Everything We Do Is Religion

Dogen Zenji says, “In our ordinary worldly life there is no Buddha’s way.” People understand that or not, I don’t know [laughs], but he says, “It is impossible to know what religion is in a worldly way.” But from the viewpoint of religion, there is no worldly life. Everything that we do is religion.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Featured Cuke Archives page

On the Rise of Beginner’s Mind - DC reads all extant Shunryu Suzuki on Beginner’s Mind, discusses the origins and its spread far beyond the sphere of Buddhism. Listen to the podcast.

Science, Philosophy and Religion

There is a way to study philosophy. There is a particular way to study science. There is a particular way to study religion. Religion should be studied in a religious way, not by science. A scientist cannot criticize religion unless he becomes religious [laughs]. To find the meaning of science is religion. To find the meaning of philosophy is religion. But in science and philosophy, there is no religion. This relationship is very important.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

In Its Own Place

In short, the Soto way is to use everything in its right purpose and to put everything in its own place. What should be put in a high place should be put in a high place, and what should be put on the floor should be on the floor. In America you put scriptures on the floor where you walk [laughs]. We don’t, you know. But I don’t know how to treat those scriptures in your way of life. So, until I find out, I won’t say, “Don’t put scriptures on the floor.” But this is not supposed to be treated as rubbish. This is not rubbish. Scriptures should be put on a table, or altar, or in your hands. Those small things are very important.

Image generated by Microsoft Copilot

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Intellectual Study

When we study Buddhism intellectually, we should be concentrated on this as well as our practice. Just practice alone is not so good, because you may practice zazen for the sake of something. You will abuse your Zen practice if you mix pure practice with various fancy or wrong practices.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

One Cover

When all of us are concentrated on this point [see yesterday’s post], there will not be any religious sectarianism. Because we start from some particular philosophy of religion, we have various sectarianisms. When we have just one lid which covers various pans and bowls [laughs], there will be no problem. Our cover, our philosophy, is not the same philosophy as usual philosophers provide for us.

Drawing by Leonardo.AI

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Fundamental Desire

And our true nature is very primitive, of course. And at the same time, it could be very, very refined and deep, a lofty desire. In this primitive, fundamental desire there are true strengths and various possibilities. But if you start from a fancy idea of religion, you will be more confused. So, to realize why we study religion is to find out the meaning of our fundamental desire—how important it is, and how miraculous it is, and how much possibility it has.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

No Gaining Ideas

We say don’t study religion with a gaining idea. Gaining ideas are not based on your true nature. That’s a very superficial desire—not so deep as hunger. When we give up various gaining ideas, we will find out our true nature.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Fancy Religion

According to Buddha, or our patriarchs, or founders of various religions, you should not have too fancy an idea about religion. A religion should be understood by the most foolish man [laughs], not only by learned wise men. A wise man’s religion is very complicated and very fancy. If he is too great, you will be attached to his religion. We should not attach to some particular religion.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Universal Religion

If you are caught by some fancy idea of religion, and you don’t know what religion is yours [laughs]—Buddhism, Christianity, an Indian religion, or some native folk religion—you don’t know what to choose. Sometimes every religion looks the same. Sometimes they don’t look the same. But when religion is studied in the simplest way, the most universal way, for instance, want of sleep, or hunger, or pain, we will reach the universal religion, universal religion even to animals. Here we have a common playground. Everyone will play in this common playground.

Image generated by Microsoft Copilot

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

How We Feel

Through problems we will realize our true nature. When I am hungry, what I feel is what you feel when you are hungry [laughs]. There might be some difference, but not much. And how you feel when you sit is how everyone feels when they sit. Strictly speaking, that is enough, even if you do not attain enlightenment [laughs]. If everyone sits and finds out how they feel when sitting, that’s good enough.

Photo by Barbara Lubanski-Wenger

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Upasama (formerly Reuven ben Yuhmin) was a student of Shunryu Suzuki, a great gardener at Tassajara, who's been living in a Theravada monastery near Perth, Australia, for the last twelve years. This is the second podcast with Upasama. Listen to the podcast and read more about him.

