For the Sake of Buddhism

We say a gaining idea is not good [laughs]. It is also a gaining idea, maybe, but a gaining idea to be good is not wrong. It is so-called way-seeking mind. “Practicing Buddhism for the sake of Buddhism.” That is true practice. Practicing Buddhism for the sake of something else; that is a gaining idea.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-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.

Improve

Student: Our inmost request, then, is a request for perfection?

SR: Perfection [laughs] is not so good a word—but to improve ourselves, knowing that our effort is not strong enough or we are not sincere enough. That is why we want some good examples. A good example will encourage our practice, and it will help whether our practice is good or bad.

Image modified by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-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.

Imperfect Practice

When you are critical of your practice, usually it’s because you have some other purpose or aim. You become critical not by inmost request, but because of some gaining idea. In this case, to be critical of your practice is not good. But, if we accept our imperfect practice, trying to be perfect is our inmost request. If so, not to be perfect itself, but to be aware of our imperfect practice is an expression of our inmost request. If you understand in this way, that is right understanding.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-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.

Critical

Our inmost request itself may be critical of our practice. But usually when we become critical of our practice, we have some other purpose in our practice, like because we think our practice is not good enough to attain enlightenment [laughs].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-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.

One Existence

“Outflow,” that is opposite to our way. Your energy comes out from whatever it is, body or mind. You should be one existence when you sit. There is no outside and no inside when you sit. It is not even to see inward. It is just to sit. No inside and no outside. Just one existence.

Image modified by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-A 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.

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Pretty Good

After trying to polish ourselves until we think our practice is good, we will be recognized by our patriarchs, by Buddha, and by our teacher. Then you are pretty good—not perfect, but pretty good.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-A 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.

Imperfect

We are not talking about something very difficult. If we are quite sincere with ourselves, and if we are conscientious—not conscientious, but if we are aware of our idle practice and ashamed of it, that’s the way. Even though we are not perfect, if we are aware of our imperfection, that is good, very good.

(Image edited by Google Gemini)

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-A 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.

Confidence

Before you have full confidence in yourself, you will not be certified by anyone. Even though someone says you are good, it doesn’t mean anything. So, your confidence is first. There is no other way than to be confident in yourself.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-A 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.

Full Activity

The Fifth Patriarch in Japan was rather proud of his deep understanding of Buddhism. So Keizan Zenji did not accept him [laughs] because naturally he could not see the double moon. When you forget yourself, you have full strength. But it does not mean to be lazy or to become wood or stone. You are alive, and your mind is not working. You are in full activity, but your activity is not relying on anything. That is, you know, zazen.

Fifth Chan Patriarch

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-A 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.