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Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Given

If zazen is not zazen, what is it that we are practicing every day? Here Dogen Zenji says, “This is Buddha’s activity, some activity which was given to us.” Our practice is not something which you can understand because it is something which is given to you. You didn’t make it; you didn’t invent it; you didn’t practice zazen through and through. The reason why you can practice is just because it was something that was given to you. So, there is no reason why we do not know what it is, but because it was given to us, we have to receive it, we have to accept it. That is just why we practice zazen. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-14 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.