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Steve Silberman came to the SF Zen Center in 1979 and worked with me, DC, at Greens Restaurant. He's a writer for Wired magazine. For more about his life and books, listen to our podcast.

That Which Is Not Possible To Talk About

If you want to know what buddha-nature is—which it is not possible to know—but if you want to realize it, you should wait until it comes to you. If you want to talk about that which is not possible to talk about, present some words to me.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-11-11 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

The Only Reality

I don’t mean to sacrifice this moment for the future. I don’t mean to be bound by a past life and to try to escape from it. It’s not the kind of effort you usually make. But there’s a more important point in your effort. To stand on your feet [laughs] is the most important thing. If you sacrifice this moment for your future, for your ideal even, it means that you are not standing on your feet. So, the most important thing is to accept yourself, to have subjectivity in each moment. Or, to accept yourself and don’t make any complaints, and accept things as it is, and satisfy yourself with what you have right now. And you should think, this is the only reality, only Buddha you can see, you can experience, you can have, you can worship.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Past and Future

There is no separate past and future. Present, past, and future actually exist in the present moment. Do you understand? If you do something good, your future is bound to be good. That you are good means your past life was good.

Each moment we exist interdependent with the past/future/and other existences

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

All Beings

All sentient beings are Nirmanakaya Buddha. [Laughs] whether or not they realize it, it is actually so, but they do not accept themselves as a Nirmanakaya Buddha, that’s all. For them, they are not, but for us who understand ourselves and others, all of them are Nirmanakaya Buddha, based on Sambhogakaya Buddha and Dharmakaya Buddha.

Barak Obama speaks to a crowd of over 100,000 on October 18, 2008

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Make Your Best Effort Again

But even so, we shouldn’t ignore things, we should make our best effort in each moment. That is a kind of attachment, but this attachment is, at the same time, detachment, because the next moment you should make your best effort again. So it means detachment from the previous being. In this way, moment after moment, we exist. This kind of understanding is expressed by our technical terms of Nirmanakaya Buddha, Sambhogakaya Buddha, and Dharmakaya Buddha.

Shunryu Suzuki squatting, Paul Discoe fitting a corner stone, Phillip Wilson at the cement mixer.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Moment After Moment

We are incarnated bodies, with some certain color and form and character. So, there must be a source or root of each being, as Sambhogakaya Buddha was the source of Shakyamuni Buddha. When he realized this point, he accepted himself as Nirmanakaya Buddha, as Sambhogakaya Buddha, and as Dharmakaya Buddha. When we understand ourselves in this way, our way in this world will be to try to express Buddha Nature moment after moment. That is the effort we should make, instead of being caught by a certain color or form.

Idealized drawing with Shunryu Suzuki provided by Kelsang Tsogtor

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

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Sheridan Adams, formerly Sheridan Ericson, came to Zen Center in 1965 and was at the first practice period at Tassajara. Read more about her and listen to our podcast. 

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Many Buddhas

We exist here, and we are not permanent beings. Only in this moment, we exist like this. But the next moment I will change—tomorrow I will not be the same person. This is true. The next moment I shall be a future buddha. Yesterday I was a past buddha. In this way there are many, many buddhas. And you will be another buddha.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

RIP Caroline Meister

 

Received this sad message on Caroline Meister's death from SFZC Sangha News

Gya te gya te gone beyond, gone completely beyond.

The news below says she fell from the top of the waterfall on the cutoff trail from the horse pasture to Tassajara Creek.

KSBW Action News - best report I found

Video from KSBW

The Monterey County Sherriff's Facebook page

The Buddha Which Exists Moment After Moment

Sambhogakaya Buddha is the perpetual one who exists from beginningless beginning to endless end. And Sambhogakaya is the background of Nirmanakaya Buddha, who exists moment after moment with various forms. Nirmanakaya Buddha is the embodiment of Sambhogakaya Buddha. So, Sambhogakaya Buddha gives birth to Nirmanakaya Buddha which exists moment after moment with various forms. That is why we say sentient beings are numberless, and we exist from beginningless beginning to endless end.

Jizo Bosatsu and Kanzeon Bosatsu statues

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Limitless

“Future disciples” means that Buddhism is a teaching which has a limitless future and beginningless beginning, which should always be true. So, in the sutra there are many disciples and buddhas who will exist in the future and who existed eons before.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Tassajara Student missing in the woods for three days

Caroline Meister, 30, is a hiker who went missing on Monday, March 18, 2024 after leaving the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Carmel Valley, California for a short hike. The last time she was seen, she was wearing teal boots and a blue bag, and had long brown wavy hair that was likely done up. She was also said to have been carrying snacks, but was not dressed or equipped for an overnight stay. 

