According to Shingon school, the something which is told by Buddha is not -- we cannot authorize anyone, or any teaching by what was told teaching -- what was told by Buddha. According to Shingon school the Diamond Sutra, Diamond Sutra is the supreme teaching which was told by Buddha and which told by Buddha without any audience. This is very funny [laughs].The teaching which was told by some special person, according to his character, or his ability, is not absolute teaching because it was told by him, like a medicine to the patient. If the patient changes, the teaching will change, so it is not absolute teaching. But the Diamond Sutra, which was told by Buddha to himself, is the only teaching which we can depend [according to the Shingon school]. But this is not a complete understanding. That is why Zen puts emphasis on our practice. Whatever the teaching is which was told by someone, is not absolute teaching. This is traditional understanding of our teaching. Not only Zen, but also for every school of Buddhism. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-07-23 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) lecture tapes. 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. Go to https://www.instagram.com/cuke_archives/ for more daily Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo
