Zen Practice and Everyday Life

So, in our practice, actually, there’s no difference between universality and specialty. When you do some special things, you express your Buddha nature there. So, we do not try to escape from this world, this phenomenal world, to some special world. We should find out the true meaning of life in our everyday life. That is our way. If you understand this point, there is no difference between your Zen practice and everyday life.

—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.

In the Right Position

When you put something as you should in a higher place, you will find universality in that existence. If you mix things up, it means you treat things only as material objects, you do not find any value in them. You treat them just as material. But when you put things in the right position, you will find their meaning and value.

—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.

Universality

Where there is some limitation, there is universality. This universality is not just an idea. This universality has actual meaning. Or we say that it has validity. Universality must result in some actual value. So, when we do some particular thing, in that special activity we will find universality as an embodiment of Dharmakaya Buddha.

—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.

Some Limitation

In the monastery it says, “In the darkness, there is brightness, in the brightness there is darkness.” You will find darkness in your practice can bring another bright side into your life. In that case some limitation is necessary. We should do different things at the right time in some certain way. We cannot mix up things. Things which you should put higher, you should put in a higher place. The things which you should put lower, you should put in a lower place. This is our way.

—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.

Other Shore

This is the wisdom of Prajna Paramita, wisdom to cross this shore to the other shore. So, on this shore, there’s the other shore. On the other shore, there is this shore. When you have this wisdom: this shore is the other shore, and the other shore is this shore. This is called perfect wisdom. So, it’s said, this is the supreme mantra. And so the most important point of the Prajna Paramita Sutra is emptiness, or “not,” or “no.” If you understand this “no,” or “not,” you will have prajna paramita, the wisdom to cross this shore to the other shore.

Painting by Mike Dixon

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN 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

Frog

Do you know Sengai’s picture of a frog? “If we can obtain Buddhahood by sitting zazen…” [laughs] the frog says. The frog has enlightenment [laughter]. You may laugh at the frog [laughs] who thinks, “I can attain enlightenment by my sitting posture.” You are laughing at him, but he may laugh at you. You may say, “Just by sitting, how is it possible to [laughter] attain enlightenment?” I don’t know which is laughing at which. So even the frog has enlightenment when he sits like this. We cannot laugh at him. But if we practice zazen in a cross-legged position in order to attain enlightenment, that is worse. You are worse than a frog [laughs].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN 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.

Each Step

It is not by advancing step by step that you attain enlightenment. You cannot arrange your steps to reach enlightenment. Each step is independent practice, and with each step there must be enlightenment. When you devote yourself to only one step, there is true understanding of that teaching. So, it means you have enlightenment. When you try to arrange it, you will lose the essence of the teaching.

Found in The Way of Eiheiji booklet

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN 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.

Bill Porter Interview

Video interview with John Kain on Lion's Roar, How translator Red Pine (aka Bill Porter) “Dances With the Dead”

Bill Porter's page on cuke.com

Each Teaching Is Independent

When there’s no need to say anything about a relationship, there is reality. But usually, we arrange teachings in some system. This teaching is for babies. This teaching is for boys, and this teaching is for girls. This teaching is for beginners; this teaching is for advanced students [laughter]. Arranging teaching in this way is not the true way. Each teaching is independent. You should not compare the teaching you have with someone else’s teaching. This is for me an advanced student [laughs], but this is the teaching for some beginners, not for me. This is a very poor kind of understanding. Whatever the teaching may be, the teaching you have heard is your teaching.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-01-21-BN 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.