Student: How could we understand our own discipline? That is, what attitude
can we take towards disciplining ourselves?
SR: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
That's a very good question. And it is difficult to know by yourself actually.
So that is why it is better to practice with people. If there are some set-up rules or explanation it may be easier. But
unfortunately we are not the same. So the practice is for you and you
are practicing. Strictly speaking, there is no set practice and there is no rule or no standard to say this is good or
bad or right or wrong. That is why we emphasize buddha-nature. If you do not have the idea of buddha-nature or inmost request, you have to be
concerned with some visible rules and you have to be attached to something and that will not work so well. So the best thing is to confront your problem. And to suffer and to struggle [laughs] is
the best way. Then you will have deeper
and deeper religious experience.
Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-30-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com - Edited by DC