Featured Cuke Archives page

Stuart Lachs was at the first practice period at Tassajara, and has practiced with many other groups through the years. Check out his website, and learn more about him in his podcast. - http://cuke.com/f

Alan Hozan Senauke in critical condition

 

Got to Alan Hozan Senauke's Caring Bridge page to learn more and leave a message. 

Alan's cuke page

Obstacle Buddha

When you have questions or problems in your practice, it means that you are not practicing shikantaza. If you practice shikantaza, you will be monkey-minded buddha in shikantaza. You will be pain-legged buddha in shikantaza. And your whole body will be obstacle buddha—or to be obstacle itself is buddha. Is there any problem, when whatever you do, that is buddha? That is shikantaza.

Photo by Shundo David Haye

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Way-seeking Mind

When I came to America, for a pretty long time as our old students know, I put emphasis on way-seeking mind. When we have true way-seeking mind—pure true way-seeking mind, we can practice our way without any problems.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

General Housecleaning

In Japan, once a year, we have general housecleaning. On that day, we take everything out [laughs]. We expel everything, even Buddha shrines or Shinto shrines. We take them out, and we clean completely our house. In the same way, I think, this kind of cleaning is necessary. Without this kind of effort, you pile up things one after another. Then you will be easily caught by the same old way of life, and you cannot practice zazen in its true sense. When you have this kind of spirit, you can practice shikantaza.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Again

I think you are very sincere students, but your conviction is not pure enough. I think that is why many teachers expelled disciples. If one is not ready to practice zazen, it is better to say, “Go away.” It means, “Come again.” [Laughs, laughter.] “Go away, and prepare for coming in again.” That is real kindness. I think we have to repeat this. Almost all of you should be expelled from zendo, and we should start Zen Center again [laughs]. How about it? [Laughs, laughter.] Again and again. “Go away!” Or, “Let’s do it again.” We must have this kind of spirit always, or else we cannot clean up our mind.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

RIP Maria Linde

 Condolences to Jed Linde and Monica. 

Jed Linde cuke page

No Gaining Idea

To practice our way even to attain enlightenment is not good because this kind of gaining idea usually is not pure enough. Instead of, “You should attain enlightenment, forgetting everything else,” we say, “Practice zazen without any gaining idea.” This is stronger instruction, more strict instruction. Without trying even to attain enlightenment, you should practice zazen.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Pure Enough

We say it takes time before you know what is zazen. But actually, why we say so is without this kind of conviction, you cannot give up everything and practice shikantaza. If you think, “I’ll sit two months more or three months more [laughs],” then your practice is not pure enough.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Featured Cuke Archives page

JJ Wilson founded the Women's Studies program at Sonoma State U. Her husband Phillip Wilson was one of Shunryu Suzuki's early ordained disciples. Listen to her podcasts and read her interview - http://cuke.com/f

Put Everything Aside

Zazen practice is not a continuation of your everyday life–everyday practice. In Fukanzazengi, Dogen Zenji says: “You should give up everything when you practice zazen. And you should put everything aside and should practice zazen.” At least you must realize that this point is very important.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

A message from Kaz Tanahashi on the Inochi Amazon Rainforest Project

Some of you are already helping indigenous Brazilians to plant trees in Amazon Rainforest to help reverse climate change. In the first year (ending June 30, 2023), we were able to raise enough fund to plant 5000 trees in the northwestern part of Brazil in two rainy seasons (April this year and next year). It’s a humble project compared with the vast and swift destruction of the forest. But humble is good. Humble is great. An infinite number of humble projects working together is the only way to ensure survival of humanity and the environment.

Atmosphere

It looks very difficult to sit without any gaining idea. But actually, as you sit today, at least you should be completely involved in the atmosphere or feeling of the zendo, and just practice our way. You should not bring many ideas into the zendo. When you enter the zendo, you should be a quite different person, forgetting all about what you have been doing, and you should just sit.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Same Old Way

If you make some progress in your practice, naturally you will stick to your old same way [laughs] because you feel very good about your practice, and you feel you made some progress in your own way. But even so, if you attach to the same old way, you will surely have times when you will be discouraged with your practice, and you will be very much confused. “What is zazen?” you may say.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Exorcising Beckett

Exorcising Beckett is the fourth piece by Lawrence Shainberg linked to from his cuke page. It's about his long relationship with Beckett.

