Round n Round

 Thinking should follow our activity. So practice is first, thinking is next. Enlightenment is maybe third [laughs, laughter], or before practice. So in this way we will go round and round and round. Practice, teaching, enlightenment-- where does it -- do we go? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C 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.

SONJA MARGULIES: TEACHER, EDITOR, POET

An excellent article from the website of the Association for Transpersonal Psychology by Miles A. Vich

Sonja Margulies is one of my regrets in that I kept planning on visiting her and didn't. I don't even know if we ever met or knew each other to say hello - I've met so many people around the SFZC and Los Altos zendos and couldn't keep track of who they all were. Ken and Treya Wilber wanted to get us together. He talked about her as if she were the glue that held the world of transpersonal psychology together. And I introduced them to Kobun Chino because they wanted to meet him due to what they'd heard from her. Here's an excellent article about her. - DC

Local Liquids

In my tea aside for the spices (vanilla bean, cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks, ginger root) I add tap water run through our charcoal ceramic filter, various combinations of pasteurized whole cow, soy, rice, and almond milk, the later which is delivered here. Apply Denpasar made Bokashi Rub Oil to any skin thing like a rash or tag - can always take a sip too. Isopropyl alcohol for the ears after a swim which helps to dry them out and open them up so I'm not hearing challenged. Learned that hydrogen peroxide poured into a drain neutralizes undesired odors, and love the smell of the coconut shampoo. Soups is a whole other list. 

A Broken Promise

"May we meet again?" he asked, clutching her hand.
"Can you wait?" she replied.
"I can wait forever for you," he said with tears forming.
"Very well," she said, "Can you be here on this day next year. Can you wait that long?"
"I can. For you I can," he answered in a trembling voice.
"Very good," she said. "If you are here, I will be too. Goodbye for now."

She did not break her promise. He broke his which broke his heart - though nothing else was pressing. He was attracted to the unlikely and then the impossible.

True Dragon

You come and practice zazen in this zendo where there should be true dragon. But the instant you think, “This is true dragon,” that is mistake, you know. But knowing that, if you come to this zendo, you should practice zazen with people, forgetting all about your, you know, carving or your painting. You should practice zazen with people, with your friend, in this zendo, completely involved in the atmosphere we have here. Sometime I allow people who is-- who are stick-- sticking to-- stick to his old way. I allow people to do that, but strictly speaking those who come and practice zazen here should be involved in-- should be completely involved in the feeling we have in this zendo, and practice our way with people according to my instruction. That is what you should do. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Verbatim excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript..  - 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.

Lew Richmond Retreat

The Unpublished Teachings of Suzuki Roshi

A one-day retreat led by Zen teacher Lewis Richmond

Saturday, March 26, 2016  9 am – 5 pm

Read more and register at this link

He means published in books - they're all published on the web, the most complete collection being at Shunryu Suzuki dot com and others at SFZC.org and other Zen group sites.

Sounds like a good retreat and Lew is a thoughtful teacher and disciple of Suzuki. - dc

Lew Richmond cuke page

Pollinators at Risk

Bees, butterflies, and other invertebrates - must stop poisoning them. 

Zen in America Outtakes now on You Tube

Outtakes from the film Zen in America now have their own playlist at You Tube Cuke Video. The quality isn't that good because the film had deteriorated by the time it was digitized by cuke (in 2003). Mainly color faded. This included all the footage of Suzuki talking from which the edited footage for the film was taken. It's been in Shunryu Suzuki Dot Com's Video section since last fall but just now our quasi-senile staff has finally remembered to get back to the unfinished video work. More to go - like a slide show of stills which are all here now with names of the people.  - dc

Why Do I Meditate

Paul Shippee sends this on that - posted on his cuke page.

Indescribable

We do not find any description in out practice, even though we are just observing some formality, but actually it is not so. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Forgot to add this to the post on him yesterday

Interview with Bob Walter whom we just learned as has passed on - pretty interesting

Photo of Bob at his Tazmania digs doing a yoga pose with a tree.

RIP Bob Walter

Just learned that dear friend and fellow Suzuki student Bob Walter has died. His ex wife Audrey sent an email in which she asked if I knew. Have sent condolences to his daughter Lethe and son Eliot. Details to come. Farewell Bob. - dc

Interview with Bob Walter

Photo - Bob with Shunryu Suzuki

Not just the humble

We are all anonymous. - Kabumkan

Nothing to or Who

There is no reason why we should be chained or we should be bound by an illusion of time or space. Time is time of space; space is space of time. There is no [laughs], you know, time only. When we say time, space follows. So some adjective is necessary. It's better to say time-like space or space-like time is more appropriate. And time-like space or space-like time is nothing but the dynamic change of our world, or the dynamic determination of all existence. With nothing to determine or who determines. It is automatic, you know, the change of things. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

On our Expanded Ecological Footprint

The excellent Bali Advertiser has an article entitled What's Your Ecological Footprint?  I appreciate what the author pointed out and would like to add two other factors to the calculation. One is the relative importance of individual footprints and those of organizations from the Girl Scouts to corporations to media to governments and military and educational institutions. Another factor which can also be small or enormous is an individual's or institution's influence on others.

