More Human

And artistic expression of the teaching also is not perfect. But in art, too, that which was painted may be more real than actual existence [laughs]. It is the same thing with our teaching. Our teaching may seem more human than actual human nature.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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

Intellectual study of Buddhism is of course necessary, but you should not stay at the edge of Buddhism. Intellectually, Patriarchs made a great effort. Even though they were often treated as heretics, they studied from a pure intellectual point of view and tried not to ignore the smallest illogical point of Buddhism. Historically there is some doubt about our lineage especially before Bodhidharma. Today everyone knows that the names and connections are not historically perfect, but we also know that Buddhism has been transmitted from warm hand to warm hand from Buddha’s time until our own day. The fact and spirit of the teaching have been transmitted. Historical or scientific studies are not perfect. There is a limit to scientific truth.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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.

As Your Own

It is necessary to have some aim in our life. The supreme aim as a Buddhist is to be a successor of our ancestors, to be a successor of the patriarchs. That is the most important point. Otherwise, you are studying Buddhism from the outside. You are always an outsider. For outsiders Buddhism is nothing. When you accept it as your own and when you try to develop it as your own, then Buddhism has tremendous meaning for us.

Image modified by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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://cuke.com/f → https://www.cuke.com/pdf-2013/wind-bell/70-01-pages2-12.pdf or https://www.cuke.com/people/dixon-trudy.htm

Two Arrows Zen - Trudy Dixon (1938–1969)

Trudy Dixon (1938–1969): The Quiet Editor Who Helped Give American Zen Its Voice
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1c9WCLGJeW/
-thanks to Andrew Main for sending the link

Effort

Japanese members year after year, they paid the bank for this building. Even when they were in [World War II internment] camps at wartime, they collected the money in the camps and paid the mortgage. They were very proud of the effort which they made in the camps. But if you compare their effort to our ancestors’ efforts in India, China, and Japan, and our patriarchs’ devotion to this teaching, it is nothing. So, we should not forget this point, and we should continue this effort forever, generation after generation.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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.

Appreciation

Buddhism has many annual year layers like big trees. And traditionally we respect those efforts which our patriarchs have made for more than two thousand years. We have made a great effort to develop Buddha’s way. And this point is very, very important for Buddhism as a religion. Without appreciation of the efforts of our patriarchs, it is difficult to have religious feeling in Buddhism.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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 True Activity of Big Existence

It is necessary to study Buddhism. But the purpose of studying Buddhism is to study ourselves, and to forget ourselves. When you forget yourselves, you resume or you will actually take the true activity of big existence or reality. When we realize this fact, there is no problem whatsoever in this world. And you can enjoy your life without having any trouble or difficulties. This is how we study Buddhism, and the purpose of this meeting or practice is to be aware of this fact.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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 Is It?

Dogen Zenji says, “To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves” [laughs]. When you forget temporal expression of big, true nature, then it is necessary to talk about it, or else you will think this is it. But this is not it [laughs]. This is it, but this is not it [laughs]. For a while this is it, for a very small particle of time it is it [laughs]. It is not always so. It is not it.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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 Mistake

So, there will not be any need to talk about ourselves. So that we may realize this fact, there is teaching about ourselves, but actually there is no need to talk about that. We ourselves already are talking about the big existence, including ourselves. So, to talk about ourselves is to correct our misunderstanding, that’s all, because we attach to the temporal form or color of the big activity. So, it is necessary to talk about what our body is, what our activity is, so that we do not make any mistake about it. So, to talk about something is to forget about ourselves.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

Sometimes We Talk About

Rinzai has four ways of practice. The perfect one is not to give a student any interpretation of themself or any stimulation to themself. If oneself is my body, the teaching is maybe our clothes. Sometimes we talk about our clothing. Sometimes we talk about our body. But a body or clothing is not actually we ourselves. We ourselves are big activity. We are just taking a very small particle of big activity, that’s all.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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://cuke.com/f

True Food

When we become discouraged, we want some medicine. When we are in good spirits, we do not want any medicine. You should not take medicine for true food. Sometimes medicine is necessary, but medicine should not be our food.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

Sangha Live 2026

Richard Baker Rōshi - Sunday Sangha
July 12, 2026

11 am PDT (LA) / 2 pm EDT (NY) / 7 pm BST (London) / 8 pm CEST (Paris).

