Lost in Duality

If you ignore true “I,” which chooses “What should I do?” then you will be lost in duality. “What shall I do? This way or that way?” Just duality—you will suffer in duality. When you have a strong inmost request, a strong desire to do the right thing, there’s no alternative. The conclusion will be indubitably found out.

Image generated by ChatGPT

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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

Marsha Angus  has been a therapist for many in and out of the SFZC realm for decades. She received lay ordination in 1979 from Richard Baker, was shuso at SFZC in 2007 and received lay entrustment in 2010 from Dairyu Michael Wenger. She started practicing at Green Gulch Farm in 1975. She lives in Mill Valley with her partner, Kiku Christina Lehnherr. Listen to the podcast and learn more.

Not Dualistic

When we practice something, it is of course dualistic. Our practice may be dualistic. But when you practice with awareness of this inmost “I,” your practice is not dualistic anymore. Your practice looks dualistic, but your practice is done by the inmost request of your nature. That is not dualistic.

Image generated by ChatGPT

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Belated RIP Alice Haspray

 Just recently learned that Alice Haspray died a year go. 

Farewell dear friend from long ago and more recently. It's been good to know you.

Tribute to Alice on Chronicles of CTR

Alice and Richard Haspray cuke page

Inmost Nature

Yesterday I explained something about our inmost nature. This nature is not possible to study by science, or philosophy. This nature cannot be an object of study. We can point at it, but we cannot study what it is. For instance, when you choose one of two ways, it is not possible to know what that “you” is. You choose one of two ways. “What shall I do?” you may ask. It is not possible to figure out what that “I” is.

Image generated by ChatGPT

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Practice Covers Everything

In the Soto School, most Zen masters do not use koans because we stress the self-use of one sole existence. Our practice covers everything. When you do something, that practice covers everything. So, in our religious experience there is no duality. Our religious experience is not in a thinking or even a contemplative realm. That is why we do not use koans, even though koans are useful of course. But they will not help us to have ultimate religious experience.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Paradox

There is always paradox in philosophical study. It cannot be helped. And there is truth, you know. Where there is paradox there is truth if you have eyes to see [laughs]. But as long as you are confined to philosophical study, you have no eyes to see through paradoxical statements. Philosophy is good because it is paradoxical. So, we Buddhists use paradoxical expressions. It should be paradoxical, so we apply paradoxical expressions as philosophers do. And we do not think that is paradoxical.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Yoga Practice

If yoga practice is good, it’s all right. It is not yoga practice itself, but in what way or purpose they practice yoga is the very important point. It is like medicine: If you take it in a proper way, it is all right, but not if you rely on it too much. So, yoga practice is not the only way to help you [laughs]. We should know that I think.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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

Life in Bali - Independence Day - August 17, 2025, 80th anniversary of Indonesia's Independence from the Netherlands. Ketut, Kadek, and I attend a sunrise concert of jazz great Indra Lesmana at the beach in front of Bali Beach Hotel, and I DC reminisce about when Katrinka and I used to live in that area and free associate some. Listen to the podcast.

"O Mother Gaia: The World of Gary Snyder"

An excellent film called O Mother Gaia: The World of Gary Snyder was completed in April 2025, just in time for Gary's 95th birthday. The 100-minute film by Colin Still features extensive footage of Gary himself along with Allen Ginsberg, Michael McClure, Peter Coyote, Jane Hirschfield, Carol Koda (his late wife), and Jack Shoemaker (his publisher).

It was freely viewable online for a week in early May. A number of people very much enjoyed it, but others were not able to see it during that period.