Foundation

We say “just to sit.” Just to sit does not mean to have the same pattern of practice. When we are ready to be many figures, when we are ready to practice in various ways, that is shikantaza. So maybe you may call it the foundation of various practices.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Monkey Mind Buddha

When you have a gaining idea, when you want to have a calm serene mind, you will be discouraged by [laughs] your monkey mind. But when you have no gaining idea, when you just sit and accept it, then monkey mind is Tenryu’s one finger. So moment after moment, various buddhas will appear in your practice. Monkey mind is, in that case, monkey-minded buddha: not just ordinary monkey mind, that is monkey mind buddha.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Featured Cuke Archives page

http://cuke.com/f

Mel Weitsman's book is out

Seeing One Thing Through: The Zen Life and Teachings of Sojun Mel Weitsman

Amazon link. - Counterpoint Press link

A young painter, coming of age in San Francisco's bohemian 1950s, meets his teacher--Shunryu Suzuki, a pivotal figure in Buddhist America--and dedicates his life to continuing Suzuki Roshi's teachings

Seeing One Thing Through begins with a series of autobiographical memories and reflections going back to Sojun Mel Weitsman's boyhood in Southern California, his coming of age as an artist and a seeker in the vibrant San Francisco of the 1950s, and his encounter with Zen in one remarkable teacher, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. From that moment, and for nearly sixty years after, Weitsman's life took the direct path of Zen--as a student, as a teacher, and as one of the first generations of American Zen masters. The larger portion of the book is a collection of Weitsman's edited talks, his articulation of "ordinary mind," and his strong belief that Zen as a way of life is available to all.

____________

DC comment: This is an excellent, concise book on Mel's life, practice, problems, take on it all, and teaching. Lots of good stuff. Easy to read. I'll post some comments later for the record, but don't want to detract from the book now - except to say that the Berkeley Zen Center wins favorite Zen Center in my book and that of many others and, he didn't realize this, but I think if there had been a most popular Suzuki disciple contest, that Mel would have won.  He was easy-going and diligent at the same time. The book is solid. Good going Mel (who was working on this book right up to near the end). Thanks Counterpoint for publishing this book.

Mel Weitsman cuke page

Cold Buddha

When a monk asked a master, “What should I do when cold weather comes?” The master said, “Cold? Be a cold buddha. And when summer comes, be a hot buddha.” When you have no gaining idea, you become various buddhas moment after moment. Cold buddha, hot buddha, painful buddha, monkey minded buddha [laughs].

Tassajara Photo by Gene DeSmidt

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

No Gaining Idea

What Yakusan demonstrated is also shikantaza, in which you have no gaining idea. You just sit. If you practice zazen to have complete calmness in your mind, then various problems you have become really obstacles, really a problem or disturbance. But when you have no gaining idea, then all the things which happen in your zazen will become Tenryu’s one finger. At that time, your zazen becomes so-called “painful zazen” [laughs].

from the booklet with the record set The Way of Eiheiji

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Another Story

I’ll tell you another story. One day Yakusan Igen, the disciple of Sekito, was asked to give a lecture. He took the Abbot’s seat, sat for a while, and then went back to his room. 

The director of the temple went to his room and said to him, “You hadn’t given us a lecture for a long time, so I asked you to give us one. But as soon as you appeared on the altar, you went back to your room. Why is that?”

Yakusan said, “There are many teachers. Some of them are teaching Buddhist precepts, and some are giving lectures on sutras, and I am a Zen master.” That was his answer. What do you think that is?

Ceremonial chair Rick Morton restored for the SFZC.
—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Renshin Bunce

I knew Renshin Bunce had a book on Steve Stuckey that she published this year. But I didn't know until a few days ago that she also wrote a book on her hospice work and one on living and practicing at Zen Center. Check them out and more via
her cuke page.

photo - Renshin Bunce with Steve Stuckey at Tassajara

One Finger

Do you know the famous story of Gutei? When Tenryu pointed up one finger, Gutei attained enlightenment. What do you think about this one finger? When he became pretty old Gutei said, “I received Tenryu’s one finger, which I have been using for my whole life. What do you think this is?” [Laughs] the one finger Tenryu pointed does not mean “one.” What he actually meant is our practice, our shikantaza.

Stained Glass by Narcissus Quagliata

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Always Beginners

Student: Docho Roshi. The year that I have lived here at Tassajara has gone by very quickly. But it’s been a very wonderful time for growing up. But the path ahead seems to be just a dream or shadows.

SR: Yes. That is very true. We always feel that we study something right now. Especially when Christmas or New Year’s Day comes, we feel as if we must start some practice today. We always feel that way. That is I think very good. And that is so called beginner’s mind. We should be always beginners. First is maybe a dream [laughs, laughter]. Not good enough, you may feel. That is very true.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Don’t think too much.

Student [Rick Morton]: Docho Roshi, I don’t understand what to do about the bad things I think about myself.