90-minute live session.

https://sangha.live/free_live/sunday-sangha-12th-july-2026/

Just Medicine

Buddhism is the same thing as having breakfast and going to bed. This is Buddhism. Of course, some encouragement is necessary for us, but that encouragement is just encouragement. It is not the purpose or true purpose of practice. That is just medicine.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

Doing What We Should Do

So, to hear, or to know what Buddhism is, or to feel something about Buddhism is not the main point. Whether Buddhism is good or bad [laughs] is not the question. We don’t mind whatever this is [laughs]. Buddhism is not good or bad. We are doing what we should do. That is Buddhism.

Image modified by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

Something Unusual

Image from: wikimedia.org

When we hear the sound of a pine tree on a windy day, perhaps the wind is just blowing, and pine tree is just standing in the wind. That’s all they are doing [laughs]. But people who hear it will make a poem or will feel something unusual. That is, I think, the way everything goes.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

Deep Feeling

At Eiheiji for us monastic life was usual life, and people who came from the city were unusual people [laughs]. We felt, “Oh, some unusual people came” [laughs]. We thought we were quite usual. But once you go out from Eiheiji and come back to Eiheiji, and hear the various sounds of practice, or hear them reciting sutras, you will feel deep feeling. Tears will flow out of your mouth and eyes and nose [laughter]. It is people who are outside of the monastery who feel something about it. Those who are practicing actually do not feel anything [laughs].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

That’s All

When I was at Eiheiji, everyone was just doing what they should do. That’s all. It is the same thing as having breakfast in the morning [laughs]. That’s how we did everything in Eiheiji monastery. When we had to sit, we sat. That’s all. When we should bow to Buddha, we bowed to Buddha. That’s all. And when we were practicing there, we did not feel anything special. We did not even feel we were having monastic life.

Photo from Way of Eiheiji record set

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

Memorial Service

Ten Year Memorial for Former Abbess Zenkei Blanche Hartman

City Center
July 11, 2026, 7:10am - 7:45am

https://www.sfzc.org/calendar/events/city-center/ten-year-memorial-former-abbess-zenkei-blanche-hartman-cc-711

Featured Cuke Archives page

https://cuke.com/f

Practice and Everyday Activity

The study you make here is a part of your everyday life, a part of your incessant activity. In this sense there is no difference between the practice here, and the everyday activity you have in everyday life. So, to find out the meaning of your life here is to find out the meaning of your everyday activity. To be aware of the meaning of your life, you practice zazen here.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

To Study

Sometimes without teaching, when you do not hear anything and just sit, you have everything. And teaching is not sufficient, and awareness of yourself is not sufficient. So, the purpose of practice in this place is to study ourselves. To be independent, we study. But you need a teacher because it is impossible to study you by yourself; by some means you have to study. But you should not make a mistake. You should not take what you have learned here for yourselves. It is a part of your activity, everyday activity.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

Four Ways

Image from Wikipedia

Rinzai analyzed how to teach his disciples in four ways. Sometimes he talks about disciples; sometimes he talks about teaching itself; sometimes he gives an interpretation of both teaching and himself; sometimes he does not give any instruction about the students or teaching because even though he does not speak about anything, a student is a student. Strictly speaking there is no need to teach because each is Buddha, whether or not they are aware of it. Even though one is aware of their true nature, if they attach to the awareness, that is already wrong. When one is not aware of it, they have everything, but when they become aware of it, they think what they are aware of is themself. So that’s a big mistake.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.

Be Independent

The moment you meet a teacher, you should leave the teacher, and you should be independent. So that you can be independent, you have a teacher to study yourself. You have teachers for yourselves, not for the teacher.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-09-09 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.