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team, Drone Team, and California Highway Patrol Helicopter have been working together to find her. Her family says she is an experienced hiker and is familiar with the area, and they are hopeful. 

Hikers who may have seen Meister hiking the area are asked to contact deputies at (831) 755-5111, and are also asked to keep an eye out for her. 

DC: Appears she intended to take the Horse Pasture Trail or go to the Wind Caves.

SF Chronicle article

Please send updates on this to dchad @ cuke.com. Thank you.

From KRON

A 30-year-old woman has been missing for three days after she left a Carmel Valley Zen center to go hiking. Caroline Meister left Tassajara Zen Mountain Center at 10 a.m. Monday to go a short day hike, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.

The Zen center is nestled within Ventana Wilderness about 10 miles south-east of Big Sur, at 39171 Tassajara Road in Carmel Valley.

“She stated she was going to hike a trail that loops back around to the Zen Center. There was also mention of hiking the Windcave Trail. She was only carrying snacks for the day and was not dressed or equipped for an overnight stay,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote.

The woman never returned, and she was reported missing to MCSO just before 11:30 p.m. Monday. Meister is described as white, weighs 150 pounds, and has long brown wavy hair. She was last seen wearing teal boots and carrying a blue bag.

Go On and On

Most of the truths he used may be very appropriate for us to use too. In this sense, many scholars are interested in the Shobogenzo. But even so, you cannot say Buddhism was completed by Dogen Zenji. If you think it was, the Shobogenzo becomes like a coffee shop on the freeway. Dogen will be very angry if you stay there. That is why he wrote it. His intention was not to stay here. You should go on and on. That was the point he put emphasis on. He said Buddhism is not valuable because of the teaching, but because of the continuous practice, such as the four vows.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Improve Our Understanding

In this way, our understanding of Buddha‘s teaching improved more and more. Finding out how we should improve and accept Buddha's teaching as a perfect teaching is the effort we have been making. So Buddhism should change, it should not be completed. One after another, we must have new teachers, and we must improve our understanding of the teaching from an immature one to a mature one. We should study this sutra with this in mind.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Founders

Nowadays we have various sects in China and Japan, but why so many founders of various schools make that kind of effort is only to understand who was Buddha. When someone found Buddha was such and such person, he became a founder of some school. All the effort we have been making is to know who is Buddha and what was his teaching. So, for a Buddhist, Buddha is not just a historical person. He is truth itself.

Photo of Chinese Temple by Eric Arnow

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

A Scroll for Mitsu Suzuki

I treasured my many years of studying tea with Mrs. Suzuki. My feelings about art were so influenced by the simplicity of the tearoom and the beautiful scrolls and flower arrangements that always greeted me. Recently I had the urge to try my hand at putting together my own scroll in honor of Mrs. Suzuki. My assemblage is 38" x 20". Titled "Seasons" - Linda Lupo Wong

Linda's cuke page - with links to her art pages and more

Mitsu Suzuki cuke page

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Alan Rabold's Buddhist study began before he came to the SF Zen Center in 1968 and continued on with Maezumi, long solo retreats, to Boulder and Trungpa and more. Listen to his podcast....cuke.com/f

Developed

The sutras usually look like they were spoken by the historical Buddha himself. But our Buddhist sutras were not actually spoken by him. So when you read sutras, if you think they were spoken by Buddha himself, you will be confused because there are actually many elements in them which did not exist in Buddha’s time. When sutras were compiled, they included various thoughts from their time. Buddhist thought developed from the understanding of the direct disciples of Buddha to that of Buddhists several generations afterward.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Many Buddhas

Maitreya Buddha is the buddha who will come. There must be a future buddha too. We call him by the name of Maitreya. Buddha attained enlightenment and saw his Dharma Nature, so he became the Nirmanakaya Buddha. And he also knew the source of his buddhahood. He recognized himself as the seventh patriarch or seventh buddha. Before Buddha there were seven buddhas. But seven doesn’t mean just seven, but many. He didn’t say, “I am the first one.” He acknowledged many buddhas before him. He is one of the many buddhas, and he is Maitreya Buddha also.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Patriarchs

What we mean by “buddha,” what we mean by “patriarchs” is the same. When we point out, one by one as successive teachers, we call them first, second, third patriarch. But they are all buddhas. So, not different, but the way we call them is different.	DAITO KOKUSHI by Shunso Shoshu (1750-1835)
—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

One Whole Buddhism

Since we have arrived at this kind of understanding, there will be no need to talk about what Theravada or Mahayana Buddhism is. All Buddhism, whether it is Theravada or Mahayana, is one whole Buddhism. This is how we have transmitted his teaching from Buddha to us. And the purpose of this scripture is to describe our Dharma Nature.

