Great

The essence of mind which is supposed to be great we can be aware of through the smallest movement of each being in each moment. So we say, ‘one is everything and everything is one.’ One or many is not different. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Historical Photos of Tassajara

All these are off the web

Essence

So through various events, big or small, we have actual feeling of reality. That feeling is the feeling which is called essence of mind, or because of the essence of mind we can feel each moment, we can feel our being, moment after moment. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Another update on Del Carlson

Talked to Del's niece Nancy Smith twice in the last eight hours. Just missed Del - he's gone to sleep. He is at her place and she says he's picked up and doesn't seem to be dying. She thinks he's okay so to speak. She said he'll be 94 in December. A couple of days ago she wrote "He is comfortable. We do not know what next--either is is willing to leave us or he  will improve." - DC

Del's cuke page

Update on Del

Just talked to his niece where Del is staying and our connection wasn't so good and I'm going to call back in eight hours but I think that saying he's dying is premature. He had a stroke a week ago which can mean a lot of things but she said he's doing well. Leslie James called and he answered the phone. So suspend belief for now. - dc

Del Carlson is not well

Cuke page for Del

That's Del on the left with Issan Dorsey - thanks to Myo

Just got the word from Zentatsu Richard Baker who got a message from John Renwick who reported "On social media are reports of Del Carlson being in transition to dying.I believe he valued his relationship with Baker-roshi who, Del told me, gave guidance to Issan on a Jukai name - something with 'gem.'"

If anyone knows more about Del especially contact info would be most grateful if you'd send it to dchad at cuke dot com. Thanks. - dc

Floor

Even walking on the floor is the actual feeling of your reality -- your being. Here we have real gratefulness and feeling of being. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Bowing Thesis

Shōbōgenzō raihai tokuzui - 正法眼藏禮拜得髓

I used to hear that Suzuki's thesis was on bowing. That's part of the name of Raihai Tokusui that he wrote it on. I bet he'd rather we read the Dogen than wonder what he wrote in college so I put links to a couple of translations on the cuke page for Suzuki's thesis.

Beats

If your heart does not beat what will happen to you? Feel it. It is continuously beating. It looks alright but one, two, three -- three may be the last one. Four may be the last one. No one knows. Have you some experience of hearing your heart beat? Mostly, I think, we think ‘this is too fast’ or ‘this is too slow.’ That’s all. But it may stop at one or two or three. Fast or slowly is not a serious matter, but if it stops... But you say that is out of the question. If it stops, that’s all, you may say. But if you really feel this is the end of the heart beating then you will realize what is your life. Here we can appreciate each one of the heart beats. Then you will feel your being; step by step you will feel yourself. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Tassajara History

A new page for the history of Tassajara especially before the SFZC acquired it.

That's the hotel built in the late 1800s which burned down in 1949.

Listen

Anyway we should listen to the birds singing; listen to the insects singing; if you are aware of your exhaling and inhaling, if you feel the heart beat one after another, then you will understand what is going on in this world actually.  ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Java Buddhist Hindu Sites 3

Sewu buddhist temple within Prambanan archaeological park

Candi Plaosan below is within the park too. And there was a third smaller temple. All three of these were impressive but since they're near, 500 meters, the great Candi Prambanan Hindu temple we were the only ones who walked over to see them - with the help of a nice man who'd just sold us a book of color photos of Prambanan Archeological Park for more than it was worth but the guy's got to eat.

Little

When you realize who are you then this kind of life (wanting to accomplish the great while ignoring the small) means a little.  ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Buddhist Hindu Sites in Java - 2

While in Jave recently, we stayed in Jogjakarta for four nights. Spent a few hours at Candi Prambanan. Candi means "temple." Borobudur is Candi Borobudur. Most impressive. It's Hindu 9th century and really big. The bottom picture gives an idea of size with people in it though there's a temporary fence in that one that wasn't there when we were there.

Wikipedia page for Prambanan.

