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Here, Now

Enlightenment should not be cut off from “me,” you know. “Ten years ago, I attained enlightenment, but it doesn’t work today” [laughter]. That was enlightenment ten years ago. It is impossible to cut off the enlightenment from my life and give the enlightenment to someone else. That is impossible. Enlightenment should be here, now, in this moment.

—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.

The Oneness of a Human Being

The most important thing is to realize the oneness of a human being. Sometimes people do two opposite things. On one hand [laughing], they work for civil rights, and on the other hand, they are doing something opposite. This kind of mistake is pretty common. So, even though a movement is good, it should not be cut off from our everyday life. As a part of everyday life, we should participate in the movement. Then the movement will be successful. Only to join the movement on Saturday or Sunday [laughing] to make a procession—that’s not so good, I think.

—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.

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.