Indonesians start paying for plastic bags in Jakarta

And it will be extended to all of Indonesia, 2nd only to China in plastic bag use - and plastic pollution etc., takes it more seriously. An article today from the Jakarta Post.

Here's an article from the Jakarta Globe saying that people are being supportive of the new policy.

Keep it up Indonesia! Individual efforts are futile without government programs, rules, regulations, and laws. And being the #2 polluter of the oceans with plastic, it's important for the whole world.

Weekly Service for Shunko in Kyoto

I started this week with the weekly ceremonies for Shunko here in Fukujoji. I plan to do it always on Wednesday morning at 10.00 am and it will last about 30 minutes. March 16th is the 49th day and will have the final ceremony. I send you also a picture of the setting of his ashes on the altar.

Gassho, Jirai 

Also posted on Shunko's cuke page

Errata in Suzuki quote from Crooked Cucumber

In Japan, a teacher doesn't look for other teachers, especially from other sects, to come speak in his temple. He doesn't want to confuse his students and is jealous. I was the same. But this is America, so we are learning a new way.--------------------Don't think I need to search the lecture archive for this quote which is by necessity more of a paraphrase because it's something he said to me personally when I asked him if Macrobiotic writer Herman Aihara could speak to the students in the dining room. He said okay but and then something like the above. Brit Pyland reminded me that he went to the lecture and afterwards patted Aihara on the back and said, "Don't worry so much." In that Brief Memory of Brit's there's also another version of the above paraphrase. 

On Having Work Done

A couple of days ago wrote about four hours of work done by two electricians here and the incredibly low cost of it. One thing I'd to add is that the quality of the work can be quite good, but to insure that, one is advised to stick with these workers, check up on their work. Of course that's somewhat true everywhere but it's very true here. In terms of farming and handicrafts and working for each other, I'm sure they have traditional checks and balances that work quite well.

Miserable Understanding

When we say causality, it looks like a kind of view of life like determinism. You will believe in a fate before you are born. But that kind of view of life is based on a mechanical, material, poor, miserable understanding of life. Actually, such a thing does not exist. There is no reason why we should be chained or we should be bound by such an illusion of time or space.  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Kuningan

Alright - it's the day the spirits of the ancestors go back to where they came from after their ten day visit since Galungan. Another 210 days till this repeats again. Everything's quiet, most places closed. Locals mostly staying at home or back to their villages. We'll spend some time at the beach. I'm bringing my Easy Breathe snorkel, short fins, and my small old laptop to sit after a swim in a little thatch hut and do whatever it is I do on these things. And drink some coconut water. - dc

A Shadow

The idea of time or space is just a shadow of the dynamic change of reality. So here you have creativity and-- I don't know what to say [laughs]. Please find an appropriate word: creativity and -- not formality -- causality. Causality. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Thank You and OK! all up on cuke

Got the whole book on cuke now including covers, publishing page, acknowledgments, and all the chapters. That's self-pirated I guess. Here's a link to the Contents page. Bought a Kindle version to get some of the material outside of the chapters which couldn't find in my computer. All the chapters though came from the final draft of the 1st Penguin edition and there was some errata and small changes here and there after that via email and fax before publishing and then some errata after that - all of which there's no record of that I'm likely to find or bother looking for. So I think at some point I'll make an audio book out of it - reading from the current Shambhala edition (which made no changes to the chapters) and Katrinka said she'd read the version on cuke and note where there are differences so I can go back and fix them. That's the plan. But for now it's on to something new. - dc

Local Electricians and the cost of living

That's not our fan but ours has three blades which I think is best. Had a couple of electricians working here today for about four hours. They installed a ceiling fan in the bedroom which we wanted the landlord to pay for and finally broke down and did ourselves. Now the standup fan is out on the front porch where they put in an outlet. And they installed a new kitchen exhaust fan cause the old one had petered out. And a new control for the fan in my office which is really just a big closet and storeroom. And they changed some switches and lights so we had more control. Total bill -  Materials $86. Labor - $24 - Tip (which is not a local custom) - $6.66 at today's exchange rate. I never worry about asking for estimates because I know the cost will be less than I could imagine. Still we have to economize.

