Eyes

So that is why I must say, “everything has buddha-nature.” It is not perfect expression of the teaching. So Dogen Zenji says, "You must treat a grain of rice as if it is your own eyes." Eyes is part of you, and so is the grain of rice. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay. 

Member

But according to Dogen Zenji, a part of it is not perfect enough, because if we say “part of it,” the relationship between things is ignored already. ”I am part of,” you know-- ”I am a member of our family.” If you say so, the relationship between you and your brother is not expressed well. It is ignored. So Dogen Zenji said everyone is not member of.... Everyone is family itself.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay. 

A Sense of Something Greater

A new book by Les Kaye and Teresa Bouza

With an Introduction by Natalie Goldberg

Parallax Press link for this book

Les Kaye Cuke page

"A truly surprising, brilliant, and wonderful book. Reading it, you suddenly see that there is something greater that is before us, right here, right now. Les Kaye and co-author Teresa Bouza reveal a different kind of mind (and heart) in the midst of Silicon Valley and of our lives. This marvelous book is not only about the search for balance but for meaning in the midst."—ROSHI JOAN HALIFAX, Upaya Zen Center

“Zen meditation may call forth images of Japanese rock gardens and old monasteries, but Les Kaye places it naturally in the midst of twenty-first- century urban American life. Using interviews with individual practitioners  by Teresa Bouza, A Sense of Something Greater vividly illustrates how this  simple practice can offer remarkable clarity and ease to those who work  in competitive, high-tech, high-stress settings.”—KAZUAKI TANAHASHI, Painting Peace at a Time of Global Crisis

“A warm, remarkably intimate introduction to a spiritual community in the heart of Silicon Valley. Through personal interviews with the community’s members, we meet the real people of the Valley, as they struggle to find their bearings in the fast lane of the high tech world; through the wise counsel of the community’s leader, Les Kaye, we are welcomed into the ancient tradition

of Soto Zen, where meditation is our most natural act and spiritual practice is its own reward.”

                    —CARL BIELEFELDT, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University

A reader comment about the book on Amazon signed simply, Suhail:

   I’ve recently read a fair amount in this area and this book really stood out to me. The breadth and depth of insight are amazing, it’s artfully written and easily readable. It’s a wonderful combination of experience, philosophy, science and anecdotes that provide a truly holistic understanding. The interviews make topics particularly relatable to people, like myself, who are not necessarily advanced practitioners. They also  help  the  reader apply, and sort of rehearse, moments in their mind.

    I’ve recommended this book to many colleagues (within and beyond Silicon Valley) who are all too familiar with some of the situations this book addresses but can’t seem to get out. Chatting with them after, they've similar found unlocks through reading A Sense of Something Greater.

Divide Buddha

Because it includes everything, it is independent being in its absolute sense. Even though you accumulate things one by one, it will not effect buddha. If you divide buddha in various way, that is everything we see.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay. 

Outside

According to Dogen Zenji, to say a just a part of it is not perfect enough. Buddha includes everything. Whatever there is in this world, that is a part of buddha-nature. If there is something outside of it-- outside of buddha, that is buddha too [laughs]. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Tentatively

Tentatively there is no other way to say it, we have to say everything has buddha-nature, even though it sound very dualistic. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Not Dualistic

So when we say ”everything has buddha-nature,” this is already wrong. But tentatively, we must say everything has buddha-nature. In Japanese, for an instance, I have, you know, two eyes. You say I have two eyes. But we do not say I have two eyes. We say, “There is two eyes.” The meaning is different, and in Chinese character, the word “have” means “skin,” which is part of our body. So when we say “I have two eyes,” it means our eyes is a part of us. We do not say even “I.” “There is two eyes,” we say. So when we say, “everything has buddha-nature,” what we mean is not so dualistic. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Buddha-nature

We say everything has buddha-nature, so we have to treat as a buddha. To say “everything has buddha-nature” is not appropriate, because if I say everything has buddha-nature, then buddha-nature and everything is dualistic. Actually, everything itself is buddha. “Buddha-nature,” we say, but this word is not so appropriate. If I say “buddha-nature,” it looks like we have many nature: human nature, buddha-nature, and nature of animal. But what we mean by buddha-nature is not some special nature in comparison to other nature, or human nature. So there is nothing but buddha-nature. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Jack Weller talk at the City Center

Jack Weller's October 2018 talk at the SFZC City Center on Shunryu Suzuki, Chogyam Trungpa and so forth. - Vimeo video missing the beginning of his talk. He's reading from drafts of his book.

