Question 13 (male): What is meant by the
statement: “Cessation of thought is the cause of thought”?
SR: What is quotation from?
#13: From your lecture this afternoon.
SR: I cannot figure out, I am sorry. This afternoon--what I meant was, incessant practice is necessary. Before autumn come, already autumn is here. You see? There is no gap between autumn and spring. So when summer come, before summer is over autumn is here. There is no gap between it. So is our practice. True practice has no gap between it. So one practice will be continued through and through forever.
#13: Cessation of thought --
Dick: I don't remember you saying that.
SR: Cessation of thought-cause of thought. Maybe so. That something appears means something which appears should disappear. Cessation of appears also--as soon as some thought stop, not next thought arises. But this thought is not just intellectual thought, but thought with deeper sense. So one after another, our practice will be continued. If that is delusion, that is succession of delusion, but at the same time, if your practice is good that is succession--continuity of your pure practice. Where there is delusion, there is pure practice. It is always so. So to practice zazen avoiding thought or consciousness is like to see the Dipper facing to the south! You should work on your thought. You should involve the thought within your deep mind. Don't be bothered by it. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-08-24-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones.
SR: What is quotation from?
#13: From your lecture this afternoon.
SR: I cannot figure out, I am sorry. This afternoon--what I meant was, incessant practice is necessary. Before autumn come, already autumn is here. You see? There is no gap between autumn and spring. So when summer come, before summer is over autumn is here. There is no gap between it. So is our practice. True practice has no gap between it. So one practice will be continued through and through forever.
#13: Cessation of thought --
Dick: I don't remember you saying that.
SR: Cessation of thought-cause of thought. Maybe so. That something appears means something which appears should disappear. Cessation of appears also--as soon as some thought stop, not next thought arises. But this thought is not just intellectual thought, but thought with deeper sense. So one after another, our practice will be continued. If that is delusion, that is succession of delusion, but at the same time, if your practice is good that is succession--continuity of your pure practice. Where there is delusion, there is pure practice. It is always so. So to practice zazen avoiding thought or consciousness is like to see the Dipper facing to the south! You should work on your thought. You should involve the thought within your deep mind. Don't be bothered by it. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-08-24-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones.