The same film will again be freely viewable for three days this week: Tuesday-Thursday, August 19-21. To view it you need to sign in at this link: https://email.loa.org/h/i/3F28A6B75113E70C 

Wikipedia article on Gary Snyder: -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Snyder

Two related essays by Ken Knabb:

• Gary Snyder: "Buddhist Anarchism" -- https://www.bopsecrets.org/CF/garysnyder.htm
• Kenneth Rexroth: "Gary Snyder: Smokey the Bear Bodhisattva" -- https://www.bopsecrets.org/rexroth/essays/snyder.htm 

Not Pure Enough

If there is no religion, you will make an effort to utilize morality, or to make some excuse for what you do. If there is no religion, that will be your effort. Not pure enough, you know. You are just making excuses because our constitution says, “Oh, this is good, and this is bad.” But when it is not convenient, you will not say anything [laughs, laughter]. That is morality.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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 Other Way

I am not talking about ethics. What I can say now is for a person who understands that there is no alternative way to take. There is no “bad” if we understand our inmost nature. In the realm of morality there are two ways: good and bad. That is ethics. “This is good, and that is bad.” So, you have to take good instead of bad: That is morality. But that is if you live in a moral realm. But in a religious life, there is no alternative. There is only just one way. When you become quite religious, there is no other way to take. Water does not come up; it always comes down. —cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Photo by Gene DeSmidt

Two Different Matters

For me science is different. It’s from the viewpoint of a scientist. That is why even a scientist who has very advanced knowledge in a scientific way may become very superstitious [laughs]. You may say, “How is it possible for him to believe in such a primitive idea?” But some of them are quite superstitious. Science and spiritual life are quite different for him. Scientific knowledge and spiritual understanding are quite different: two matters for us.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Religion and Science

You have a very advanced science and various kinds of philosophy. And your achievements are almost perfect, especially in natural sciences. These achievements are very meaningful for us Buddhists. But Buddhists will give another interpretation from another angle. We do not change what you have achieved. We believe in your achievements. There is no room to [laughs] ignore scientific truth. But that is scientific knowledge. We should know that it is not religious knowledge which is something different. Religion understands science from another angle, without changing the conclusions. We do not doubt scientific truth. We accept scientific truth. But we will give some other interpretation to it, without changing the conclusions of science.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Proper Time, Proper Way

So our way is to do something in the proper time, in a proper way [laughs]. That is Zen, in short. And mind and object is one. Did you understand?

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Let me tell you about my journey through 35 years of Zen practice

A Life in Zen by Anshi Zachary Smith, director of the North Mountain Zendo, a zazenkai (sitting) group in North Beach, San Francisco, California - published by aeon essays. “Growing up in countercultural California, ‘enlightenment’ had real glamour. But decades of practice have changed my mind.”

Anshi Zachary Smith, Ryushin Paul Haller, Doshin Mako Voelkel

Respect Everything

When we idealize something, and when we become attached to the idea of “you,” I may abuse you. I think it is possible to abuse there, but it is not possible. When you do something which is not possible, [laughs] you will have problems, that’s all. That is why he says there is no time or space. Actually, what exists is what you see, or what you do, or what you hear in this moment. So, you must not abuse it, and you must not even try to utilize it. Just respect everything and just treat everything respectfully. That is our way.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Actual Relationships

Instead of emphasizing time and space, Dogen emphasized actual relationships which exist just now. That is why he is very strict with what we do—how we treat everything. We may abuse something because we think there is some permanent existence [laughs]. But actually, we cannot abuse anything. It would create a problem because there is no such thing which can be abused. Everything is living existence which does not have an alternative way of expression. When I say something and you are listening, there is no alternative [laughs] expression of yourself or of me.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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 Time and No Space

Dogen said, “There is no time and no space.” What he meant was no time or space as you think. Actual time is continuous and discontinuous. And it is not even a time. It is the actual growth in a flower, the actual sun rising in the east and setting in the west. This is time, actually. So, in this sense, he says there is no time and no space. What actually exists is our movement which moves in one whole existence. We are all moving, and there is some uniformity in our moving. That is actual time and space.

Image generated by ChatGPT

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Just Sit as Yourself

A direct teaching on renunciation and zazen

By Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

 Fall 2025 Tricycle Magazine

From Becoming Yourself: Teachings on the Zen Way of Life by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, edited by Jiryu Rutschman-Byler and Sojun Mel Weitsman.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Adam Beck was living at Tassajara before the SF Zen Center bought it in December of ‘66 from his parents. He was two at the time. He’s an artist now living in San Anselmo. I’ve known him through the ensuing years, so we’ve got a lot to say to each other, and he’s got a lot to say about Tassajara, Suzuki, Baker, and more in this podcast. Also, at first I apologize for an error in the prior Beginner’s Mind podcast.