True Nature and Pain

When you are healthy and practice zazen in this way, true nature is just calm and inexplicable. But when you have some actual problem like when you have pain in your legs, you will have direct experience of your true nature [laughs]. But don't mistake that for true nature. That is true nature plus something—plus your painful legs. Something is added to true nature, and true nature takes the form of pain. This relationship is very important, and if you understand this relationship, your true nature and your pain, that is a key to solving all the problems of life.

Image created by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Come In and Go Out

[In Zen practice] we do not consider our sensitivity or thinking. Whatever images come, you just accept them and let them go out. [Laughs.] And whatever sounds you hear, you let them come in and let them go out. When you do not pay any attention to outward objects, you will find out your true nature.

Photo from SFZC.org

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Universal

We say we have two kinds of knowledge: intuitive knowledge and thinking or discriminating knowledge. Scientific and philosophical knowledge are the dualistic thinking knowledge. As long as we use words and we think with words, it is impossible to reach the absolute conclusion. When we just resume our own nature, which is universal to everyone, we can realize our true nature, which is universal to human beings and even animals, and plants, and all existence. And that is why in Zen practice we stop our mind.

Jane Hirshfield with her horse

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Encourage Your Practice

The only way is just to practice Zen with right understanding. If you do not have right understanding, your practice will be mixed up with some other practice. And in America there are so many misunderstandings of Zen. Through Shobogenzo we have to polish our practice, and we have to keep our practice from various misunderstandings. That is why we have Shobogenzo. That is why in sesshin I should talk. The purpose of my talk is not to give you some knowledge, but to encourage your practice without being interested in the philosophical depth of our system.

Photo by Renshin Bunce

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Why We Have a Philosophy of Zen

The Soto school has a pretty deep philosophy, but as I said last night, the Shobogenzo, or the philosophy of Zen, is just a lid, just a cover of a pan. People may be interested in Zen, but without some intellectual understanding, it is difficult to figure out what Zen is. So that is why we have a philosophy of Zen. But with philosophy you cannot have a true understanding of Zen. Zen should be understood by Zen, by practice of Zen, not by philosophy—even by reading Shobogenzo, you cannot [laughs] actually realize what Zen is.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Becoming Yourself - A New Book of Shunryu Suzuki Lectures

Becoming Yourself: Teachings on the Zen Way of Life

Shunryu Suzuki lectures, edited by Jiryu Rutschman-Byler and Sojun Mel Weitsman

Available now on Amazon

In a Religious Way

There are many scientists who become interested in religion. Some of them are perhaps interested in true religion, but some will not have a true understanding of religion. As long as their understanding is limited to the scientific realm, it is impossible to know what true religion is because religion should be understood in a religious way. Religion is not understood through philosophy or science.

Physicist (and Zen student) Doug Greiner

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Diane Renshaw  began Zen practice at Tassajara in 1978, received lay ordination in 1993, and has been working with Tassajara on a native plant project for 25 years. Diane lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is an experienced botanist, birdwatcher, and ecologist. In this podcast we hear about her life as a scientist and a Buddhist—and more.

Without True Practice

Without true practice it is impossible to realize our true nature. Of course, what we do in our everyday life, whether we are aware of it or not, is based on our true nature. True nature drives us to do things, but if you do not understand, or if you do not realize what true nature is, and if you have no system to know the actual meaning of your true nature, you will get into confusion.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Through Practice

The conclusion of my talk is always why we should practice zazen. This is not just casual talk. And basically, my talk is based on the Shobogenzo. Fortunately, we have a complete system of how to understand true religion. True religion cannot be understood in a philosophical or a scientific way. The only way to understand or to realize our true nature is just through practice.

Photo by Renshin Bunce

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

A New Book by Les Kaye

I Had a Good Teacher

“interweaves Les Kaye’s Dharma talks with personal stories to reveal the subtleties of integrating Zen practice into a life of work and family. It includes fascinating memories of Suzuki Roshi and short writings about events at the zendo, including the time Steve Jobs visited Les for guidance integrating work and spiritual practice. I Had a Good Teacher is an excellent introduction to Zen in daily life, a warm portrait of a great Zen teacher, and a reminder to meditators to return to basics, keep their meditation real, and practice awareness all day long.” - on Amazon