SR: Yeah. Maybe so. If you don’t do anything, still you don’t feel good.

Rick Morton: That’s correct.

SR: And if you do, you feel sometimes good, sometimes bad. So, this is a very difficult problem. Maybe the only way to get out of it is to practice zazen sometimes, and to do some special work sometimes. And you should make best effort in each moment. That is the only way. Don’t think too much. Thinking will not help you.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Special Meaning

Student: Docho Roshi, what is the meaning of the Lotus Sutra?

SR: Lotus Sutra. If you understand what is this place—where you are and what you are doing—you will understand the meaning of Lotus Sutra. In that way you should study. Don’t think there is some special meaning to anything—to anything.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

An Interview with Jane Hirshfield in the Nation

While This Everywhere Crying - an interview with Jane in the Nation, Nov. 2023 

Jane Hirshfield cuke page

Featured Cuke Archives page

Daigaku Rumme was ordained by and received transmission from Seikkei Harada and practiced for 27 years at Hosshinji in Obama, Japan. Listen to his podcast and see his page for many more details. http://cuke.com/f

Reality

Student [DC]: Docho Roshi, life is, well, pretty difficult. That’s a pretty small thing to say. I don’t know what it is, so how do I accept it?

SR: The only way is to continue our practice. Without our practice there is no way to find out—to reach the realm where we have not much confusion and trouble—because our way is based on reality.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Reality and Time

We human beings always try to control ourselves. When we try to control ourself, it means that we want to feel better. And this desire is just for ourselves. Everything may have desire in its wide sense, but human desire is very dualistic: “We should be in time.” It is only human beings who separate reality and the idea of time.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Time

Student [Paul Discoe]: Docho Roshi, if everything is time, how can there be any past or any future? And how can you get things done on time, or not have enough time to do something? This whole idea of time–is it very confused?

SR: Hmm, ahh. Even when you’re making an effort to follow time, time is not different from what you do. What you do is actually time, whether you are in a hurry or not. There is nothing which could be called time, but what you do and what you see. So, time itself is Buddha, which is always with us. Whatever we do, time is with us.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Open Eyes

Student: Docho Roshi, yesterday afternoon you gave a lecture on the Lotus Sutra. I believe that you said the Lotus Sutra describes reality to itself. And I feel that you demonstrate reality to yourself every moment, every day. Since you are a teacher, surely you want us to be able to see this reality that you demonstrate. But my eyes are stubbornly closed to it. Could you give a word that would help me open them?

SR: Hmm. Actually, your eyes are not closed. Your eyes are open. Even though you say so, I feel I see your eyes wide open. That you feel that way is the proof of your wide-open eyes.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Illusion

Student [Frances Thompson]: Docho Roshi, this leaf is an exquisite construction. It has ribs to hold it out into the sunlight. It’s made of two layers of cells. The upper layer is smooth and even. The under layer has many tiny holes through which carbon dioxide is absorbed. In a chemical reaction in the sunlight, the carbon is removed, and oxygen is released through the tiny holes, into the air which we breathe. If there weren’t green plants on earth, there’d be no animal life. We wouldn’t be here. There’d be no air to breathe. Is this leaf an illusion?

SR: Yeah, there is the leaf. That is not illusion. But maybe what you said may be illusion because what you said is not good enough to describe it [laughs]. I am sorry [laughter].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Body and Mind

Student [Evelyn Pepper]: Docho Roshi, you told us yesterday that our bodies should be one with our small mind. Is that right?

SR: When you say, “mind and body,” that body means your physical body, in its limited sense. It is one way of understanding, or viewpoint. We say “mind and body” but actually, it is the same. But if we take a physical viewpoint—this is a body. But if we take a spiritual viewpoint, this body is not just body. It is body and mind too.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Podcast with Neil Rubenking who came to the SF Zen Center in the seventies and had this interest in computers that benefited the SFZC when hardly anyone knew anything about them, and he sailed into a career with PC Magazine that continues to this day as their senior security analyst. He also worked for the CIA as a student summer job. Listen to this podcast and you'll learn more vital information about Neil and so forth. cuke.com/f

Sharing

Student [Pat Herreshoff]: Docho Roshi, if there is nothing but what we have to share, and no help but what we have to give to each other, how can we act unselfishly, if we’re not ready to renounce our minds? 

SR: To act in a selfish way is also sharing something and helping each other. We cannot be completely selfish, anyway. That is not possible because every one of us are rooted in the same ground.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Schedule

Student [Liz Wolf]: Docho Roshi, should I follow my self, my body, my being, or should I follow the schedule?

SR: Hmm [laughter]. To follow the schedule may be better [laughter].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-09-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.