Whole Mind

I don’t exactly know why D. T. Suzuki said that about willpower, maybe because in practice we want big willpower. Zen is a religion of practice, so he must have said Zen is a religion of will. But I don’t think Zen is just a religion of will. It is a religion of whole mind.

Calligraphy by ChatGPT: whole mind

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-D 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.

Tassajara Fire

Tassajara Zen Mountain Center’s zendo destroyed by fire

Power

Student: D. T. Suzuki wrote that “Zen was religion of the will.” What do you think about that?

Suzuki: Willpower is not the only power we have. Soto is more maybe emotional. And religious feeling is something like emotional, but just emotional power is blind. And willpower is also sometimes blind [laughs]. So that is why we want rational power that will correct the mistakes of—will help blend willpower and feeling or emotional power.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-D 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.

Catch The Fish

I think for you American people, it may be pretty difficult to understand—to catch the fish. But, if you catch it, it will be a big, big fish [loud laughter]. After a long time of difficulty, you will catch a whale. We shall be very glad if you even catch the tail of the fish, or just the tiny scales of the fish is enough.

Image generated by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Sensitive Enough

We are not like historical Buddha. For him it was not so difficult. Even though he was in his court with delicious food and a beautiful palace, and many servants, still he was sensitive enough to realize the true nature of himself. But for us it is not so easy [laughs].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Alert

If you are not alert enough, you have to suffer [laughs]. Then you will know what buddha-nature is. We are usually very dull and dumb. So, we want a lot of suffering, maybe.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Appreciate Buddha-nature

We have to catch a fish with a net. Without a net you cannot catch fish. Our archbishop always talks about salt. Salt by itself is bitter. No one likes it. But if you take it with food, it is delicious [laughs]. If you take it with vegetables, it is delicious. That is how we appreciate salt and how we appreciate buddha-nature with something.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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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The Medium of Practice

If you want to accept your mind, you have to accept everything with your mind. It is impossible to accept just your mind [laughs]. Your mind always operates with something else. It is impossible to accept just the essence of mind. Even though it is called “essence of mind,” essence of mind cannot be deprived of—it needs always a medium. So you have to accept the medium or means of practice. That is zazen.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

The Purpose of Zazen

Photo of Sujun Mel Weitsman by Butch Baluyut

So just to have your own mind is the point. Then you will have everything. Then you can help others. Whatever you do, it’s all right. The point is how you have your own mind is the purpose of zazen.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.