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

Yesterday's Post   |    (email to add to this memorial)

David Chadwick

David Chadwick returned to where we come from Monday night in a hospital in Bali, Indonesia, while being treated for cancer. He had been with his wife Katrinka and his son Kelly. Much more will be said of David in coming days. Please email your feelings and memories to share on David's Cuke Archives Memorial Page.
Gya te gya te.

I was going to leave it at that, but I want to say what a pleasure it has been helping David with Cuke Archives for many years. Although his passing was not totally unexpected, it happened much more quickly than we hoped. David was always working on various aspects of the archives. Kelly wrote, "with his characteristic grand spirit, he completed the Tassajara Stories 2 audio book and Freedom Songs, a short book on his time during the Civil Rights Movement the week before departing." A couple of days ago when he was too weak to continue his chemo therapy, he sent me a number of corrections that he wanted to make sure were included in the next volume of Tassajara Stories. So, I think David would be happy if we continue "Preserving the legacy of Shunryu Suzuki and those whose path cross his." -- Peter Ford, email: pf@cuke2.com

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.