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Thursday, August 6, 2020

Continuing from yesterday

This kind of Buddha is the Buddha before we attain enlightenment. Without this confidence, you cannot even practice zazen. How can you practice zazen when you doubt, or when you are observing yourself objectively without having any subjectivity? How can you practice zazen? Only when you accept yourself, and when you really know you exist here. You cannot escape from yourself. This is the ultimate fact, that “I am here.” --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-21 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

DC Comment: This is exactly what the Advaita Vedanta gurus have said. Ramana Maharshi said that the ultimate statement is int the Bible, "I am that I am." Of course the "I" Suzuki and Ramana were refering to is the big I of all that is.