Another Addition

Another place on a Suzuki lecture audio where it appeared that it was over but then there was more. In this case, "Remarks at the Ceremony Officially Opening Beginner's Mind Temple "(70-04-25),
the tape stopped right after these ominous lines:

Hereby, now, I have one statement which has been in my mind for more than ten years: Even on top of the mountain of great merit, we should try not --

And that was the end of the transcription. But it started back up. It's terrible quality audio and hard to understand, but here's what we came up with for the brief rest of the audio:

the sea of the spirit of great mercy is deep. We should not ignore a single drop of her? teaching [He screams]. [Bell] And all the people who helped the journey and continually making offering giving us encouragement and also ancestors of member of Sokoji and those ancestors of those who attained which we will put family and ancestors of all our members who want to continue to realize our Buddha way with all those persons... [Bell]

Berkeley Memorial

for Shunko Mike Jamvold------------------------------------------------------

Shunko cuke page

A Valentine Song for Katrinka

Katrinka be my Valentine

Also gave her a mango tart.

Found this photo of her on the Internet at a Google+ page. - dc

This is pretty far out

Everything is free because everything is center of the world. It doesn't exist in its true sense as a one of many. One is many at the same time. When we realize this, to express itself or to create itself is to-- to give your self in your true function: that is creativity. And is not bound by some other thing. And it is not caused by your past experience. It is a quite new event for you. It is one side of the reality, or one side of our practice. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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 Birthday Ben Patra

Happy Birthday Chef - a song for Ben's birthday last year, performed a year ago today in his honor at the late great Warung Annapurna.

John Tarrant in Lion's Roar

On How to Practice Zen Koans

thanks Tony Patchell

An Ode to Feral Cats Everywhere

Our Friend Frida (Is a Killing Machine) - just uploaded on the DC music site, Defuser Music dot com.

Dynamic

Even if you have beautiful a fancy plan for your life, if it isn't in accord with the dynamic change of universe, it [laughs] -- it is just a painted plan..--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Another Suzuki lecture fragment discovered

Dogen Zenji said, although we are now student and teacher, teacher and student - this is rules you know. I am here. Student is there. Although we are now students and teacher. But we are originally all friend - as a friend - as a Buddhist. Although we are all friend. But tentatively there is rules and there is accordingly there is teacher and disciple. But we are all friend. That is very meaningful, you know. Although we are now teacher and students but we are eternally friends of - friends of Buddhist.

Thank you very much.-------------------- added as 70-01-18-X to shunryusuzuki.com transcript archive---------from audio, Fragment after the chanting at end of tape for 70-01-18. 

Everything is If

Everything is If. Katrinka said this the day before yesterday and I keep mulling it over like someone on acid who hears some simple statement and sees the whole universe and everything through that matrix. - dc

Chapter 3

of Thank You and OK!: an American Zen Failure in Japan - Rides to Hogoji - which is what Shogoji was called in the book. It's a Soto Zen training center with international intent. Changed a lot since I was there in 88. -------------------Getting each chapter up on cuke and am planning on featuring them one by one. Seems like a good backup to me. - dc

To Continue with the Prior Line of Thought

You will have more entanglement in your life as a beetle which is caught in a cobweb. But if it keeps still, you know, accepting the circumstance under which it is caught, then there may be some chance [laughs] to get out of it..--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Like a Beetle

And if you try to get out of it, you will be drowned [laughs]. Or you will have more trouble, you know, because you try to escape from it. It is like a beetle which is caught by a cobweb [laughs]. The more it struggles, the more it will be stuck to the cobweb..--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Report on Shunko's funeral

from Jirai Reinhard Mehl with photos from the wake.

Habits Self Destruct, or Maybe Katrinka's a Witch

Today makes 11 years since I had any coffee.
The 9th, my birthday 11 since a puff of pot.
The last hour of last year 11 since any alcohol.
July 1st of last year 12 since any tobacco.
Unlike previous times, it was all effortless,
The results of requests I'd fairly forgotten.
Also unlike previous times, have had no related, leftover urges.
I wonder if I'll ever stop bragging. - dc

On Shunko's Funeral

A brief note from Ron Klein and a longer report from Andrew Atkeison.


Andrew's in the middle. Jirai Reinhard Mehl to his right.

