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Saturday, June 11, 2022

The H word

Precepts for the people who have right practice are called “bodhisattva precepts,” in comparison to some other so-called-it “Hinayana practice precepts,” which are quite different.                    --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki  lecture 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.comfrom one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed lecture tapes. 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. Go to https://www.instagram.com/cuke_archives/ for more daily Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo

DC comment: The term hinayana is a pejorative word for Theravadin Buddhism meaning small vehicle. Mahayana is the big vehicle. He just means literally sticking to the precepts and it would have been better in my opinion if he'd used that term rather than imply all Theravadins take the precepts literally and have inferior understandings, don't get the spirit. He knew better than that and even said once he'd like to go to the countries where Theravada is practiced to seek teaching from good teachers. But he was in a small pond back then and didn't think that what he was saying would be on a larger stage later, didn't consider the implications of what he was saying in this case.