| 1967-8 At meeting in Tassajara dining room | ||
| L to R: Rick Morton, ?, Bob Shuman, ?, Shunryu Suzuki, Phillip Wilson, Chris Flynn, John Steiner, ? | ||
| Photo by RB SR0271 in the shunryusuzuki.com photo archive |
Bodhisattva mind is not, you know, dualistic thinking mind. This point is also Dogen Zenji’s point. Dualistic, confused mind is not bodhisattva mind, but even our confused mind is good enough to have inspiration from the truth, from Buddha. So, when your dualistic mind receives that inspiration, at that time you are Buddha. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
Hi. Gosh. I forgot to post a Suzuki lecture excerpts for two days again. Like I did last week or was it two weeks ago? Trying to get a bunch of stuff done but I intend to post those excerpts Monday through Saturday and it's not like I don't have time to do and am working around the clock. Let's see if this continues. In the meantime, I've got all the podcasts in queue through July 15. Have got the last 30% of Thank You and OK! left to record and prepare for an audiobook. Maybe it's all downhill from here but whichever way I'm headed it's onward! - dc
To understand the evanescence of life will be at the same time how to arise bodhisattva mind. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
DC: Suzuki uses the always (as far as I know) intransitive verb "arise" as transitive. To me it is like a technical term which only applies when he uses it this way.
On that moment [that you say "Yes I will" follow the precepts forever], that moment includes its own past and future. That moment will be extended to the four directions and past and future. That is also true. So, as you practice zazen, you know, you should say, “I will do it” without being involved in doubt whether you can observe it forever or not. There's no need from the beginning, you know, [laughs] to say, “No, I cannot.” You cannot say so. When you really see things as it is, there is no position for you to say, “No.” The only way is, “Yes, I will.” That's all that you can do. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
So, you know, originally things are changing. So, no one can say in its ordinary sense, I can observe these precepts forever [laughs]. You cannot say so. Even though you attain enlightenment, that is not possible. No one can be sure about anything, but how is it then possible to say, “I will observe it,” moment after moment. At least on that moment, you should say, “Yes, I will.” --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
And Dogen says, how will we arise bodhisattva mind is to know the teaching that everything changes. Everything changes—it’s absolutely true, [laughs] you cannot deny it [laughs, laughter]. So, you should know completely, accept completely that teaching: everything changes. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
Then why do we practice zazen? [Laughs.] There will not be no need to practice zazen, if it is possible to arise bodhisattva mind with dualistic thinking mind. If it is possible for us, you know, to arise bodhisattva mind and to receive bodhisattva precepts, then, you know, you should receive it, even though your practice is not so good, and you are involved always in dualistic thinking mind and emotional activities. Actually, you know, our practice is as I always repeat, not some practice which you can explain completely. Our practice is something beyond our understanding. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
Why you are confused in helping others and why you suffer when you reflect on yourself, on your mind is because it is almost impossible to be free from dualistic thinking mind and emotional and superficial mind. But Dogen Zenji says, you know, with that mind you should arise bodhisattva mind. Whatever your practice may be, that is true practice. Whatever your mind situation may be with that mind you can arise perfect bodhisattva mind. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
Dogen Zenji says, mind—What is mind? There are three kinds of mind. But usually by mind we mean thinking mind: thinking mind is mind.And with this thinking mind, we must arise bodhisattva mind. This is very valuable, and this is a great help for us, you know. Usually, you know, you may think after you attain enlightenment, when your mind is very clear, and when you have no more dualistic thinking mind, you will arise bodhisattva mind [laughs]. But Dogen Zenji did not say so. He clearly said there are three kinds of mind. First of all, we have thinking mind, dualistic mind. With this dualistic mind you should arise bodhisattva mind. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
This kind of problem is a problem you have always. So, it is not so easy to arise, you know, bodhisattva mind. It is not so easy at all. Why it is difficult is because you do not have the right teacher or because you do not know exactly how you arise bodhisattva mind. Answer is very simple, [laughs] very simple, but I think it is good for you to suffer [laughter, laughs] on this point, or else, you know, your practice will be very, very superficial. Of course, you know, trying to save others you may say bodhisattva practice, but if some impure element is in it, you cannot have confidence in your practice. I know many students who have this kind of conflict or problem. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
How you then, you know, how you arise bodhisattva mind will be the next point. You will ask me how you arise bodhisattva mind. Many people ask me, you know, about this point. Aquestion will be something like this:
Why we say “bodhisattva precepts” is—it is based on bodhisattva mind. As you know, bodhisattva is—mind is to save others, sentient—all sentient beings before, you know, you save yourself. That is bodhisattva mind. To—to save others is first, and to save ourselves is next. Or we say, bodhisattva mind. Bodhisattva mind—bodhisattva mind is spirit, to devote ourselves in saving others. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
If you do something good, you have no time to do something bad. That is how you keep precepts. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
Precepts for the people who have right practice are called “bodhisattva precepts,” in comparison to some other so-called-it “Hinayana practice precepts,” which are quite different. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
DC comment: The term hinayana is a pejorative word for Theravadin Buddhism meaning small vehicle. Mahayana is the big vehicle. He just means literally sticking to the precepts and it would have been better in my opinion if he'd used that term rather than imply all Theravadins take the precepts literally and have inferior understandings, don't get the spirit. He knew better than that and even said once he'd like to go to the countries where Theravada is practiced to seek teaching from good teachers. But he was in a small pond back then and didn't think that what he was saying would be on a larger stage later, didn't consider the implications of what he was saying in this case.
