David Schneider has a new piece to share

 In Close Proximity—Part Two

Excerpts from Side Effect
A Journal of Zen Life with Philip Whalen
by Tensho David Schneider

Tensho David Schneider’s journal, Side Effect, came about from the idea that the sayings and doings of Philip Whalen—Zenshin Ryufu —would be of interest to others. It takes place during a golden decade (early 70s to early 80s) of the San Francisco Zen Center in what Whalen called his “life of elegant retirement,” and covers a period of 18 months. This is Part Two of excerpts from the unpublished manuscript.

David Schneider cuke page

Effort

 Jeff Williamson: Docho Roshi, recently in my zazen I have been putting forth every bit of effort that I can find. And before too long-- before too long that I have been sitting there, I think that I should slow down, that I am trying too hard to have good practice. And then I think, “No, I am not trying too hard. I am putting forth my very best effort.” And I really do not understand what you mean when you say, “Put forth your very best effort, but be careful that you do not try too hard.” I do not know where to draw a line. I don't know when I'm doing one thing and when I'm doing the other. Could you please say something that would help me now? 

SR: “Try your best effort” means not to lose your way. Always keep up with your practice. That is what I mean. Of course, zazen practice is difficult because we should reject the two extreme. While you are practicing, it-- or while you are keep up with your practice-- everyday practice, you will find out how to reject the two extreme. So when you become frustrated, when you have problem, when you are discouraged, at that time you should try your best effort to resume your own practice. That is what I mean.        --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-11-11 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Shosan Question

Jim Morton: Docho Roshi, if I look at the moon, on one hand I may think, “This is the moon.” And on the other hand I may think, “This is my own eye.” Is this Nirmanakaya and Sambhogakaya?

SR: Yes, it is. The moon-- you see by your eyes, and your eyes is the-- are not different, actually. So that is Nirmanakaya Buddha.          --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-11-11 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Mel Weitsman stepping down ceremony

On October 24th, Berkeley Zen Center abbot Mel Weitsman had a stepping down ceremony after many decades being head and then abbot of that group. View a video of that ceremony.

snatched this from SFZC Sangha News which added: Over 200 people attended the livestreamed Stepping Down Ceremony for Sojun Mel Weitsman at Berkeley Zen Center on October 24. If you missed the ceremony you can view it on YouTube. And while you’re there, watch Sojun’s Zazen Instruction from September 2020.

Mel Weitsman cuke page

Obituaries for Diane Di Prima

New York Times Obituary for Diane (thanks John Steiner and Linda Ruth Cutts)

Washington Post Obit

NPR obit - thanks Daya

Diane Di Prima cuke page

Shosan Ceremony exchange

Ed Brown: Docho Roshi, thank you very much.

SR: Thank you very much.         --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-11-11 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Erik Storlie on lIneage

 Lineage Delusions and Lineage Delusions Revisited by Erik Storlie

Erik Storlie cuke page

Erik is a guest on a Cuke Audio podcast going up soon

Most Important

Claude Dalenberg: Docho Roshi: Incessant change and evanescence everywhere. Life is so short. What is the most important thing to do?

SR: To continue everyday practice forever.

Claude: Thank you.

SR: Good point.        --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-11-11 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Opening statement for a Shosan Ceremony

If you want to know what buddha-nature is - which is not possible to know what it is-- but if you want to realize it, you should wait until it comes to you. If you want to talk about that which is not possible to talk about, present some words to me.       --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-11-11 as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

DC note: We've spent so much time with Suzuki's Lotus Sutra lecture excerpts recently, that I've skipped by 11 more Lotus Sutra lectures (68-10-00-D through N) to this Shosan Ceremony. Maybe I'll go back to the next one on the list when we're through with excerpts from this lecture. 

Another errata for Crooked Cucumber

In typing up excerpts from Crooked Cucumber to post on Facebook to give a flavor of the book to others, I come across a note I made on p. 108 (bottom paragraph) that Germany surrendered in May, not April as it states. - Rick Wicks

Thanks Rick. Duly noted and this will be another fix for the 2nd edition. My mistake was in just taking and not checking the date from the interview, with a student of Suzuki Roshi's from back then. 

The Eratta page is not up to date now because we've been working with a new transcrpt. So many have come from various sources through the years, a number last year and this. - DC

RIP Diane Di Prima

Poet, student of Shunryu Suzuki and Chogyam Trungpa

Just received this from Jeanne DiPrima: My mother passed this morning.  There will be a family statement tomorrow.  Sending love. 

And this from Arnie Kotler: 

Diane Di Prima (1934–2020)

Beloved friend & fiercest poet Diane Di Prima has died––Diane was here for the start of the 100 year project that is Naropa, and even more crucially a decisive voice in American poetry & poetics, a voice in which poetry & poetics always implies political commitment to revolution––– we owe her a debt that can never be repaid, which is to say we owe her the debt of love and study and solidarity / memory eternal––––

from Revolutionary Letter #2

"The value of an individual life a credo they taught us

to instill fear, and inaction, ‘you only live once’

a fog in our eyes, we are

endless as the sea, not separate, we die

a million times a day, we are born

a million times, each breath life and death :

get up, put on your shoes, get

started, someone will finish"

from this Facebook post on the page for the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics

Dianne Di Prima cuke page

Best Effort

Q: You speak of our existence in only an instant, but at each instant, that existence should make its best effort. And the more I think about this idea of best effort, the less I'm able to understand at all what it means. I think I've asked you this before, but maybe I'm ready to hear it again. What do you mean by making your best effort on each instant?

SR: I don't mean to sacrifice this moment for the future, and I don't mean to be bound by past life and try to escape from it. This is the kind of effort you usually make. But there's a more important point in your effort. What is it? To stand on your own two feet is the most important thing. To sacrifice this moment for your future, even for your ideal, means that you are not standing on your own two feet. So the most important thing is to accept yourself, to have subjectivity in each moment. Or, don't complain-- accept things as it is and satisfy yourself with what you have right now. You should think, this is the only reality, the only Buddha you know, the only Buddha you can see, experience, have, worship. And then if you want to do something, at that time you are Nirmanakaya Buddha and Sambhogakaya Buddha and Dharmakaya Buddha.       --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Shunryu Suzuki program from our Shambhala Friends

 

At Noon Eastern Today Homage to Shunryu Suzuki Roshi Hosted by KCCL and Ocean Saturday, October 24, 12 Noon Eastern; 1:00 PM Atlantic Time In the Main Ocean Shrine Room (link below) Highly revered, Shunryu Suzuki was a Sōtō Zen monk and teacher who helped establish Zen Buddhism in the United States, and is renowned for founding the first Zen Buddhist monastery. We will hear a little about his life and his strong connection with Trungpa Rinpoche. We will also be viewing videos of some of his teachings, and hearing some stories from senior practitioners who were his students. Open to All Free of Charge You can log into the Main Shrine Room and catch it here.

It's All Good

Q: You mentioned the triple world.

SR: The triple world: past, present, and future.

Q: Can you explain bringing people from this world -- .

SR: There is no separate past, present and future. Past and future actually exist in this present moment. Do you understand? If you do something good, your future is bound to be good; and that you are good means that your past life was good.      --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Old group photo name errors fixed

I just noticed that there were errors in the names on this popular oldest group photo from Tassajara - fall of 1967. So here is the version with the names, names fixed. If anyone from back then can add a name or correct one, would appreciate it. Not that many who would know so if you know someone who might, please forward this to them - and that's a rare request from me. Thanks. DC

Merta Ada

 

A Life in Bali podcast with Merta Ada, teacher of meditation and healing who founded Bali Usada. He studied with Bhante Girirakkhito Mahathera, the great Vipassana guru who founded Bali's best known Buddhist temple, Brahma Vihara Arama. Check out Merta Ada's Bali Usada website. He's got a Zoom class starting in November that's timed for Europe and later on will do one for America.

Karmic

Q: You said some people live by karma and some live by vows.

