Spirit

You should have transmitted spirit from Buddha because you cannot understand your practice just by sutras or teaching. Without the spirit to continue your effort, you cannot be a Buddhist.

Marcus Hartsfield

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Each of Those Experiences

How we practice zazen, how we study Zen is by finding our own practice under various circumstances. So sometimes we will have difficulties, sometimes we will have joy of practice, but each of those experiences is Zen practice.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Merit

Actually, there is no need to talk about the merit of Zen practice. Talking about the merit of Zen would encourage the wrong understanding of practice. When you do it—just do it—you have enlightenment.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Concentrate on Your Practice

When you do your best, there is emptiness, there is enlightenment. When you are practicing Zen, in between good and bad practice, between enlightenment and practice, that is not our practice. When you just concentrate on your practice, that is enlightenment.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

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A Slap

“No good” is not actually no good. “No good” is very good [laughs]. But you should not accept it in terms of good or bad. You should accept it as a real slap [mimics slap] — “No good!” Then you will realize yourself in a true sense.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

No Good

Usually, we say even though your zazen is not good, that is true zazen. “Don’t worry,” [laughs] we may say. This may give you some encouragement, but in its true sense, when the teacher says this, we are not so kind. When I want to be kind to you, I should say, “No, that’s no good!” [laughs]. That may be better to encourage you. If I say, “That is good,” then you may give up your effort. Nothing will come from your practice. But when we say, “That’s not good,” then something will come up from that “no good.” So, “no good” is very important.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Do Your Best

Don’t be concerned about what your teacher may say about your practice. He may say, “Your practice is not good!” [Laughs.] He may say so, but it’s all right. You have to do it; you have to sit with all your strength. You have to do your best.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Just Sit

So, when you practice, the way of true practice is not to attain enlightenment. Anyway, you should sit through and through without having any idea. Don’t be concerned about enlightenment [laughs]. You should just sit.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.

Also, this sutra says, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.” Form is emptiness. Emptiness is to point at the form itself. When we say, “Form is emptiness” it means form is form, through and through. “Emptiness is form,” it means emptiness, through and through. So, form is nothing but emptiness. Emptiness is nothing but form.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.