Absorbed

For us the most important thing is to carry our activity on with sincerity.That is the only way to attain enlightenment. Because when we are absorbed in our activity, there is enlightenment whether or not we realize it. So this point is very important.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-06-19-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Update

Katharine Cook page on cuke.

Blue Moon

July 31st full moon tonight and there was one on the first of the month. Two in one month makes it blue. It's not blue but it's big and bright and it's here in Bali. but is it a blue moon there? Yep - see it in news from the US. There is another definition of a blue moon that it's the 3rd of four full moons in a season but this is the type I notice and can comprehend. Why blue?

Katrinka just took this photo of it above our humble abode.

Realization

You may say, now realization of the truth takes place through my activity. But it is not so. Or you may say it is a process of self-realization. It is not so. For you, the realization of the truth you have now is the absolute realization of truth. You cannot compare your realization with other things. Each one who realizes this fact and who practices in his own way has absolute freedom. This is how we live each moment, moment after moment. Thus all things are made possible: the observation of the precepts, the attainment of enlightenment, freedom from the various sects, and perfect satisfaction in our life. Your realization of the truth is the same as Buddha's realization of the truth. There is no difference at all.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-06-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Not edited by DC, only this edited version available - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Sanur and NYC

Katrinka is from Manhattan, moved to SF when she was 15 or so with her mother. This morning she said she missed New York and would like to visit which is not within our present budget. Then she said that Sanur is like NYC in a number of ways. Interesting and varied people. We don't need a car, can walk most places, there's lots happening or we can find neat private spots, can get a taxi in a few minutes anytime. Not so bad.

Imperfect Way

Buddhism is always imperfect. Because it is not perfect, I like it. If it were perfect someone would do it. Many people will be interested and there would be no need for me to work on it. Because people are very much discouraged with Buddhism, I feel someone must practice Buddhism.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-06-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Canang Sari

Canang Sari are the small, palm-leaf offering trays at doorways and shrines everywhere here in Bali. There's a good page on Canang Sari on Wikipedia. Wikipedia is so great. It baffles me at times how random, uncontrolled contributors could come up with such well-organized, informative,  presentations of so much. Better than the mess here on cuke. Anyway, Thinking about them because of a song working on now. Later for that. - dc

Don't sell intoxicants

Do not sell liquor means not to boast or emphasize the advantages of things. Liquor may be medicine if taken in the right way, but we should take into consideration that by nature we are very susceptible to temptation. If you boast about he profundity of Buddhist teaching, you are selling liquor to the people. Any spiritual teaching by which we are intoxicated is liquor. Do not sell liquor means absolute freedom from all teachings. We should keep the precepts and yet not be bound by them. That is our way..----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-06-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Song for Our Wedding

A song page on my music site for Wedding Song - July 10, 2015 - with links to a so-so version on Youtube of me playing it at our reception dinner, to a clearer version that's just audio, words and chords. 

Language Study

Driver Ketut told me he reads a bunch of words from the dictionary and then forgets them right away. I told him not to do, to learn words in a context and best from experience and listening. Best to listen. Many Indonesian words are not really in my vocabulary till I've heard someone say them.

Seeking Contributions

The Soto Zen Silent Thunder Order (STO) is announcing an IndieGoGo fund raising effort to produce a documentary on the life of our founder Soyu Matsuoka Roshi who was the earliest Soto Zen priest I know of to come to America and teach Zen and especially zazen. The Documentary, Silent Thunder: The Story of Soyu Matsuoka, will be filmed this fall during a Pilgrimage to Japan. Matsuoka page on cuke.com.

Do Not Steal

When we think we do not possess something, then we want to steal. But actually everything in the world belong to us so there is no need to steal. For example my glasses. They are just glasses. They do not belong to me or to you, or they belong to all of us. But you know about my tired old eyes and so you let me use them.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-06-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Sunday

No post computer free Sunday except to write this and return to the ooze. Scads of SR quotes and excepts on cuke.com. Loving kindness to all. - dc

Whole Beautiful Textile

The Buddhist way is beyond being and non-being. We know each colorful thread and we know the whole woven textile. We know both sides and we observe things in two ways without any contradiction. But when we are not sincere enough, we may say, “This is Buddhism [laughs], and that is another religion, we are monks, and they are laymen,” and so not understand the whole beautiful textile.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-05-25 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Today is Kuningan

Today is Kuningan here in Bali when the deceased ancestors return, the last day of Galungan which started ten days ago on the 15th of July. Galungan celebrates the victory of Dharma over anti-dharma.  Wikipedia.

