Everything We See

Buddha-nature includes everything. Because it includes everything, it is an independent being in its absolute sense. Even if you accumulate things one by one, it will not result in buddha. If you divide buddha in various ways, that is everything we see. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

That Is Buddha Too

Tentatively because there is no other way to say it, we should say everything has buddha-nature, even though it sounds very dualistic. And according to Dogen Zenji, to say everything is a part of it is not perfect enough. Buddha includes everything. Whatever there is in this world, that is buddha-nature. If there is something outside of buddha, that is buddha too [laughs]. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Not So Dualistic

So, when we say, “everything has buddha-nature,” this is already wrong. But tentatively, we must say everything has buddha-nature. For instance, 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 the word “have” means “skin,” which is part of our body. So, when we say, “I have two eyes,” it means our eyes are a part of us. And we do not even say “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 PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

What Shunryu Suzuki Actually Said

from Mark Foote's Zen Notes

There Is Nothing But Buddha-nature

We say everything has buddha-nature, so we have to treat everything as a buddha. To say “everything has buddha-nature” is not appropriate, because to say everything has buddha-nature is dualistic. Actually, everything itself is buddha. We say “buddha-nature,” but this word is not so appropriate. If I say “buddha-nature,” it looks like we have many natures: human nature, buddha-nature, and nature of animals. But what we mean by buddha-nature is not some special nature in comparison to other natures. So, there is nothing but buddha-nature. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Obscure Buddhist License Plate

 

thanks Clare Hollander

Our Way Is Limitless

Our practice should refer to how to treat things, how to make friends, and how to study our teaching. These are some teachings told by Dogen Zenji. Anyway, our way is limitless. So, without satisfying or without stopping our effort, we should express 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 PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

This Is How We Practice

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, we can practice our way even in our work—walking or sitting or stopping or lying down. 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 PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

A Magnanimous Mind

A man with a magnanimous mind is impartial. He walks the middle way. He is never attached to any one side or aspect of things. The magnanimous mind walks justly and impartially. It denotes the intellectual function. The holy mind is the harmonious unity of intellect, emotion, and volition, and is equipped with intelligence, benevolence, and compassion. The functions 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 PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

A Christmas Message from Brother David

+ My dear Relatives and Friends,

This year i flew to Argentina earlier than other years, so i will celebrate Christmas in the middle of summer. Like every year, i am deeply moved by the familiar Advent melodies in our monastic book of hours, but when i raise my eyes from the book, i see – instead of snow in the fir trees – the apricot tree in front of my window and am faced with the almost hopeless daily task of protecting the ripening harvest from flocks of parrots.

Missing the accustomed trappings of this festive season, i have to focus on essentials. To my surprise, i notice something essential this year, that never struck me before: how important it is for us to celebrate together with friends, yes, how intimately community and celebration belong together.

 

Even when we celebrate alone, we feel at heart connected with our friends. Nobody can celebrate in isolation. Only through a celebrating community do table and altar become sacred. Since this became clear to me, community has become the key word, this year, for understanding the celebration of this festive season.

Nothing is more urgently necessary in our time than that we rebuild the lost sense of community in all areas. Only united as a community can we solve the major tasks before us: overpopulation, environmental destruction, climate change, social divisions, corruption ... But how can we as individuals start finding community? Precisely by celebrating together.

That’s why i urge you, my friends, when we sit at our festive table, let’s keep in our hearts sensitive topics – migrant workers, victims of war, hungry children – and perhaps even dare to mention them. To speak of them in the midst of your celebrations requires great sensitivity and won't always be appropriate; only you can judge whether it is right to do so. But whenever possible, let’s ask each other, what can i personally do to bridge one social gap somewhere. Unless we are willing to do this, how shall the promise of Christmas – “Peace on earth!” – come true?

