How Our Life Goes

Zen practice is a practice which happens within your big mind. Precepts observation is how our life goes in its true sense. Precepts—your life goes in that way automatically. That is precepts observation. If you think the precepts are some particular rules which were set by Buddha, that is wrong understanding.

Photo by Robert S. Boni

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

What Mind?

“With what mind do you [laughs] observe those precepts?” This is a kind of tricky question. With what mind? If you say, “With this kind of mind we observe precepts,” then it means your mind is separated from observing the precepts. Precepts are there, and your mind is here. That is dualistic understanding. The same thing will happen if you practice zazen with your mind. The same misunderstanding will happen to you.

Drawing by Stan White

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

Full Understanding of Precepts

Precepts are not 16 or 250 or 500 rules. There must be an innumerable number of precepts. So, it is necessary for us to have full understanding of precepts and to make effort to observe precepts. Whenever a great Zen master or religious hero appears, precepts observation is emphasized by them. And even before any great teachers like Dogen appeared, there were several famous masters who emphasized precepts.

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

Physically and Mentally

Observation of the precepts is very important for Zen practice. If we eat too much, we cannot sit. If we do not have enough sleep, we cannot sit. So physically and mentally, you have to adjust your life so that you can sit. This is a very important point. Zen or Buddhism is actually a way of life, and the way of life is the precepts.

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

Even in a busy country like America, we should spend some time in this kind of practice. And I think we should have more composure in our lives, and we should respect our traditions, both Buddhist and Christian.

Peter Schneider and Brother David Steindl-Rast

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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.

Effort To Reform

Zen Buddhism was accepted completely by people after the Kamakura period. So, our effort is concentrated mainly inward. Even though they were fighting with each other, they did not forget to practice Zen and to make some effort to reform their characters.

Minneapolis Institute of Art

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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.

Very Simple

The pessimistic people in old times tried to make some compensation by their elaborate effort, building beautiful temples or making priests’ robes with lotus thread or making thousands of stupas. In this way they practiced repentance, so their sincerity should be appreciated fully, but their way was too elaborate, and their way was not practical enough. But the Zen way was very simple, and the teaching is very direct and to the point.

Sandy Hollister working on a rakusu

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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.

Practical

After studying Buddhism, we became more and more reflective. And we concentrated on working inwardly, instead of just making outward effort. Maybe before Zen Buddhism came, we became too pessimistic. And Zen Buddhism was very practical, although it is more strict and more simple, but it is practical.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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 Triple Treasure

After Buddhism was introduced to Japan, people became more and more pessimistic! They had to think more [laughs], and they had to reflect on themselves more. Before they thought, “We are doing everything right,” [laughs] but it was not so. So, Prince Shotoku set up the constitution of Japan, and he said, “It is necessary to improve our character. If we want to improve our character, it is necessary to study Buddhism. Without respecting Buddha, Dharma, Sangha—the Triple Treasures—how is it possible to reform our character?”

Wikimedia Commons

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-B 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.