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Saturday, May 2, 2020

Another Story

I will tell you another story. Yakusan Igen, the disciple of Sekito, one day as he was asked to give lectures to the monks, he just appeared on the altar, and for a while he was sitting, and then went back to his room.

The director of the temple went to his room and asked him, “You didn't give give a us lecture for a long time, so I asked you to give us a lecture [laughs]. But as soon as you appeared on the altar, you went back to [laughs]-- to your room. Why is that?”

Yakusan said, “There are many teachers. Some of them are teaching Buddhist precepts, and some of them are giving lectures on sutras, and I am a Zen master.”

That was his answer. What do you think that is? 
-------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC