In this new collection of quotes from Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and stories from his students, the presence, wisdom, and humor of a great Zen teacher come alive once more.

The teachings of Shunryu Suzuki have acted for many as the gateway to Zen practice and meditation. In particular, Suzuki Roshi's popular book Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind demonstrated to countless readers his gift for presenting traditional Zen teachings using ordinary language. In Zen Is Right Now, David Chadwick, a devoted former student and the compiler of the extensive Suzuki Roshi digital archive, sheds new light on Suzuki Roshi's demeanor and teachings, with selected quotes from his lectures and a variety of stories told by his students. These encounters with Zen are alive with poignancy and humor, and they are grounded in their honest portrayal of a hugely influential and inspirational teacher.

Following closely in the mold of Zen Is Right Here, an earlier collection of quotes and stories, this book is an accessible and varied selection of teachings and third-party accounts, revealing an occasionally playful and deeply wise teacher, one who delighted in paradox and laughed often. This lightheartedness, rooted in humility and openness, is evident in quotes such as, "What I say is not true teaching. I just give you the hint." May the quotes and stories in this collection provide a similar hint or spark, revealing the Dharma through the words and actions of a beloved teacher.

SHUNRYU SUZUKI (1904-1971) was one of the most influential spiritual teachers of the twentieth century and is truly a founding father of Zen in America. A Japanese priest of the Soto lineage, he taught in the United States from 1959 until his death. He was the founder of the San Francisco Zen Center and the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. He is the author of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness: Zen Talks on the Sandokai, and Zen Is Right Here: Teaching Stories and Anecdotes of Shunryu Suzuki, and he is the subject of the biography Crooked Cucumber by David Chadwick.

DAVID CHADWICK began his Zen study under Shunryu Suzuki Roshi in 1966. Ordained as a Zen priest in 1971, he later wrote Suzuki's biography, Crooked Cucumber, as well as Thank You and OK!: An American Zen Failure in Japan. With a great deal of help, Chadwick is poo-bah of Cuke Archives, preserving the legacy of Shunryu Suzuki and those whose paths crossed his--and anything else that comes to mind. See cuke.com and shunryusuzuki.com for more vital info.