Mother and child are the archetype of community and remain its model. A mother sees all that’s bad in her child as the not-yet-good. And all of us can learn to look at the world through the eyes of a mother. Then – without glossing over its horror – we will be able to deal with the not-yet-good creatively. Maybe those parrots, flocking together, can teach us about community. Maybe we can learn from bees and ants, without losing what’s good about individual freedom.

So urgent is all this that i must risk seeming obsessed with it. Please forgive me. After all, the message is a happy one. Ultimately, it's about the joy of celebrating life – not superficially, but genuinely, and that means in community. You to whom i’m sending this message belong to my heart-community. I wish you this joy for every day of 2023 and far into the future.

Your brother David 

Brother David's Gratefulness dot org

Brother David's cuke page

Spiritual Joy

The joyful mind means a joyful frame of mind. A man of joyful mind is contented with his lot. Even in adversity, he will see bright light and value and never grumbles or complains. He finds some of Buddha's grace in difficult circumstances. He feels pleasure even in painful conditions, and always rejoices. Seven hardships will disappear at once, and seven kinds of happiness will come at once. In this way, he 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 PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

A Poem for Silas Hoadley

Steve Tipton sent the following poem for Silas. He forwarded the photo of Silas he'd received for Silas's widow Beverly.

For Silas

In God we trust, let’s say, and ask
who else comes up along the way to join us
and become a friend for life, a companion
side by side on the road, face to face in the moment,
with good, sure hands, steady on the job,
agile at play. Swing that hammer, hit that ball!
Alive to joy, aware of loss, awake to care,
One to clear our mind, fill our heart, light our way.

The good man has no shape, some say,
and everyone is good in their own way--
a child of God, point of light, wave of wonder--
even if a little off, selfish or sleepy. Then
it’s time to go. Ready or not, we rise
to give our all, if we’re lucky or blessed,
with all the goodness, grace, and generosity
of spirit Silas shared with us in the flesh.

ST
12/21/22

Silas Hoadley cuke page - in case you're not aware that Silas died, just go to his cuke page for more.

photo by Beverly Saito

Seven Hardships

Seven hardships are when you are born, and old age, and sickness, and death. And to have too much energy [laughs]. So that is why you don't eat strong stimulating food in the monastery. And even though you expect something, almost all the expectations will not be fulfilled in this world because by nature we expect too much. So, it is impossible to appease your desires. And to depart from someone who you love. And to be with someone you do not like [laughs, laughter]. These are the hardships we have in this world. But if you have a joyful mind, all people will be your friend. And the more healthy you are, the more you can enjoy your life. And birth and death should be happy occasions. In this way, all those seven hardships, 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 PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Buddhist Stories for Kids

s

by Laura Burges

Amazon Link

Listen to the cuke podcast with Laura Burges

Laura Burges cuke page

The Joyful Mind

The joyful mind is the volitional aspect of the Zen mind or mentality. —Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-A - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Knowing the Purpose of Practice

Because we are too intellectual it's too difficult to put faith in something which we do not know exactly, so some intellectual explanation or interpretation is necessary. So, we have to talk about something 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.

A SFZC course - Tassajara Tales

Online Learning: Tassajara Tales with Diane Renshaw 

"In this on-demand course, you’ll hear tales of Tassajara, told in the wild tongue of fire, flood, and the mountain landscape; in the secret dialog of the plants and animals who inhabit and shape it; and in the art and narrative of the people who have cared for and been shaped by this place for tens of thousands of years. This class is available through SFZC’s new Online Learning Center and is designed to be taken at your own pace."