Cuke Certified Authentic
And right practice is also foundation of our precepts—precepts. When you do not have right practice, you will hesitate to accept precepts, but if you have right practice you can accept precepts. Whatever the precepts may be, you can accept it. So, precepts for the people who have right practice is called “bodhisattva precepts.” --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
If you practice some particular practice which has no foundation, your practice will eventually fall into a pit hole [laughs]. You will be caught by it and you will lose your freedom. But if you have the foundation to your various practices, the various practices will work and will help you. By right practice we mean that kind of foundation of practice. It is more than practice. So, when you have a foundation to your practice, even though your practice is not perfect, it will help you. That is right practice. And if you want to know actually what is right practice, as I told you, it is necessary to practice with right teacher who understands what is right practice. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
Sit Quietly
By right practice we mean fundamental practice from which you can start, from which various teachings will come out. So, if you have right practice, you have already right teaching there. So, right practice is the foundation of all Buddhist activity. Right practice cannot be compared to various practices or training. There are many ways of Zen practice. There are many practices -- zazen practice, meditation practice, but our practice cannot be compared to other practices. I don't say which is important or which is better, but anyway without foundation, you know, various practices do not work. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
In our practice two important practices are zazen practice and to listen to your teacher, or right teaching. These are just like two wheels of a vehicle, you know. Without practice, you cannot understand the teaching, you cannot listen to your teacher. And without listening to your teacher, your practice cannot be right practice. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 70-08-03 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com, from one of the newly discovered (2021) or recently significantly added to or changed 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
.png)
Usually I post music stuff on the Cuke nonZense Blog, but this is in the Cuke Archives realm - preserving the legacy of Shunryu Suzuki and those who's paths cross his. - dc
I think we are lucky to have so many friends in this zendo, and practice zazen with some unusual comprehension of our practice. Thank you very much.
[After standing up] Thank you again. Have a great meal at your home [laughter]. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 66-03-26-C - 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
If you have some doubt on this point, you should read Shobogenzo—ninety-five volumes of Shobogenzo—over and over again [laughs]. Then you will find out how important the beginner's mind is. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 66-03-26-C - 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
For a teacher, try to be a good teacher [laughs] is how to teach Buddhism. That's all. It is very difficult [laughs] for a teacher to be an example for a student, and that is impossible. At least for me it is absolutely impossible [laughs, laughter]. But if I try very hard to be a good friend of you, within my ability, that is, I think—there is no other way for us to study Buddhism. So, beginner's mind is very important. Just to practice zazen as your teacher, that is the only way. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 66-03-26-C - 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
PDF of A Flora of Tassajara, Vol. 2 (link for PDF of volume one and David's Tassajara History Scrapbook at David Rogers Cuke page
I think David's flora and Tassajara history books might be available through the SFZC Bookstore and Giftshop.
As a mother tiger doesn't have so many things to teach for her children - to live with her children is how to teach [laughs]. Actually, there is not much to tell you. So, with beginner's mind, if you walk [laughs] like your teacher walks, that is a way how to study Buddhism. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 66-03-26-C - 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
Calmness of the mind is to have right way-seeking mind, which is beyond gaining idea. So, when you have right way-seeking mind, you have right practice, and there you have nirvana. If I speak too much about it, it sounds more and more like something unusual and difficult to attain, but it is not so. If you always retain the beginner's mind, that is way-seeking mind. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 66-03-26-C - 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