Mixing Up

What I am afraid of is mixing up with religion: Zen and LSD [laughs]. There is very, very little relationship. It is quite another matter, the problem of LSD and the problem of religion are quite different matters. Actually, religious people may use it. But when we discuss something or when we want to figure out the clear idea of LSD, we must make this point clear, or else we will have useless discussion. One is going this way, and the other is going that way. And they will have no chance to meet [laughs].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Not Too Much LSD

Student: What about things like LSD? Can it help?

SR: [Laughs] I have no experience of taking LSD, but that is not so important a problem at all. I think that is just like a medicine. So of course, if you take too much medicine, [laughs] it will not be good for you. But there is no objection to taking it, I think.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Realize Our Hidden Nature

We are all Shakyamuni Buddha, but if you do not practice and train yourself, you cannot be Shakyamuni Buddha. We have hidden nature, but if we do not realize our hidden nature, we cannot be Shakyamuni Buddha. To realize his nature as your own is religion.

Image generated by leonardo.ai

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

What Should I Do With My Mind

Science will bring you some universal truth, which is like a telescope. You will have a vast sight of mind which is universal, as if you see San Francisco from Tamalpais. Of course it helps you, but [laughs] you will not be so interested in the science of minds in general. The most concerning problem for us is what should I do with my mind. And only religion will give you the answer: What should you do with your mind? This is the kind of mind religious people are very concerned about.

Drawing generated by Microsoft Copilot

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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 Piece on the Spread of Beginner’s Mind

 After I did the recent podcast on The Rise of Beginner’s Mind, I decided to put the gist of it down to something readable and called it The Spread of Beginner’s Mind. You can find it posted on the Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind page on cuke.com. There’s a link to the podcast there too. I’m going to work on this story more and do deeper research. - dc

Psychology and Religion

Psychology studies our mind as an object of study. “Here is mind which is universal to everyone. And what is the function of our mind?” This is psychology. But in religion we study our own mind. This is the difference. My own mind—not everyone’s mind [laughing]. I don’t mind some other’s mind, but we do mind our own mind [laughter]. That is religion.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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

Meiya Wender has practiced at Zen Center since 1972, was ordained as a priest in 1986 (receiving the name Luminous Night, Original Practice, Meiya Honshu), and received Dharma Transmission in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi from Tenshin Reb Anderson in 2002. She has also trained in traditional Soto Zen forms at Zuioji in Shikoku, Japan. She has held many monastic positions at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center and Green Gulch, including director, ino (head of the zendo), tenzo (head cook), and tanto (head of practice). She has studied the Way of Tea for many years, including a year at the Urasenke Midorikai program in Kyoto, and teaches Tea in Sowing the Moon Teahouse at Green Gulch. - from the SFZC site. Listen to the podcast and read more about her.

Science and Religion

The problems which cannot be solved by science will be solved by the culture of science. So, our basic foundation will be science, natural science, and cultural science. In this science, we discuss what is truth, what is beauty, what is good, and, if possible, what is holiness. But it is rather difficult to discuss holiness by cultural science. So, the last problem for us is what is holiness? What is holy nature? This problem will be solved with religion. —cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Drawing generated by Microsoft Copilot

Spiritual or Material

Science is very important. But science just studies or treats outward objects, and science will result in a materialistic understanding of life. But whether our human existence is spiritual or material is a big problem which has been discussed for a long, long time. We have no conclusion to it yet: Are we spiritual or material [laughs]? Is our mental function just an attribute of our body, or is our spiritual function the basic function for human beings? This kind of problem is not solved completely.

Image generated by Leonardo.ai and modified by Microsoft Copilot

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-D 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.

Whole Big Family

This kind of understanding of religion is so necessary for us. It is very important because it is the only way to find harmony in the various religions we have. When various religious people understand this system, religion will be one: not Buddhism, not Christianity, not one school of Christianity or Buddhism. One whole big family of religious people will be established. There is this possibility in Dogen’s understanding.

—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.