Big Self

When we can accept ourselves, we can accept anything else. There is no self in our minds. What we have is big mind, big self. We can treat our bodies as we treat others'. We will treat our own things as we treat others'. This is the Buddhist way of life.

Photo by Jim Marshall

—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.

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Appreciate the Beauty

Whether we become a great person or not is not the point. When we can accept ourselves, we are already one with all existence. When spring comes, we can enjoy spring flowers. When the summer comes, we can enjoy the cool moonlight. When autumn comes, we can appreciate the beauty of the foliage. In winter we will appreciate snow.

—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.

Accept Ourselves

When I went to university, the president of the university told us something like this: You have to be satisfied with yourself [laughs]. Even though you study hard, a foolish one is foolish, an intelligent one is intelligent. He always would say that. But it was pretty hard to accept because all of us wanted to be some great teacher [laughing]. But he said it was impossible. So, the purpose of practice is to accept ourselves.

—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.

Stupid

But a stupid person should be stupid. If one is stupid, one is youthful. But even though one is stupid, it is their nature to make an effort to be better. That is their own nature. And actually, they are trying to be satisfied with themselves. It looks like they want to be something else. But actually, they want to be satisfied with themselves. That is true 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.

Not Different

But sometimes you think the practice and the cart are different, enlightenment is a different thing, that practice is a means to attain enlightenment. If you think this way, then enlightenment is something different from you. So, you want to be something else because we are so stupid. [Laughter]

Photo by Tim Buckley

—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.

Cart or Horse

Someone asked his disciple, “When the cart does not go [laughs], which do you whip the cart or the horse?” This is a very tricky question. Of course, he may whip the horse. To whip the horse is to whip the cart because the cart and horse are not different. Practice and enlightenment are not different.

Image generated by ChatGPT

—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.

Satisfied

Our practice is not like intoxicating liquor. Many people will mix up way-seeking mind and a gaining idea. We do not rely even on teaching. We want to be ourselves. And we want to be satisfied ourselves. How to be satisfied ourselves is why we should practice.

—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.

Featured Cuke Archives page

https://cuke.com/f

Escape

Without practicing for the sake of Buddhism—without being satisfied with ourselves, to try to be something else. Sometimes we try to escape from our life and to go somewhere else or to live somewhere else. That is [laughs] not Buddhism. It is quite different.

Drawing by Stan White

—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.