From Bali Vipassana Retreat Report, April 2016

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

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Peter Coyote is a Zen teacher, writer, activist, actor, and that's just a start. Visit his Cuke page to listen to his podcast, learn about his new book and much more. Keep an eye out for a second podcast with Peter on our Podcast page.

http://cuke.com/f

Buddha Becomes Real Buddha

Buddha understood how he should help others. But he was Buddha because he is Enlightened One. He was illuminated in his own nature, Dharma Nature, and everyone’s nature. So, he knows who he is. And for him there are no disciples, and there is no objective world. So, he says all sentient beings are his sons, part of him. So, only when we understand Buddha as Sambhogakaya Buddha and Dharmakaya Buddha, Buddha becomes real Buddha.

Gandhara Buddha at SFZC

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

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Interview with Bob Walter

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Prescriptions

Buddha did not stick to the words he told. He was like a great doctor who gives his patient a prescription. According to the person, he gave various prescriptions. So that is just a prescription, and he did not have any idea of giving the same prescription [laughs] to various patients.

Photo of Dr. Richard Levine by Sophie Tanbert Gehan

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Nirmanakaya Buddha Is Within Ourselves

The way to help others, and the way we preserve our teaching, and the way we practice Buddhism is different—there is a difference between Nirmanakaya Buddha and Sambhogakaya Buddha. But when we realize that our practice includes everything, why don’t we include a Nirmanakaya Buddha? Shakyamuni Buddha is included in our practice. So, all the Shakyamuni buddhas and all the Nirmanakaya buddhas, all at once will attain enlightenment, when we practice zazen [laughs]. So, Nirmanakaya Buddha is within ourselves.

Jizo Bosatsu and Kanzeon Bosatsu statues

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

No Objective World Anymore

You are a part of me, you know. If we reach this kind of understanding when practicing zazen, you have no “you” and no “others”; your practice includes everything. Everything will take place within yourself. So, there is no objective world anymore. So, without trying to help others, you will help others anyway. That is Sambhogakaya Buddha.

Sokoji 1968

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Universal Nature

How to help others as Nirmanakaya Buddha is to take various forms and give them some handy help. But as Sambhogakaya Buddha we should know our nature. And we should realize that there is no “I” and no “you”—it is all one being. When we realize this nature, which is universal, we can help others without trying to help others because whatever we do, that is our activity.

Sunday school at Sokoji

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Ri and Ji

The Japanese term for truth is ri, and the Japanese term for various beings is ji. Ji and ri are very important, key technical words in Buddhism. When we realize ri in its true sense, we are Sambhogakaya Buddha. When we observe things as we observe the objective world, and when we want to help people involved in the objective or materialistic world, we are Nirmanakaya Buddha.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Sometimes

So, sometimes dharma means teaching, sometimes reality, sometimes it means being, just something there.

Photo of temple sign in Kyoto by Andrew Atkeison

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

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Cannot See

There is no way, but [laughs] if you allow me to speak [laughs, laughter] something about Dharma Body, we call it “truth itself.” Truth. Truth is something which you cannot see. You can see the apple, but the theory of gravitation you cannot see it. But there is some theory, some truth. So, nothing happens just by accident. When something happens, there should be some reason, caused by Dharma. So, in this sense, it may be close to Dharma Nature. But we can understand in some way; we can figure out some rules. So those rules, or truth, is sometimes in Buddhism called Dharma itself. So, that is why we call it Dharma Body. It is the source of all truth.

Apple picking with Suzuki - Tassajara, Summer 1968
Photo by Brigid Meier

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Source

If I talk about something, that is already Dharma Nature. How dharma goes, what it is like. Objectively speaking, that is form. More subjectively speaking, it is its nature. But what is the source of nature? No one knows [laughs]. We know it, but we cannot say anything about it. If you say something, it is not body. It is nature. Or it is an attribute of the body. So, we do not talk about what Dharma Body is. But we understand that there must be some source.

Stylized images of hands on the walls of The Caves rockshelter.
Photo by L. S. Sleven; courtesy of the Monterey County Public Library.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.