Jack Weller's cuke page - with transcription of his City Center talk and much more

Us Buddhists (actually he said "We Buddhists"

And our practice should refer to how treat things-- how to make friends and how to study our teaching. Respectively there are some teaching told by Dogen Zenji. Anyway, our way is limitless. So without being satisfied or without stopping our effort, we should express the big mind. This is the life of us Buddhists. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Artisans Aggregate

Check out Paul Discoe's new venture in Oakland, CA.

Paul Discoe cuke page

This page has been fixed. Sorry. - DC

Open Up

According to the circumstances you will-- various virtue will appear from this great mind. That is why we should not attach to any particular practice. Whatever the practice may be, we should practice it with big mind. If we know the fundamental purpose of our practice, you can practice our way even in your work, walking, or sitting, or stopping, or lying down. So we should open up our mind without clinging to some particular thing. This is how we practice our way.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Holy

The bodhi, the holy mind is the harmonious unity of intellect, emotion, and volition, and is equipped with intelligence, benevolence, and compassion. The function of the great mind may be limitless. According to the circumstances various virtues will appear from this great mind.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Magnanimous

The magnanimous mind is as big as a mountain and as deep as a sea. A man with the magnanimous mind is impartial. He walks the middle way. He never attach to anyone. He-- he is never attached to any one side or aspect of things. The magnanimous mind works-- walks justly and impartially. It denotes the intellectual function. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Kindly

.A Buddhist scripture says the Buddha's mind is the mind of great compassion. One of the three treasures is compassion that allows courage. These are nothing but the kind mind. The kindly mind is the emotional function of Zen mind. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

SFZC Corporate History Notes

1. Got this page on SFZC Corporate History done as done as I'm gonna do at least for now. It's there because of a request from the SFZC for info they're putting together to get in some SF biz group. It has a list of notable people associated with the ZC that I'd be happy to get additions too as I just reeled off what came to mind. And some comments about the vitality of the institution. Now back to focusing on the fundamentals of spiritual inquiry. 
2. Thanks Andrew M. for sending me many errata fixes for this page. How careless I was!
3. How the heck did these numbers get here? I couldn't get rid of them so I joined them.

Nirvana

he joyful mind means joyful frame of mind. A person of joyful mind is contented with their lot. Even in adversity, they will see bright light and value and never grumbles or complain. They find some of Buddha's grace in difficult circumstances and feel pleasure even in painful condition, and always rejoice. Seven hardship will disappear at once, and seven kinds of happiness will come at once. In this way, they can experience the spiritual joy and realize that the world of-birth and death is the world of nirvana -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

A Brief History of Tassajara - now available on Amazon

A Brief History of Tassajara: From Native American Sweat Lodges to Pioneering Zen Monastery

Amazon.com link

Cuke Press link for the book at Cuke.com

over 250 photos and and clippings from the late 19th century to the present. 

Change Into

All the seven hardship, all at once, when you have joyful mind, change into happy mind or happiness. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Seven Difficulties

Seven hardships are the hardship when you are born. We don't remember-- I don't remember, but [laughs, laughter] it must be pretty hard [laughs] to come out. And old age -- we become older and older -- that is a hardship, and sickness, and death. Those are-- here we have four. And we count three more. One is to have too much energy [laughs]. That is hardship too [laughs]. So that is why you don’t eat so strong stimulus food in the monastery. It will create a hardship [laughs]. That's very true [laughs]. And even though you expect something, almost all the expectation will not be fulfilled in this world because by nature we expect too much. So it is [laughs] impossible to appease your, you know, desire. That is another difficulty  And the last one is to depart from someone who you love and to be with someone you do not like [laughs, laughter]. Those are [laughs, laughter] hardships we have in this world. This is very true [laughs]. But if you have joyful mind, all people will be your friend. And if you are healthy, the more you are healthy, the more you can enjoy your life. And birth should be happy occasion, and death is also-- should be happy. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Joyful

The joyful mind is volitional aspect of Zen mind or mentality  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

A Message from Ed Brown

The Peaceful Sea Sangha’s plans for a new Dharma Center in Sebastopol, California, did not work out, as our purchase offer was not accepted.  Also with further measuring of our capacities, the project appeared to be larger than we could reasonably manage.

