The Medium of Practice

If you want to accept your mind, you have to accept everything with your mind. It is impossible to accept just your mind [laughs]. Your mind always operates with something else. It is impossible to accept just the essence of mind. Even though it is called “essence of mind,” essence of mind cannot be deprived of—it needs always a medium. So you have to accept the medium or means of practice. That is zazen.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

The Purpose of Zazen

Photo of Sujun Mel Weitsman by Butch Baluyut

So just to have your own mind is the point. Then you will have everything. Then you can help others. Whatever you do, it’s all right. The point is how you have your own mind is the purpose of zazen.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Your Own Mind

The point is if you have your own mind, you will have your body, and you will have everything else. And wherever you go, that is your home. But when you do not have your own mind, and your mind is some subject to study or the subject of a psychological study, then you have no “you.” You don’t have your mind. You don’t have your body. You have no home. And you have nowhere to live. That is why you suffer.

Calligraphy by Upasama

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Invisible

Our visible world is important, but we live in a big invisible world. The visible world is not so big, but big enough to be bothered by it. To sit is to live in the invisible big world. Sooner or later we may die, and we go to the same place when we sit. That is the place where you will go [laughs].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Habits

Drawing by Stan White

If you have no capacity to accept the dream, you will suffer, that’s all. Of course, it will have some meaning. But that is like your habits. It is like drinking or smoking, some good and bad habits [laughs]. Bad habits will make you dream, you know. The habits, I mean in a wide sense, are because you are too attached to the visible world.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Dream

The small self is a dream. But big self will admit that dreams come. So if you realize big self, dreams will not bother you. You will welcome dreams. “Oh! That’s very interesting!” [Laughs.]

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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

https://www.cuke.com/dchad-writ/dc-writings-index.html

Obstacle

If there is some obstacle, it may be easy to take it away, but actually there is no obstacle [laughs]. The only obstacle which exists is the obstacle which does not exist…. You cannot compare enlightenment with some other stuff…. Not an obstacle, but the way to reach is not right. You are finding a fish on the tree [laughs]. That is an obstacle.

Image generated by Leonardo.ai

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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 Way

In that center we exist, you know. But if you try to understand you yourself, there is no way to reach you yourself. Even though you suffer and struggle, even if you spend your whole life to reach to yourself, it is impossible. So I think someone who thinks he attained perfect enlightenment may be crazy [laughs].

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Holiness

The West tried for a long time to remove the idea of holiness and to establish human authority in the intellectual realm. And they thought it would disappear, but fortunately or unfortunately it didn’t [laughs]. So the idea of holiness itself is still—not a question, but they found out it is impossible to give an interpretation to it. It is like there is no way to catch it. If it is on the surface, it may be easy to pick it up. But it is so bottomless, and it is too deep to reach. But still, we know it. We should acknowledge it, but it is impossible to take it up.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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 Idea

There is no idea of buddha-nature or for buddha-nature. But there are many ideas of many things. So we count, or we quantify various ideas one by one. Then something which is left [laughs] is an idea of buddha-nature.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Struggle

If you do not have the idea of buddha-nature or inmost request, you have to be concerned with some visible rules, and you have to be attached to something. That will not work so good. So the best thing is to confront your problem. That is the best way. And to suffer and to struggle [laughs] is the best way. Then you will have deeper and deeper religious experience.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Discipline

Student: What attitude can we take towards disciplining ourselves? 

Suzuki: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That’s very good question. And it is difficult to know by yourself, actually. So that is why it is better to practice with people. If there is a set of rules or an explanation, it may be easier. But unfortunately, we are not all the same. So the practice is for you, and you are practicing. So strictly speaking, there is no rule and no standard to say this is good or bad, right or wrong. That is why we emphasize buddha-nature.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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

Podcasts Page

Here, Now

Enlightenment should not be cut off from “me,” you know. “Ten years ago, I attained enlightenment, but it doesn’t work today” [laughter]. That was enlightenment ten years ago. It is impossible to cut off the enlightenment from my life and give the enlightenment to someone else. That is impossible. Enlightenment should be here, now, in this moment.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

The Oneness of a Human Being

The most important thing is to realize the oneness of a human being. Sometimes people do two opposite things. On one hand [laughing], they work for civil rights, and on the other hand, they are doing something opposite. This kind of mistake is pretty common. So, even though a movement is good, it should not be cut off from our everyday life. As a part of everyday life, we should participate in the movement. Then the movement will be successful. Only to join the movement on Saturday or Sunday [laughing] to make a procession—that’s not so good, I think.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Best Way

I think Buddhists should have deep concern about peace movements. Buddhists should be concerned if it is right. But we should not mix up just an organization itself and our true desire to help others. And the best way may be to allow the true spirit of a peace movement for people in its true sense. So, the most important thing is to spread Buddhism—to make people know what is Buddhism is the best way.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Fear of Death

For a religious mind there is no fear of death. The fear of death exists in the realm of thinking or emotions. When you attach to something, for instance, that is the beginning of the fear of death. When you attach to your body, that is fear of death. And when you don’t know what will become of you, you will become very uneasy. That is fear of death. But for a person who has become aware of their inmost request or inmost nature or absolute nature, that is a more important thing than a physical body. It is so. When you are not serious enough, you fear death. But when you become very serious about yourself, you will not be afraid of losing your body.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

David Chadwick - Tricycle Obituary

https://tricycle.org/article/david-chadwick-has-died/

Understand Yourself

If you are confronting the problem you have, you will understand it. To understand you yourself is the most important thing. After that I don’t know! [Laughter.]

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Enlightened

If you understand enlightenment is something which is difficult to attain, that is wrong understanding. Did you understand what I said, and do you agree with what I am saying? Then you are enlightened. I think you are still, you know, thinking [laughter] or wondering—

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

For Everyone

This kind of story was told by Buddha so that people would not make any mistake about him. If he said, “I am the first one,” people would make a big mistake [laughter]. So, he said, “I am not the first one.” But at the same time, he said, “This is not the first time for me to attain enlightenment. I attained enlightenment many, many times.” It means his enlightenment is for everyone. Everyone has his enlightenment.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.