Seventy-five years ago today

The US dropped a nuclear bomb on a civilian population. Today we have much larger ones ready to launch as does Russia, enough to eliminate all higher forms of life. Other nations have joined this club and more are in line. We, all of us, don't have time to deal with this issue now and most don't even realize it's much of an issue. World Suicide. 

Continuing from yesterday

This kind of Buddha is the Buddha before we attain enlightenment. Without this confidence, you cannot even practice zazen. How can you practice zazen when you doubt, or when you are observing yourself objectively without having any subjectivity? How can you practice zazen? Only when you accept yourself, and when you really know you exist here. You cannot escape from yourself. This is the ultimate fact, that “I am here.” --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-21 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

DC Comment: This is exactly what the Advaita Vedanta gurus have said. Ramana Maharshi said that the ultimate statement is int the Bible, "I am that I am." Of course the "I" Suzuki and Ramana were refering to is the big I of all that is.

Spent my Spare Time at Tassajara 1970 on doing stuff like this

Four Bodhisattva Vows - notes - dc

Legs

Only when we stand on our own two legs can we help others. Before this, you are observing yourself, thinking, “Who am I? Have I attained enlightenment or not? Am I able to help others?” and you cannot help others. When you become just you yourself, without comparing yourself to others: “I am I. I am here. When you have difficulty, I am with you, and I can manage myself pretty well. If you like, I can help you,” that is Buddha. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-21 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Zentatsu Teisho

Richard Baker lecture on day Shunryu Suzuki died - Dec.4, 1971

I

After Buddha discovered his true nature and knew exactly who he was, he attained enlightenment and became the Sambogakaya Buddha. He became truth itself, one with himself and one with the whole universe. And he did not care for anything. He was completely satisfied with himself. And, when he became one with himself and with everything else, whatever he saw, everything had the same nature as he had. Just as he existed under the Bodhi tree as an enlightened one, as a perfect one, so everything existed in the same way. That is why Buddha said, “It is wonderful to see everything has Buddha Nature.” Just as he is, so everything is Buddha, we say. But when we say this in its true sense, it means “I am Buddha.” --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-21 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Richard Baker's

Original Mind - some early short pieces from this ongoing never published work.

One

 “Who am I, and what am I thinking? What kind of experience did I have? What kind of enlightenment did I have yesterday?” That is not true realization of oneself. To realize oneself is deeper than that kind of superficial observation of oneself. Before we objectively observe ourselves, we should be one with ourselves. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-21 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Bill Shurtleff's

Tassajara Diary

Here

When you do not care for anything, you know that “I am here” already. That is the most important point, to stand on your own two feet before you observe yourself objectively.  --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-21 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC