Student I: And what
are the ten directions?
SR: [Laughs, laughter.] There is past and future, but we say “three worlds,” and myriads of kalpas of time or something like that, you know. We should know what does it mean actually. The Indian literature is very -- scale is very big, and they repeat descriptions over and over again. And Buddhist scripture is not exception. But we should know what does it mean actually.
Student I: Are there supposed to be ten directions?
SR: Eight directions, and up and down-- ten directions [laughs, laughter].
Student I: Like north, south, east, west?
SR: And, you know, east and north, east-south.
Student I: Okay.
SR: Yeah. Eight and up and down. And there are a few this way [pointed at angles between horizontal and vertical - laughs, laughter]. So I don't know how many. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-01-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC
SR: [Laughs, laughter.] There is past and future, but we say “three worlds,” and myriads of kalpas of time or something like that, you know. We should know what does it mean actually. The Indian literature is very -- scale is very big, and they repeat descriptions over and over again. And Buddhist scripture is not exception. But we should know what does it mean actually.
Student I: Are there supposed to be ten directions?
SR: Eight directions, and up and down-- ten directions [laughs, laughter].
Student I: Like north, south, east, west?
SR: And, you know, east and north, east-south.
Student I: Okay.
SR: Yeah. Eight and up and down. And there are a few this way [pointed at angles between horizontal and vertical - laughs, laughter]. So I don't know how many. -------------------------------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-01-12 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC