Attitude

I have noticed in observing your practice, you are not completely involved in our practice. Your practice is just a small part of your life. One hour or two hours in 24 hours [laughs]. That is your practice. So instead of practicing zazen here for two hours, you think if there is something better—it may be better to do something else instead of practicing zazen. I think you [laughs] still have this kind of attitude.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-13-A 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.

Knowing

In this point there is no difference between the Japanese way of life and your way of life. In Japan a candle burns the same way as in America. Even though your candles are different from our candles [laughter]. We have enormous candles, but they burn the same way. When the fire is the same, there’s no difference, so there’s nothing new for us. We are studying what we know. Even though you know something, you don’t know [laughs] that you know it. That is all. So, you have to know in its true sense. When you know what you know, that is enlightenment.

Image generated by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-02-19-A 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.

How Everything Exists

Our practice is based on the traditional understanding of actual being—how everything exists. This understanding was taught by Buddha, and patriarch after patriarch, we developed these precepts. And we actualize this understanding. Because of this understanding we could develop our practice. Because of our practice we could preserve this essential teaching for more than two thousand years. This teaching is based on the actual truth of how we exist here. That is why Buddhism did not die, and continuous development took place on our past wisdom.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-02-19-A 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.

Encouraged by Difficulty

As long as you find zazen difficult, because of the difficulties of your practice, that is not zazen. The difficulty you have will make a candle a candle. You should understand: you have to be encouraged by the difficulties.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-02-19-A 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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Absolutely Contradictory Self-identity

This self-identity is not just self-identity. It is absolutely contradictory self-identity. A candle has contradictory absolute existence, because in its center it has something which is not candle. An actual candle, if it is only wax, it is not a candle. So, for a candle to have cotton in the center of it is absolutely necessary to be a candle. And when you find a candle, that’s self-identity. When it catches fire, a candle becomes a candle.

Image by LA2 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-02-19-A 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 Study Yourself

To study Buddhism is to study yourself. To study yourself is to forget yourself. If you forget yourselves, you will be awake but with the truth that is self-identity.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-02-19-A 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.

This Spirit

So, Zen practice has two faces: one is power, and one is peaceful. One is limitation, and one is universality. When you find this kind of meaning in your practice, you have nothing to be afraid of. You acquire perpetual life. In this understanding and spirit, we have practiced zazen.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-02-18 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 Power

We are sitting at each point with big energy. That is Zen. It is still, and it is calm, and it is completely peaceful. But that is peaceful power, and peaceful energy—this is our Zen actually. We don’t know our power, how great our power is. But when you acquire complete calmness, there is big power.

Image generated by ChatGPT

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-02-18 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.