Lots of Penjor along the roads. That's one in the image by a gas station an by wires with buildings in the background. That's all Bali too.

Palm Oil

A big problem.

Say no to palm oil and lots of other links on net. 

Capital City

Why we call true Zen the capital city of religion is that we actually have the gist of the teachings and secret of practices to understand various religions and various ways of practice through and through.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-05-25 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

In Short

So in short, to practice-- if you practice zazen, concentrating yourself on your breathing moment after moment, that is how to keep precepts, how to have the actual understanding of Buddhist teaching, and how to help others, and how to help yourself, how to attain liberation.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-05-25 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Happy 40th

Seth Eppes, Katrinka's son, cheffing in Bandon, OR

retired roller derby coach and ref.

Moment

~
The secret of all the teaching of Buddhism is how to live on each moment. We have to obtain absolute freedom moment after moment.  ----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-05-25 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts. 

Bad Habits

For the beginner, it is difficult to sit. However, if you continue your practice you will discover your own posture, good or bad. Then you can say it may be better to put some more strength in your abdomen, make your posture straighter; or you may find that you are leaning forward or backward. That you have your own posture is at the same time to have some bad habits. Without bad habits you cannot improve your posture! [Laughing.] It is good for us to have bad habits!----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Still Gili

We extended our honeymoon on the Lombok island of Gili Air. So great here. Not only no motorized vehicles except for boats that came in and out on the other side, but there are virtually no dogs which are a definite problem in Bali. We plan to get back home in Sanur late on the 24th.

Something Done

Even though you attain enlightenment like Buddha, something should be done with it. That is his enlightenment. So the point is not whether your posture is right or wrong. The point is constant effort or way-seeking mind.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Deeper Meaning

The more you practice zazen, the more you find out the true, deeper meaning of our practice. Anyway, we should be more friendly and frank and straightforward, and we should be more free, and we should accept the instruction. This is our way. ----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Perfect but

But you ask me what is right posture. That is also a mistake. Whatever you do is right. Nothing is wrong with what you do. But some improvement is necessary.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

It's All Good

Ignorance is good, enlightenment is good; zazen is good, to stay at home is good. Every activity will take place in this big realm. Our human effort, our human culture should be based on this kind of imperturbable conviction. Our effort should not be limited to ourselves. That is what I mean by the way-seeking mind.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.

Flowers and Stones

The way-seeking mind should be realized in our actual world, which includes flowers and stones, and stars and moon.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts. 

No Difference

It makes no difference what sort of problems or situation in life we have. If we have something to work on, it is enough. Because we have good and bad, half and half, because we can find some way to help others, if only by the width of a sheet of paper, by a few words, we can enjoy our life.----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts. 

What's Up

Am in Gili Air on a honeymoon with Katrinka till the 20th. Don't expect to have good wireless connection there so this might be it till we get back. Ta ta (Hindi)! - DC

And just resized the last two days wedding photos to Xtra large like the first post July 12th of the photos from the wedding itself.

Perfect Society

Some people say, “If we have a perfect social construction, we will not have these difficulties.” But as long as there is human nature, nothing will help us. On the contrary, the more human culture advances, the more difficulties we will have in our life. ----------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts. 

The Reception Dinner

The reception dinner and music at Annapurna.

First dance.


More photos by Will Wiriawan below.

Jumping Around

Jumping around in this world without conviction may be a pitiful life. You will be pitied by someone who has strong conviction and deep wisdom concerning our life. Thus we should be ashamed of doing something proudly, vigorously, with some ecstasy even, ignoring the other side of the world, the dark side of our life.-----------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-03-26a as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. - Go to cuke.com What's New [now at blogger] to see more daily posts.