Continued from Saturday's excerpt

Here you have true liberation, but look what people are doing now. They are making effort to accomplish something great ignoring something small. They say. “This is trivial matter. We have no time to be bothered by small thing.” But which is big or which is small is -- no one can tell. It is just matter of comparison. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Java Buddhist Hindu Sites 1

Katrinka and I just spent a week in Java, first staying four nights in Jogjakarta (or Yogyakarta) and then three nights in the countryside of Borobudur. There we visited Borobudur temple built in the ninth century, the largest Buddhist site in the world. It's got nine levels and we circumambulated each level staring with the grounds, doing the top level three times.

Wikipedia page for Borobudur

Slightest

When you have the subtly to appreciate the slightest movement of wind you can actually feel the cool wind through the tree or small waves on the calm pond. So when you have this kind of power to appreciate some plainness, calmness, serenity you will have the subtleness,  the power to understand the whole universe through the slightest movement of reality. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Common or Plain

When you have excessive energy or power you have something stimulating, but when your life becomes more and more controlled then your liking will change from some extreme to the common way. And when you can appreciate something common you may have more appreciation of something beautiful. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Shunryu Suzuki college dissertation

Updated the page for Suzuki's dissertation - sometimes called a thesis. - thanks Jane

Plain

We Buddhists appreciate something plain and common, like water, like white rice. Most people eat white rice with soy sauce on it because it is so plain, it is so tasteless. Most people may like lemon-aid or orange juice or Coca Cola rather than water. But when you are seriously ill, which do you like? Coco Cola or plain water? So your inmost nature wants something quite plain. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

No Reason

If I say I like something ugly, people may ask, “Why do you like that kind of thing?” But there is no reason why. If there is no reason why I like something beautiful and there is no reason why I like something not so beautiful; there is no reason I like something plain. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Downward

When we go to Tassajara and climb up from Jamesburg to the high mountain and go down to Tassajara -- we go both ways -- way upward and way downward and we put emphasis on way downward. But everyone wants to climb up to the top of the mountain to have some view. When I was seeking for the site for the monastery almost all the people showed me the sight which commanded wide, great view, where you can see the town, where you can see the ocean, where you can see San Francisco Bay. But I rather like the bottom of the valley where we cannot see anything. It is quite natural for us to appreciate something beautiful, something wonderful. That is alright; that is our true nature so there is no problem. I don’t ask why do you like such a beautiful thing. It is quite natural. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Confront

Especially in our practice we put emphasis on something bad because everyone tries to ignore the bad side of something or may try to escape from it. That is not our way. We should confront the problem we human beings actually have. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Bad too

Usually rejecting flesh for spiritual attainment or rejecting bad nature to resume good pure nature is the purpose of religious effort, but ours is quite different. We find both good and bad in oneness. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Oneness

When your understanding is always in realm of good or bad there is no end in your study. But when your understanding reaches the point where there is no opposites, where you find oneness of the two opposites when you are in perfect renunciations. And the characteristic of Buddhism is to attain oneness within this kind of opposite idea. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Forever

To study Buddhism in intellectual sense is, of course, important, but when we lose our spirit of practice, all what we have studied will cause some trouble rather than helping. This morning I felt a great joy of practice with you, and I am quite sure that our practice will be continued forever.  ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

An Offline Website from Cuke Archives

Shunryu Suzuki Digital Archive

-----an offline website drawn from cuke.com and shunryusuzuki.com

all transcripts. audio, video - over 1000 photos, letters, calligraphy, publications, and more

---------December 2016 simplified selection

  

More on it here: http://www.cuke.com/flash/home.htm.

It's available for download from Dropbox or Google Drive.