SR: People who do not understand this truth live a karmic life. But those who know this point do not live a karmic life. Karmic life is another version of Buddhist life.     --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Please read the notice below

See today's (10-22-20) Cuke nonZense blog for today's vital message which would also have been appropriate to post here on Cuke What's New Blog. I could have put it on both but I didn't like the feel of that. I decided to put it there and link to it from here so you'd get to see what Cuke nonZense blog is like - if you choose to hit this link.

Continuing from Yesterday

But even so, we shouldn't ignore things, we should make our best effort in each moment. That is a kind of attachment, but this attachment is, at the same time, detachment, because the next moment you should make your best effort again. So it means detachment from the previous being. In this way, moment after moment, we exist. This kind of understanding is expressed by our technical terms of Nirmanakaya Buddha, Sambhogakaya Buddha, and Dharmakaya Buddha.    --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

A Brief History of Tassajara in Sweden

Former SFZC student Rick /Wicks (his cuke page) sent:

I got the History of Tassajara book (probably last time I was in the States) and, after reading it, donated it to Göteborgs Universitet so now there's at least one copy in (and available throughout) Scandinavia!

Here's the library listing:

A brief history of Tassajara : from Native American sweat lodges to pioneering Zen monastery / Marilyn McDonald ; forward by David Chadwick.

McDonald, Marilyn (author)

Chadwick, David (introduction)

ISBN 9781732287723

Published: San Rafael : Cuke Press, 2018

English 177 pages

Incarnated

We are incarnated bodies, with a certain color and form and character. So there must be a source or root of each being, as the Sambhogakaya Buddha was the source of the Nirmanakaya Shakyamuni Buddha. When he realized this point, he accepted himself as Nirmanakaya Buddha, as Sambhogakaya Buddha, and as Dharmakaya Buddha. When we understand ourselves in this way, we exist in this world to continuously try to express Buddha Nature, moment after moment. That is the effort we should make, rather than being caught by a certain color or form.   --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Yvonne Rand Obituary

Already posted this but here it is on Tricycle.

thanks Peter Ford

Yvonne Rand cuke page

Many Buddhas

Q: I think a lot of us have felt that some of the things in the Lotus Sutra are hard to understand from our experience, in the same way that the vow seems to be impossible to our understanding. But there seems to be a relationship between making that vow and the many Buddhas.

SR: It may be difficult to explain. I think you know pretty well, and Claude [Dalenberg] explained it pretty well in his answer to someone's question. That is actually how we exist here. We exist moment after moment, taking the form and color of the great Sambhogakaya Buddha. That is true. Don't you think so? If I say “Sambhogakaya Buddha,” since you don't know the technical definition of the term, it may be more difficult. But we exist here, and we are not permanent beings. Only in this moment do we exist like this. Tomorrow I will not be the same person. This is true. Next moment I shall be the future buddha. Yesterday I was the past Buddha. And you will be another Buddha. In this way there are many, many Buddhas.   --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

First Use of the Suzuki Enso

 

First Use of this Enso
was for a benefit art show toward the purchases of Tassajara. Here's what I wrote about it for the in-progress 2nd edition of Crooked Cucumber:

Spending a whole afternoon on a cushion at the low table in his office, at the request of his student, Mike Dixon, Suzuki drew an enso, a sumi circle, for a poster announcing a benefit art show, drawing one incomplete circular stroke after another, going through sheet after sheet of rice paper, till he got a stroke that satisfied him. It was soon used as well for the cover of a fundraising brochure. He didn't do a voluminous amount of calligraphy, as is common among Japanese priests, but this simple enso would come to greet countless gazes. Mike designed the poster. His artist name is Willard Dixon.

Right now having a problem getting it to show on the page on cuke.com for this enso but that will be fixed within a day so here's that page.

Perpetual

Q: What does the understanding of the vow have to do with the understanding of Sambhogakaya Buddha?

SR: First of all, Sambhogakaya Buddha is the perpetual one, who exists from beginningless beginning to endless end. And secondly, Nirmanakaya Buddha is the one who exists moment after moment with various forms, so Sambhogakaya Buddha is the background of Nirmanakaya Buddha. And Nirmanakaya Buddha is the embodiment of Sambhogakaya Buddha. So Sambhogakaya Buddha will give birth to Nirmanakaya Buddha. Nirmanakaya Buddha is the Buddha which exists moment after moment with various forms. Do you understand? That is why we say sentient beings are numberless, and we exist from beginningless beginning and to endless end.  --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Difficult

Q: Should we be concerned about future disciples and past Buddhas? It seems so difficult to understand.

SR: Yes, it's difficult to understand. That was the point of my previous lecture on the Lotus Sutra. If your understanding does not lead to the Sambhogakaya Buddha or Dharmakaya Buddha, this kind of description doesn't make any sense. It looks like a fable or tale. Do you understand? As you will see later in this sutra, Buddha said to many of his eminent, direct disciples, “You should live until Maitreya Buddha appears, many, many aeons in the future,” and they said, “Yes.” You cannot understand this kind of thought without the idea of the Sambhogakaya Buddha. And you may say the Sambhogakaya Buddha is just some idea, but if you have some experience of zazen, you can accept it. That is why Zen Buddhism arose.    --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Mini Podcasts

In Friday''s Cuke Audio Mini podcast, read vignette number 68 from Zen Is Right Here: Teaching Stories and Anecdotes of Shunryu Suzuki. It's an interaction that Larry Hansen remembers that happened between Suzuki and Liz Wolf. Just passed the halfway point in reading these - with comments. - dc

Limitless

 Q: I didn't understand the emphasis this sutra places on the future lives of the different disciples. How is that of value?

SR: “Future disciples” means that Buddhism is the teaching which has a limitless future and beginningless beginning, and which should always be true. So, in the sutra, there are many disciples and buddhas who will exist in the future and who existed aeons ago.   --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

David Schneider Journal

 In Close Proximity—Part One

excerpts from Side Effect
A Journal of Zen Life with Philip Whalen
by Tensho David Schneider

The Dalai Lama Global Vision Summit

 October 22 to 27 - Free - Register at Lion's Roar

thanks Peter Ford

Shobogenzo

Q: Do you think the Shobogenzo may have been the best sutra for that time?

SR: For that time, it was. And he used a very unusual truth for a person who was born several hundred years ago. Most of the truths he used may be very appropriate for us to use too. In this sense, many scholars are interested in the Shobogenzo. But even so, you cannot say Buddhism was completed by Dogen Zenji. If you think it was, the Shobogenzo becomes like a coffee shop on the freeway. Dogen will be very angry if you stay there. That is why he wrote it. His intention was not to stay here. You should go on and on. That was the point he put emphasis on. He said Buddhism is not valuable because of the teaching, but because of the continuous practice, such as the four vows.   --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

ZMBM Afterword

 Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind Afterword had the wrong link in prior post. But not now. Thanks Andrew M.

Afterword

The Afterword by DC in the 50th anniversary edition of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind that came out earlier this year. 

Carve

Student A: If that was the interpretation of Buddhism that was perfect for that time, maybe some new interpretation is perfect for this time. Or do you think that the Lotus Sutra is the best expression of Buddhism for the present?

SR: Another way of understanding is by logic. Or, culture is also a truth for carving Buddhism. So I think that nowadays you should use some other truth to carve Buddha's image.  --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Podcast - Tassajara Stories # 3

 The third draft piece in this ongoing work in progress. - Confined.

