Clever or Dull

In the Shobogenzo, Dogen Zenji says that whether one is clever or dull doesn’t matter. If we practice zazen, we will get the same attainment. This is Buddhist understanding, or a Buddhist idea, of human character. This point should always be remembered, especially by the intelligent ones. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-02-00-D - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig for links to the full Shunryu Suzuki lecture and the source of the photo.

Mel Weitsman's Shuso Ceremony at Tassajara, Fall 1970.

BR on ZMBM

Richard Baker (AKA Baker Roshi) is currently giving weekly live stream talks on ZMBM. Registration is here https://www.dharmasangha.org/progams/zen-mind-beginner-s-mind-part-iv

Also Crestone has 4 other dharma talks by BR up on their site.

 

https://www.dharmasangha.org/online-events/free-online-teachings

 

thanks David Silva

Shunryu Suzuki Spontaneous Calligraphy

Read the story behind it here.

Note the use of Rev in signature

Everyone Is a Bodhisattva

But according to this sutra, even before Dipankara there were so many Bodhisattvas, like Srigarba, whose enlightened name is Vimalanetra, or like Varaprabha, or Kandrasuryapradipa. And what does this mean? Actually, there is no first bodhisattva. Actually, everyone is a bodhisattva. This sutra suggests this kind of teaching. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-02-00-D - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig for links to the full Shunryu Suzuki lecture and the source of the photo.

Fall 1991, Hokubei Sesshin

Complicated but Clear

You should know how complicated our Dharma is. Very complicated, but very clear. But to make it clear, we have to make a good effort. Sometimes if you read those scriptures, you may think that there’s no truth in them, that they are just fairy tales or stories, but it is not so. The underlying thought is very deep and accurate. So, as long as we are studying it, we should make it clear. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-02-00-C - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig for links to the full Shunryu Suzuki lecture and the source of the photo.

Carl Bielefeldt

No Need to Remember

When I was young, I would go to school by train. As long as the train was going, I was sleeping, but when the train stopped, I woke up. I woke up suddenly because I had to get off. As long as my tedious lecture is going, you may sleep. If I stop my lecture, you should wake up. There will be no need to remember these things, you know. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-02-00-C - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig for links to the full Shunryu Suzuki lecture and the source of the photo.

Not Trying to Win an Argument

 Ted Howell sent this apropos of a discussion he was having with Taiyo Lipscomb and Frank Kilmer. There was something a certain organization was doing that we all found a little troubling. Ted wisely included this piece on not arguing to set us all on a peaceful path in further discussing it. It's a piece Jiryu posted a few years ago called Don't Win the Argument - Rouse the Conscience.

A Monk Walking

Buddha’s disciples converted many learned scholars to Buddhism, like Sariputra, who converted when he saw a monk walking on the street with a very steady feeling. So, we say that each one of the 250 characters of the Prajna Paramita Sutra is a bodhisattva, is Buddha. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-02-00-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig for links to the full Shunryu Suzuki lecture and the source of the photo.

Steve Stucky at a gay pride day event in SF

Our Attitude Toward Scriptures

The merit of reading this [Lotus Sutra] scripture is in finding the truth of it in our everyday activity. We read this scripture so that we can understand more perfectly and become familiar with the truth. This is our attitude toward scriptures. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-02-00-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig for links to the full Shunryu Suzuki lecture and the source of the photo.

Shunryu Suzuki and Anagarika Govinda, 1968

Reading Scripture

We also say you should read scripture with your body, but we don't mean that this scripture only has eternal truth. Universal truth is truly with this scripture, with bodhisattvas, with various kinds of followers of Buddhism, and with rivers and mountains and everything. So, to read this scripture with the body means to find the truth of it in everything, in everyday activity. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-02-00-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig for links to the full Shunryu Suzuki lecture and the source of the photo.