progressive young Buddhists during those years. In Meiji 20s Suzuki was one of those reform-minded young Buddhists called Bukkyō Seinen. He became a member of a society of such progressive Buddhists called Keiikai. This was the predecessor of the representative modernizing Buddhist movement, Shin Bukkyōto Dōshikai, of which Suzuki later became a member, too. The leading member of Keiikai was Furukawa Rōsen (1871-1899), who was said to be an ideological originator of Shin Bukkyōto Dōshika. Furukawa wrote an article about Tibetan Buddhism in 1895. In it he pointed out the vogue of Theosophy in Europe as an evidence to indicate the necessity of mystical experiences in conquering skepticism, and stressed the importance of Tibetan Buddhism. This opinion was influenced by his friend, Taoka Reiun (1870-1912), who tried to build his own mystical philosophy, which included Zen and the western Mysticism. In 1896 Suzuki wrote an article comparing Zen and the Western mysticism. This seemed to be written in response to other modernized interpretations of Zen. In Meiji 20s he was creating his own thoughts about Zen and Buddhism by exchanging opinions with other young Buddhists.