Improve

In this way, our understanding of Buddha's teaching improved more and more. Finding out how we should improve and accept Buddha's teaching as a perfect teaching is the effort we have been making. So Buddhism should change, it should not be completed. One after another, we must have new teachers, and we must improve our understanding of the teaching from an immature one to a mature one. We should study this sutra with this in mind. Did you understand what I'm trying to say?  --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Podcast with Richard Levine

Podcast with Honarable guest, Rick Levine

Rick's cuke page

That's Rick to the right of and behind Suzuki. Tassajara summer 1970

He mentions that photo in the the podcast. I forget what was happening. Will ask him and put it here later. - dc

Perfect

 For the true Mahayana Buddhist, there are no Sravakas, Pratyekas, “Great One Vehicle,” or “Mahayana.” This is called the truth vehicle, while the other is called the special teaching. The special teaching is not good enough. It should be perfect teaching. So according to the Tendai analogy, there is the perfect teaching, the special teaching, and the teachings of the Pratyekas and Sravakas. This is a more proper understanding of Buddha's teaching. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Remembering Terry Gragg

Terry Gragg died 35 years ago October 11. He was a student of Shunryu Suzuki then Richard Baker who ordained him as a priest. Everyone liked Terry but we couldn't help him as we wished to as he got further and further away. We were quite close, especially in his final years. What was most important in the world to him was his son, Sean. He talked to me so much about Sean. But he had made some decisons that took him into a dark place and kept him and Sean apart. He tried to get back but failed. I have always tried hard to avoid doing any ceremonies but I married Terry and his second wife and did Terry's funeral at the SFZC City Center, telling him to let go of his past. Not long after that I met him coming toward me around a bend in a vivid dream on a path lined with a white picket fence in a green field. He seemed lost and asked me what should he do. A woman walked up. "Here," I said joining their hands. "Help her."   

Remembering Terry today thanks to Ted Howell reminding me and sending the image from Terry's first wife and Sean's mother, Antoinette's altar.  

According

According to the Tendai school, which was founded by Tendai Chihi in China, there are two kinds of Mahayana.

Zmbm 50th Anniversary Edition

Afterword by DC - with notes - an update of the Afterword for the 40th Anniversary Issue - a few additions, a few corrections.

Cuke biblography addition

The bibliography page on cuke dot com and some other pages which list book, now have links to buy those books at independent bookstores and at Amazon, both of which will benefit Cuke Archives with a kickback so to speak. Here are the links to the 50th Anniversary Issue of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind with an Afterword by DC. 

at local indie bookstore | on Amazon

Thanks Peter Ford for setting that up.

Nowadays

Nowadays we have various sects in China or Japan, but the reason so many founders of various schools continue to make that kind of effort today is only in order to understand who Buddha was. When someone found that Buddha was such and such a person, he became the founder of some school. All the effort we have been making has been to know who Buddha is and what his purpose for teaching was. Do you understand this point? For a Buddhist, Buddha is not just a historical person-- he is truth itself. We think he should be truth itself, and the historical Buddha cannot be perfect. But the background of the historical Buddha should be truth. If so, truth itself should be the real Buddha for us. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Continuing from Yesterday

But what I want to say is that there is no need for you to be disappointed (that the historical Buddha didn't tell this sutra), because what Buddhists have been trying to do was to find out what was fundamental Buddhism. So they thought, this is not fundamental Buddhism, and this is not, until finally they thought this is Buddha's original purpose in teaching. When they reached this kind of understanding, someone invented this story with such conviction and on such a great scale. That is why this sutra is called the king of all sutras. Do you understand? --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Shunryu Suzuki on the Lotus Sutra in general

Actually, the sutra was told by so-called Mahayana Buddhists several hundred years after Buddha passed away. Buddhism had developed from the sravaka to the Mahayana understanding. If I say Buddhism developed in this way, then you may think it developed or changed. But in reality, it did not change or develop, but tried to resume the original understanding of Buddhism. In this way, for many thousands of years, Buddhists have been trying to restore Buddha's teaching. It looks as if this effort changed Buddhism from the original way to some different teaching, but that is not so. Do you understand what I am saying? It is rather difficult, with my language problem, to explain this part. This sutra was told by someone who was a Mahayana Buddhist. It looks like the historical Buddha, over here, spoke this sutra, but actually someone who was over here told it. And Buddhism itself developed from here to here. So you may say what is taught in this sutra is not Buddha's teaching, but a teaching which developed from Buddha's teaching. So if you are attached to Buddha's original teaching, you may be disappointed, you see? --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Tassajara Stories

