Best Way

I think Buddhists should have deep concern about peace movements. Buddhists should be concerned if it is right. But we should not mix up just an organization itself and our true desire to help others. And the best way may be to allow the true spirit of a peace movement for people in its true sense. So, the most important thing is to spread Buddhism—to make people know what is Buddhism is the best way.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Fear of Death

For a religious mind there is no fear of death. The fear of death exists in the realm of thinking or emotions. When you attach to something, for instance, that is the beginning of the fear of death. When you attach to your body, that is fear of death. And when you don’t know what will become of you, you will become very uneasy. That is fear of death. But for a person who has become aware of their inmost request or inmost nature or absolute nature, that is a more important thing than a physical body. It is so. When you are not serious enough, you fear death. But when you become very serious about yourself, you will not be afraid of losing your body.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

David Chadwick - Tricycle Obituary

https://tricycle.org/article/david-chadwick-has-died/

Understand Yourself

If you are confronting the problem you have, you will understand it. To understand you yourself is the most important thing. After that I don’t know! [Laughter.]

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Enlightened

If you understand enlightenment is something which is difficult to attain, that is wrong understanding. Did you understand what I said, and do you agree with what I am saying? Then you are enlightened. I think you are still, you know, thinking [laughter] or wondering—

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

For Everyone

This kind of story was told by Buddha so that people would not make any mistake about him. If he said, “I am the first one,” people would make a big mistake [laughter]. So, he said, “I am not the first one.” But at the same time, he said, “This is not the first time for me to attain enlightenment. I attained enlightenment many, many times.” It means his enlightenment is for everyone. Everyone has his enlightenment.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Many Buddhas

Student: Was there enlightenment before the historical Buddha? 

Suzuki: Yeah, according to Buddha, there were. Before he himself there were six buddhas. 

Student: How about before the first? Was there enlightenment before him? 

Suzuki: Before him? I don’t know. [Laughs, laughter.] He counts many millions of years, but it means he is not the only person who will attain enlightenment. This is everyone’s consciousness. So, he is not the only buddha. There are many...

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Big Mistake

Student: If I were to take out a revolver and put a bullet in your head, for example, would that make me less of a human being?

Suzuki: A being with two legs and two hands, and thinking something is good or bad, half and half [laughs]—if you think that you will be protected as a human being, that is a big, big mistake. That is an abuse of human beings. It is treating human beings as the lowest enemy or creature. That’s awful.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

Helping

Just rules themselves mean nothing to you. When you want to help others or protect others, you can help others. Then there is no reason why you protect others. It is the same thing as to help yourself, to protect yourself from danger. That is the pure bodhisattva’s way.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C 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.

David Chadwick Memorial Page

Founder and Poobah of Cuke Archives, 1945 - 2026

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Facebook Responses

David was the dedicated bodhisttava who kept us laughing and reminded all of us to not be so serious all the time. I remember sitting behind him in evening lecture that first summer and the only thing keeping him from falling over asleep was his full lotus. David you were always a good friend and you will be always missed. —Liz Wolf-Spada

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As my son said,"he is now in us." —Jane Okamura Sanders

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For more: The full Memorial Page on cuke.com

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