Consciously

Actually, whether they are aware of it or not, all living beings are exhausting their life in this practice. When you consciously do so, that is our pleasure. But when you are not conscious of it, our life is just a dream.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Exhausts

We say our teaching exhausts all the means of attaining it.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Nice day

Today is Galungan, the most important holiday. I'd say "of the year" but it's not that simple. Some years it comes twice. It's not on a particular day but every 210 days. It's the celebration of dharma over anti-dharma when ancestor's spirits come to visit and hang around till ten days later on Kuningan. Penjor, decorated, curving, bamboo poles are everywhere in front of homes and businesses.  It's very quiet around here. Everything's closed, not much traffic. Workers have returned to their villages. Hot earlier. Drizzling now, a little lake forming in front. Peaceful. - dc

Transmitted Way

So what is transmitted way? The answer is to practice our way -- to live in this world with people, with all the existence. As long as this universe exists, this is our transmitted way.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Shunko's funeral

Tuesday 9th 6.00pm [Japan time] we will do the Tsuya (wake). On Wednesday 10th at 11.00 am we will do the funeral ceremony. Around 12.00 we will then drive to the crematorium. There will be a last chanting before the body gets cremated. That will take about 2 hours and we will go in that time somewhere for a late lunch. Probably around 3.00 pm we will pick up the ashes and drive back to Fukujoji. There we will perform another short ceremony for him. 

Gassho, Jirai 

Shunko Enjo Mike Jamvold cuke page

[photo Barbara Wenger]

Postnote: Hoitsu and Chitose Suzuki are in Kyoto for Shunko's wake and funeral.

Unknown again

Something exists, actually. Something unknown -- something which has no name or no form or no color exists. So it will not perish. This is right. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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.

Unknown

We say many, but even many does not exist in that way. Many is also some tentative conception of our idea-- of our mind. It is just conception: many. But actually there is nothing. What actually exist is something. Something exist [laughs], but no particular thing exists. Everything is just a name of one unknown being. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 66-08-19-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Copy and paste the name into the search box there to get to the transcript.. 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 Unguilty

Exonerated for crimes they didn't commit

More Memories of Mitsu Suzuki

from Beverly Morris (Horowitz) Armstrong--------------

Mitsu Suzuki SFZC Memorial Feb. 27
Post from SFZC Sangha News

7 Reasons not to Move to Cambodia

from the Khmer 440 site - some salient points made that might apply to some other places in Asia as well.  On the other hand, have heard more praise about at least three days at Angkor Wat than anywhere else in Asia.

Addition to Shunryu Suzuki Lecture

This is a short bit he said after the chanting at the end of 69-04-20 was done. Prior transcribers missed it. It's a lecture that was edited for Not Always So.

Umm – I vow to attain it. That is our practice. Right now. I don’t know which. I vow to attain it. When you say, you know, that is our practice. Don’t say, I’m human being or I’m not good at [??]... so I’m human being, it is not possible for me to attain it. Don’t say so. I vow to attain it. Like a child do it. That is our practice. [Last four words whispered].

Another Addition to the SR Archive

Here's a bit from the tail end of audio from Shunryu Suzuki Lotus Sutra 6 lecture (series 1) - 68-02-00-F. Added in October, 2015

Bill Shurtleff: The Shingyo [sutra] on other points though like ignorance, shows us both sides...
SR: Umhum.
BS: Saying “no ignorance” and also “no annihilation…”
SR: Umhum. Yes.
BS: In that sense, there seems to be a completeness…
SR: Ah – yeah.
BS: In the words and in the same way, it would seem to be no attainment and yet, constant effort for…
SR: Yes, attainment.
BS: Attainment. Something like that. I mean it seems to come out really strongly on only one side…
SR: Umhum.
BS: No attainment.
SR: So in our practice, you know, actually… [cough]… um
[audio ends]

Bill Shurtleff cuke page

Hujan Lebat!

That's our porch mat floating away. Heavy rains all day here in Sanur - cheating El Nino - really needed it. I lay in bed and sat on the porch and enjoyed it. That's the extent of what I can do for the last three days - except write this. - dc

Photo from Katrinka's Facebook page.

Shunko's Funeral

2-2-16 An email from Jirai about the funeral---------------------

I just talked with Shunko's sister Betty and she wants us to do the funeral here in Fukujoji [in Kyoto where Shunko lived]. But some formal things have to be done before it can happen. So I hope but don't know whether it will this week or not. -----------photo of Shunko with the also recently deceased Mitsu Suzuki

Shunko cuke page
  

Condition

In bed. Fever and aching last night. Weak and sleeping lots today. Katrinka's being very nurturing. - dc

More Shunko Pics

More Photos of recently dearly departed Shunko Mike Jamvold. This one by Barbara Wenger.

SR talking about Dogen, power, and - you'll see

A short addition to Transcript Archive entered on Shunryu Suzuki dot com. File name 69-10-14-x. The X because it's not clear if it belongs to the rest of the lecture or Q and A on that tape. It comes after the chanting. Sometimes lectures were taped over after they were transcribed and then the transcriptions lost. Here's the whole two minutes of it after the Read More link.