We are immensely touched and grateful for all the support that we received, not only financially, but all the good wishes, prayers, and heartfelt greetings.

We intend to move forward with envisioning a Peaceful Sea Sangha Dharma Center, so we are holding the contributions we have received in a Property Fund for that purpose.

Blessings in the days to come,

                                                                                                                       Edward

Ed Brown cuke page

Joyful

The joyful mind is volitional aspect of the Zen mind or mentality.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Talk

Because we are too intellectual and so difficult to put faith in something which you do not know exactly, so some intellectual explanation or interpretation is necessary. So we have to talk very intellectually and logically. But actually there is no other way to appreciate than to practice our way, knowing the purpose of practice with right understanding of our way.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Boring Post - Follow link at your own risk

SFZC Corporate History Notes - This is a new page on cuke.com created today to help answer questions I get now and then and just got so I'm directing the questioner to this new page. That's one way Cuke Archives evolves. - DC

Big Mind

I think you must have understood what we mean by buddha-mind or big mind. Although our mind is something ingraspable, its activity is so great, and so warm, so clear, and full of joy. This is the interpretation of the buddha-mind or great mind by Dogen Zenji.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Zentatsu Richard Baker’s Last Formal Teaching

New Year’s Seminar 

Yogic time, Practice Time

– at Crestone Mt. Zen Center

Great Mind

And the great mind -- Dogen says great mind is the mind of mountain or the sea. If you do not have great mind, you cannot take responsibility - because we don't know when he will quit his responsibility, we cannot trust him. Especially if a man who is responsible for kitchen quits his work, all the rest of the monks cannot eat. That is why this mind is necessary.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Kind Mind

Next thing is for the cook to have old ladies' mind. Usually, by nature, old lady is very kind. Or we say Buddha's mind is the mind of parents. They raise children with great care, with great love, and they do not miss any expression of their baby. And when it is cold, they will take off his own coat and cover the baby. When it is hot, they will carry their baby in the cool side, exposing themselves to the sun. You may say that is our instinct. Whether it is instinct or act of kindness, the mind they have is valuable. Because of this everything grows. Because of this we were so happy when we are at home and you will not forget how you were raised in your family when you are young. Even though you do not say “thank you,” you cannot forget it. This kind of mind is the mind of parents. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Happy Cook - continuing from yesterday

If a monk who is responsible for the kitchen work is not happy, food tastes very bad. Even though it is good, it doesn't taste too good. So Dogen Zenji said [laughs, laughter] they must be like a man who is who carrying fish. No, he didn’t say so, but [laughs, laughter] what he means is he should be always happy. If he is not so happy, all the monks will not be happy and the more complaints he will have, and he will be criticized more. So first of all, Dogen Zenji says he should be always happy. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Ed Brown Talks Transcripts

All four talks Ed Brown gave at the July 18th one day sitting at Green Gulch Farm have now been transcribed. Go to the page for posts on that fateful day to access the transcripts and audio and the resulting letters and comments.

Happy Fish Mongers

In Japan there are many fisherman and fish store. And besides so many fish stores, we have some people who are carrying fish and selling it. The fish should be always fresh, so they are running on the street and they are always full of joy. They look very happy. They are always active [laughs]. If they are not happy, the fish will look like they are old [laughs]. Fish [laughs, laughter] is just more fresh if they carry with joy. It looks like fresh [laughs, laughter]. When fish become old, the eyes, you know, turn to white from blue. Even though [laughs] they carry white-eyed fish, if they carry with joy, and if they are running, fish looks like very fresh[laughter].

RIP Bernie Glassman

Lions Roar obit for Bernie Glassman

Monkey Mind Blog obit for Glassman (thanks Elizabeth Sawyer)

Joyful Mind #1

And third one will be to have always joy in his work. The order was not like this. Joyous mind is the first, and old ladies' mind is next-- kindness, kindhearted mind. And the third one is the great mind.  -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

Kind Mind #2

And next thing is kindness. Even though the material is not so good, you should take care of food and vegetables and fruits with great care. So Dogen counts kind heart or kind mind. --------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.

More rather lofty qualifications for the Cook

So-- the first of all, Dogen Zenji count the big mind: the mind as great as a mountain and as wide as sea, or else you cannot be responsible for the kitchen work.  --------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 67-12-06-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Many Shunryu Suzuki lecture ex/cerpts on cuke.com - from thee links to much more. Going slowly through Suzuki transcripts featuring whatever is next that seems okay.