Yesterday posted a podcast on the 2nd draft piece for Tassajara Stories called Early On. Made some changes while doing the podcast. Already have plan to write more about Richard Hieb who offered land by the mouth of the Russian River by Jenner to the ZC for a retreat early on. It says 1962. In what's there so far just glanced over that as an example of one of the places Suzuki had seen earlier than Tassajara. After reading the piece I checked up on Hieb in Cuke and on the Internet and mentioned what I found in the comments. Some of that I kept thinking about this morning. That's what I want - to be thinking about and developing it so I can get it out of the back burner and wrap it up. - dc

Confused

The sutras usually look like they were spoken by the historical Buddha himself. But our Buddhist sutras were not actually spoken by him. So when you read a sutra, if you think it was spoken by Buddha himself, you will be confused, because there are actually many elements in it which did not exist in Buddha's time. Afterwards, when the sutra was compiled, it was interspersed with various thoughts that existed then. Buddhist thought itself developed from the understanding of the direct disciples of Buddha to that of Buddhists several generations afterward. So you will be very confused when you read the sutra as if it was spoken by the historical Buddha.--------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-C as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Terebess

A most amazing, thorough archive of Zen can be found at the Hungarian Terebess site the main purpose of which is to be there for the family Asian furniture business - I guess. That's what it looks like at the home page. Gabor Terebess has a massive Zen section buried within. Select English and see if you can find the Zen link on the Terebess home page. There's tons of Soto Zen material. I could have just linked to the Zen section, but this is more fun.

Once was Dianne

Phone chat with Daya Goldschlag on Cuke Audio Podcast

See the film clip from Tassajara in 1970 with her hitting the densho (bell) while Shunryu Suzuki enters the zendo for service.

Daya's cuke page

Many

 Student A: Then what is the meaning of Maitreya, the coming buddha?

SR: Maitreya Buddha is the buddha who will come. There must be a future buddha too. We call him by the name of Maitreya. Buddha attained enlightenment and saw his Dharma Nature, so he became the Nirmanakaya Buddha. And he also knew the source of his buddhahood. He recognized himself as the seventh patriarch or seventh buddha. Before Buddha there were seven buddhas. But seven doesn't mean just seven, but many. He didn't say, “I am the first one.” He acknowledged many buddhas before him. He is one of the many buddhas, and he is Maitreya Buddha also.  --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Obituary for yvonne Rand

Zen teacher Jisho Warner has composed an obituary for Yvonne, with input from Wendy Johnson and a few others. Photos below the obituary.

Buddha

 Student A: Then I'm confused about the meaning of the word “buddha,” because we talk about the last buddha being Shakyamuni and the next being Maitreya. Do we understand that the understanding of Bodhidharma or the Sixth Patriarch or Dogen Zenji allowed them to become buddhas? Can we say that those people attained complete perfect enlightenment?

SR: Uhhuh.

A: Then why don't we call them buddhas also?

SR: Dogen Zenji Buddha. We say “buddha” or “zenji” or “busso.” So means patriarch. The way we name them is different, but what we mean by “buddha” and “patriarch” is the same. When we point them out, one by one, as successive teachers, then we call them Patriarchs-- first, second, third, etc. But they are all buddhas. So they are not different, but what we call them is different.    --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC

Podcast Guests

 The Cuke Audio Podcast page now has a list of all the guests so far with links to the podcast they're in and to their Cuke page. - thanks Peter Ford (more development of that page to come)  

Former and Future

Student A: We read about certain masters who, upon attaining complete enlightenment, are able to direct their future rebirths, in other words, to return to help all sentient beings, coming back through a vow rather than through karma. Would a master, say in this century, who could do that, be a Nirmanakaya buddha?

SR: Do you mean someone who actually knows his former and future lives? Since I don't know my former and future lives, I cannot say for sure that he is or is not. If I really knew, then I could say yes. When my self doesn't know, how is it possible to say, “Yes, he is”? But according to our more traditional teaching, I think I can say he is a real master.      --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-10-00-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. - DC