Direct Experience Based on Strong Conviction

In short, Zen will be understood by your direct experience. And if you want to have direct understanding, you must have some confidence, strong conviction to study it. “Whatever happened, I must understand it.” This is very important. “How long it takes it doesn't matter. I will study it.” Without this kind of direct experience based on strong conviction, you cannot attain enlightenment.
—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-19 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

No Need To Hear

Once Yakusan, the famous Zen master in China, was asked to give the monks a lecture. “It has been a long time since you gave us a lecture, so please give a lecture.” After Sesshin, he went up to the altar and came down, and went his room without saying anything. So, for him, one minute was enough. For me, it takes twenty minutes; for him, one minute. 

His Jisha asked him, after he went back to his room, “Why didn't you give them a lecture, some word.” And he said, “I am a Zen master. So I will not say anything. If you want to study Zen, you should listen to some Buddhist philosopher and he will explain it in detail. I am a Zen Master, and to practice with you is my vow. For me there is no need to speak, and for my students there is no need to hear a lecture.”

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-19 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Special Guest Speaker David Chadwick

From All Beings Zen Sangha: Saturday October 19, 2024, 11am EST – Special Guest Speaker David Chadwick – David Chadwick, is author of Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki and Poobah of Cuke Archives which includes cuke.com, shunryusuzuki.com, Cuke Archives Daily Blog, and more. He says, “I rarely give talks. Mainly I like to talk with people. I’ll talk about the Sandokai and Suzuki Roshi’s talks on it. I can keep going solo but interaction is best.” Use this link to join. If asked for a password use 903814. (Online only.)

The Teaching Will Come In

Whether you understand a teacher intellectually or not is not the point. We say, when you attend a lecture, even if you are sleeping, it is all right. [Laughs, laughter.] It is all right because the teaching will come right into your home, through your nose, or skin. So, there is no need to listen with your ears. This is enough [laughs.] So, to listen with an empty mind is very important as you practice zazen.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-19 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Listen To

Zen is not something to study, maybe like you study science or philosophy. Zen is something to listen to. “Listen to” means with an empty mind, to accept the truth without seeking what your teacher says. Just listen to it with an empty mind. Then his words will penetrate into your mind.

Shunryu Suzuki, Richard Baker, Dan Welch, Peter Schneider and Chino-sensei behind Dan

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-19 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Featured Cuke Archives page

David talks about his recent month spent at Dharma Sangha's Zen Buddhist center in the Black Forest of Germany. The high point of the trip was the passing of the abbotship of Dharma Sangha from Zentatsu Richard Baker to Tatsudo Nicole Baden. Read about it and listen to the podcast.

Communicate

This kind of paradoxical statement [that is Zen, that is not Zen] could be understood just by your tummy, by your zazen, or else you don’t understand. That is how we communicate with each other, without sticking to words. You should directly communicate with each other, not by words. This is very important.

Etching by Mayumi Oda

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-19 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Talking

Actually, Zen is not something to talk about, and also it is something to talk about [laughs.] If you understand Zen in that way, your understanding will be perfect. If someone asks you, “What is Zen?” you may say, “Whatever you say, that is Zen.” And you may say, at the same time, “Whatever you say, it is not Zen.” [Laughs] both are true for us.

Suzuki talking with boys on the way to Tassajara

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-19 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Constantly

You should not interpret words always in the same way. It is how we study Buddhism. If we read the same word the same way every time, that is another mistake. So constantly, we must open our eyes, open our mind, and see the situation. That is the point.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-08 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Human Nature

Maybe human nature is understood in two ways. In comparison to buddha-nature, we say human nature in its humble sense and humble attitude. But when most people say human nature, they may think, because this is human nature [taps something repeatedly], there’s nothing wrong with having human nature for a human being [laughs]. So, I can do whatever I like! That is another kind of understanding of human nature. When we understand human nature in its more humble way, in comparison to perfect nature, then human nature makes sense. That is what we mean by human nature.

Shunryu Suzuki Ordaining Mel Weitsman

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-08 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.