To download the latest version of the simplified selection of the Shunryu Suzuki Digital Archive, please send an email to cukearchives@gmail.com with the subject "Request archive" and we'll send an invite to share it from Google Drive - with directions. If the invitation is accepted and the archive is downloaded or if  someone else copies part or all of this archive we request an email with the subject "Thanks for archive" in order to inform of the next update. Email addresses will not be shared. - Enjoy - dc

Progress

Perhaps, I think, you don’t know how much progress you made, but actually it is like a plant. If you do not see it for two or three days you will be amazed how the plant grows. The same thing happens in our practice. Even though we don’t know at all what we are doing -- we are repeating the same thing over and over again, sometimes making mistakes, but actually by repeating same thing, without knowing what we are doing, something results. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Known

In these three weeks this zendo, Haiku Zendo, made a big progress under the guidance of Katagiri Sensei. As Dogen Zenji said, “Don’t think what you have attained will be known by you.”   ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Prajna Paramita

The Heart Sutra and Prajna Paramita in Shunryu Suzuki lectures

Kobun Chino met and introduced - Los Altos, June 22nd, 1967

I am so grateful to introduce to you Kobun Chino, sensei. He was appointed to Zen Center to be a teacher of you. I hadn’t met him before. I was told about him but yesterday I met him for the first time and I felt as if we were old friends. I was so happy to see him.  

Kobun Chino's statement: Kobun Chino said: To all members of this Haiku Zendo. I received now introduce about me from Suzuki Roshi. Thank you very much. I am Kobun Chino. I came from Japan last 19th (of June) morning. I am very younger than. I must study the true way of human being myself and with you. Please help me and please good health for me for development of this Haiku Zendo and widely all of this member of Zen Center and its branches. Thank you very much. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-22-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Kobun Chino cuke page

Happy Anniversary

to Katrinka McKay, my beloved wife of two and mate of thirteen years. - dc

Posts here on our wedding

Precepts Review

One, do not kill. Do not steal. Do not commit adultery. Those are the precepts about our body, body activity. Do not lie. Do not sell liquor. Do not bring up the faults of others. Do not boast about yourself and blame others. Those are about our word or mouth. Do not withhold material and spiritual possessions. Do not become angry. Do not debase the triple treasures. Those are about our minds - mind.   ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Precept 10

Do not debase the triple treasures. I thought this is very funny precept for Buddhist to set up. It looks like Buddhist protecting themselves by setting up this precept. And this one is supposed to be the most fatal, important precept. If you break it [laugh] you will be expelled. I thought this is rather, you know, unfair to set up this kind of precept. “Don't kill” is good, “don't be angry is very good” [laughter], but don't be blasphemous with triple treasures is very selfish precept. Moreover, if you commit this precept, you know, you are supposed to go down to the bottom of the hell [laughter]. This is very funny. This is our system [laughter]. Very good system to me but not to you [laughter]. But those who commit the last precept is supposed to be very intelligent. That is why we put very strict and heavy duty to them. The system of hell is not punishment, you know, it is training [Laughter].   ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Precept 9

Do not become angry. This is very difficult. Nearly all the Zen masters are very short-tempered but we couldn't say do not become angry to our masters. [Laughter.] So it may be better to recite this part-- ”do not become angry”-- before our master.  ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

A little piece named

Leftovers

Precept 8

Do not withhold material and spiritual possessions. People talk about material or spiritual possessions. If you want to keep this precept in its true sense, it is necessary for you to talk about possession. Whose possession? It doesn't matter for you who has how much money. So we should not be concerned about others' property or money. This is actually what we mean - do not withhold material and spiritual possessions.    ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Precept 7

Do not boast and blame others. Do not boast yourself and blame others. When you boast yourself and blame others it means you have very small self.   ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Precept 6

Do not bring up the fault of others. When we talk about someone's faults, it means you are talking about your own fault. Almost all the time it is so.   ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,

Keeping

When we are not keeping our precepts we have precepts, but when we keep almost all the precepts -- perhaps if you do not know what is your law -- lawyer might be annoyed but almost all of us do not know what is law. But when we do not know what is precepts, we are keeping them. And even though you have problem that problem will vanish when your practice is healthy. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-08-00 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that 

More on Precept 5

We should have always freedom from the teaching and precepts. We should take them in consideration always. We should not forget it. But we should not, you know, be bound by the teaching or precepts. That is how we keep our precepts. That is why we have the fifth. The fifth one means absolute freedom from all the teaching. Do not sell liquor, this is very deep.   ------------------------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-06-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts on cuke.com - from there links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay, not just the super cool ones,