Review by Jon M. Sweeney on Spirituality & Practice

Les's page on cuke.com

Beyond Discussion

We don’t know why we should try to improve ourselves. No one knows. There is no reason for it, or it is beyond discussion. Even though you cannot discuss it, our true nature is so big. It is out of our intellectual understanding, so it makes no sense even if you discuss it. “What are you talking about?” [Laughs.] Those who are aware of it will laugh at you if you discuss why it is so big a problem to discuss. This is why we bow to Buddha.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

This Awareness

If you understand about true nature, you will find the true nature within yourself and in every existence. Flowers have this nature. Even though it is cold, they are preparing for spring. Even though they do not know it, they are making good effort to come up in the spring. So when we become aware of it, we will know that this nature we have is universal nature to every existence. But this awareness of true nature is limited to human beings. So, this awareness is very important, and this awareness is, in short, to try to do something good is our spirit.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Publishers Weekly Interview about Tassajara Stories

Cathy Grossman, the religion editor for Publishers Weekly, did a nice brief interview with me about the upcoming Tassajara Stories book. Here 'tis. The book is coming out September 23rd.

Difficulty and Pleasure

Because we are not so good we try to improve ourselves. And we are aware of having some intention to improve ourselves. This intention is limited to human beings. Flowers may come out in the spring without fail, but they do not make any effort; they automatically come out, that’s all. We try to do the right thing at the right time, but we find it very difficult. In this sense we are very stupid [laughs, laughter]. Even though we try, we cannot make it, but this is our human nature. We always try to do something and have some difficulty. But this point is very important for us. That is why we have pleasure as human beings, because it is difficult, and we are always making some effort. That effort results in our pleasure of human life. This pleasure is limited to human beings, and this is called our true nature.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Renshin Bunce began practicing with Steve Stucky in 1994. In 2013 she received dharma transmission from him. Her website is renshinbunce.com. Go there for info on her in-person and Zoom sitting groups. She's published three books on Amazon: on Steve Stucky, hospice work, and practicing at Tassajara. Her cuke.com page has links to her many photos or go to flickr.com/photos/renshin. Listen to this podcast to learn lots more.

Oneness in Duality

Another meaning of bowing is: As long as we live, we have a body here, and we have to think something. So, Buddha practiced Zen, and we practice Zen. Everyone when we practice Zen, we are called Buddha. And Buddha Mind, or Bodhisattva Mind is a spirit. To attain oneness in duality is, in short, our spirit.

Image generated by Microsoft Copilot

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Buddha Bows to Buddha

We bowed nine times this morning. Bowing to Buddha is actually a kind of practice to get rid of our self-centered ideas—to give ourselves completely to Buddha. I mean to give our physical and intellectual life to Buddha because it is based on Buddha Nature. So even when we forget all about it, still we have Buddha Nature, and Buddha bows to Buddha. That is one meaning of bowing.

Photo by Sheldon A. Brody. Courtesy ICP, NY. Image from: tricycle.org.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Zen and Precepts Is One

You have freedom. You are not enslaved by Buddha Nature, by a moral code. And a moral code is not always the same. It is not permanent. Strictly speaking, there is a moral code whatever you do. So, we say, Zen and precepts is one. In everyday life we call it precepts, and in practice of zazen we call it Zen. So, Zen and everyday life should be the self-use of our true nature. In this sense, precepts and Zen are not different. This is a very important point.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Freedom and Morality

Some may say, “Whatever we do is Buddha Nature, so it doesn’t matter what I do.” This is a misunderstanding. Morality without Buddha Nature is just a rigid moral code in which you will be enslaved. But if you become aware of Buddha Nature, innate nature, that is freedom, that is not rigid precepts. You act by your own choice, and you act according to your true nature. So, that is complete freedom. And that is also morality.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

True Freedom

So, in our everyday life, we should observe the precepts, instead of leaving Buddha responsible. We should be responsible, but at the same time we have freedom. There is no need for us to be bound by precepts. Precepts are formulated by our own choices. As long as we take activity consciously, there is freedom, and at the same time, we should be responsible for that. This is true freedom.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Decisions

When we make decisions, we listen to Buddha Nature. “What should I do?” That’s all. So, here in your everyday life you have precepts, and you have freedom too. Whatever you do, that is up to you. As long as you have freedom you yourself make decisions, so you should be responsible for them. You should not say, “Buddha should be responsible for it [laughs]. I am not responsible for that.”

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.