A Soldier?

Student: Would it be possible for a bodhisattva to be a soldier? Suzuki: No, I don’t think so. Because human life has absolute value. Here there is a contradiction between science and bodhisattva-mind. Because here you have to deny the idea of utility or science. This is very subtle and very interesting.

—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.

Please Support David Chadwick

Please support David Chadwick

by helping him pay his medical bills for cancer treatments.

Hello, my name is Marsha Angus.  Susan Chadwick (David’s sister) and I are starting this medical GoFundMe account for David, who was recently diagnosed with stage IV gastric nodal cancer, a low grade slow growing stomach cancer which has spread to nearby lymph nodes. David is in Bali, where he and his wife Katrinka live, and he is receiving chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and HER2 targeted therapy treatment. David has Indonesian national medical insurance, but it does not cover this kind of treatment, which is very expensive.

As you may know, David has spent decades preserving and archiving Shunryu Suzuki’s teachings and history, the core of Cuke Archives: “Preserving the legacy of Shunryu Suzuki and those whose path cross his.” Cuke Archives focuses not only on Suzuki himself, but also on the stories of the students who lived and practiced with him, as well as many who followed, and many others beyond just students.

Contributions to Cuke Archives have enabled this project and basic living costs to be covered, but they are tax deductible and cannot be applied to large medical bills. Up to now only a personal check to David has been applicable to such charges. Thus, a GoFundMe account has been created and is being administered by his sister, Susan Chadwick.

One major supporter and a few others have donated enough to cover the first three months. There are four three-month cycles of treatment scheduled for this year, each one costing approximately $15,000.

David is facing a challenging road ahead and needs support to pay these bills, so that he can continue work on books that are close to being finished, including the third volume of Tassajara Stories. The first volume was published by Monkfish last September and the second volume is coming out in September 2026, both with audiobooks he produced. And David has more he wishes to accomplish beyond that.

Every donation, no matter the size, will make a difference. If you are unable to give, please share this fundraiser on social media or however you can.

We are deeply grateful for your love, support and generosity during this difficult time. Let’s do what we can to help David keep going.

With gratitude,

Marsha Angus, old friend and dharma sister
www.gofundme.com/f/support-david-chadwicks-cancer-treatment-z5pgw

Criticize

As long as religions have absolute dogma, that is: “You should not do so. If you do so, you will be punished.” This is nearly the same as ethics. As long as the teaching is like this, when you want to study you cannot go further. But Buddhism allows discussing further. You can criticize more. There is no barrier. So, that is why people are interested in Buddhism because we have no borderline for religion.

—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.

Actual Reality

When we are confined to a scientific world, we have no chance to find actual reality. So, in that case they are not buddha because they don’t know it [laughs]. But when someone becomes aware of true reality beyond science—more actual reality than science, or one who finds out science does not satisfy them, they are buddha. That is enough, you know.

—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.

“Buddha”

“Buddha” has many meanings. Historical Buddha is Buddha. A buddha who attained enlightenment is buddha. But in this case, to attain enlightenment does not mean he did not have buddha-nature before he attained enlightenment. He found out what he had. That is enlightenment. And this kind of person is an enlightened person.

—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.

Beyond

When we say “don't know” it means “beyond science or philosophy.” Science is the study of the shadow of actual life—the study of dead corpses [laughter]. So, we say “beyond.” But, it is ultimate truth—ultimate, not truth, but ultimate—something which does not need any explanation. Right there.

—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.

Religious Work

There is a clear distinction between social work and religious work. Social work is based on science and sociology. Of course, sociology is good. And, we should have sociology. But to help others in a religious sense is quite different from social work. So, what I mean is, working at a hospital is to help others. For a religious person, working at a hospital without changing anything is our practice. For those who understand the religious way, there is no sociology. Sociology [laughs] is, without changing anything, a religious activity for a person who knows how to help others. But, for those who do not understand religious life, sociology is just sociology. And, if you ignore religious life, it will not work properly. Some confusion will be created. So that is why all of us should have a religious life.

—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.

To Help Others

In Zen “to help others” means we do not take it in a dualistic sense. “To help others” means to think of others as a part of you. Not “others” —not “you, yourself.” You think to help others is to help someone, some imperfect person helps people. But when we say, “to help others” in our sense, it means to consider people a part of you, or it is like your hands or your body. So, in this sense we help others.

Photo by L. S. Sleven, courtesy of the Monterey County Public Library, from The Double Cone Quarterly

—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.

A New Book by Reb Anderson

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Featured Cuke Archives page

https://www.shunryusuzuki.com/ai-min-edits.htm