(Image credit: Shundo David Haye)

Buddha 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 PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

The Great Mind

The great mind is the mind of mountains and seas. If you do not have great mind, you cannot take responsibility. If we don't know when someone will quit, we cannot trust him. Especially if a man who is responsible for the kitchen quits his work, all the rest of the monks cannot eat. That is why this great mind is necessary. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-A - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Old Ladies' Mind

The next thing is to have old ladies' mind. Usually, by nature, old ladies are 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. When it is cold, they will take off their own coat and cover the baby. When it is hot, they will carry their baby on the cool side, exposing themselves to the sun. So Buddha-mind must be like an old ladies' mind who raises children. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-A - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

The Tenzo Should Always Be Happy

If a monk who is responsible for kitchen work is not happy, food tastes very bad, you know. Even if it is good, it doesn't taste too good. So Dogen Zenji means, he should always be happy. If he is not so happy, then 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 always be happy. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-A - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Accept Various Criticisms

First of all, Dogen Zenji says the Tenzo (head cook) must be a man of big mind to accept various criticisms and complaints with not a smile, because if you smile they will be more angry; you cannot even smile [laughs]. Just to accept what they say and to understand our human nature is the only way. So, first of all, Dogen Zenji counts big mind: the mind as great as a mountain and as wide as a sea, or else you cannot be responsible for kitchen work. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-A - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

RIP Silas Hoadley

Dear friend and dharma uncle, Silas Hoadley, died on Monday, December 12th. Silas has been suffering from dementia but still we've had some phone chats this year thanks to Bill Porter. I Just talked to Silas ten days ago and he was clearer than some months before. Bill said that was because he was in a care home and had more people to relate to.

From an email just received from Bill Porter: I'm so glad both of you (Steve Tipton and me) could have some time with Silas recently. Isaac and I have been visiting him almost daily for the past week. He stopped eating and drinking a week ago, and he also stopped talking. He finally died tonight. Amber (Silas's daughter) flew down and was with him shortly before he died. It was definitely time for him to go, and I'm glad he didn't linger any longer than he had to. May we all be so fortunate. Treasure the memories. Bill 

When Shunryu Suzuki was dying, he told Jerry Fuller, "Don't worry. You have Dick and Silas."

Silas Hoadley cuke page.

photo 2014 by Tim Buckley

Working in the Kitchen

Dogen Zenji explained big mind in his Tenzo Kyokun, the instructions for monks who work in the kitchen. Those who work in the kitchen must have this mind. Work in the kitchen is the extended practice of zazen. Their way of working in the kitchen should be based on our pure practice or big mind. Especially for those who work in the kitchen, it is necessary to have big mind because they will have various difficulties. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-A - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

More classes on the newly discovered Shunryu Suzuki lecture tapes

 

Awakening the Archive Part II: The Lost Talks of Suzuki Roshi (class), Online 8/6 - 8/27

A Worthy Cause

Help Kelsang Tsogtor (Van Vorheis) get his Kadampa teaching credentials.

Dear Ones:

My name is Kelsang Tsogtor, I am a Kadampa Buddist monk and have the wish to become a qualified Kadampa Resident Teacher and help Kadam Dharma to flourish in Oaxaca. I have been living in Oaxaca for the past eight years.

I have enrolled and been accepted to join the six month Intensive Teacher Training Program (ITTP) offered at Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Center in England, with the intention of learning and improving my teaching skills to become a qualified resident teacher and come back to Oaxaca.

The cost of the education program, accommodation and meals is covered by the NKT for the six months of the program. Transportation to get to Manjushri, Spring and Summer Festivals and accommodation during the festivals have to be covered on a personal basis. This is an appeal to raise money and be able to cover my airline ticket, festival fees and travel expenses incurred in joining the teacher training program. Any contribution is very much appreciated. Thank you for your support.

With love and gratitude, Kelsang Tsogtor

Our Mind Is Like a Mirror

The mind which we will obtain by our pure practice is something which is not graspable—which is beyond our words. But at the same time, the mind will respond to everything. So positively speaking, our mind is like a mirror which reflects various objects on it. But when there is no object, the mirror is something which you cannot even see. This is the mind we will obtain by our pure practice. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-06-A - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

A Visitor’s Journal

When Chris Pirsig was murdered in the SFZC City Center neighborhood in November 1979, Robert and Wendy Pirsig flew to San Francisco and stayed as guests of the Zen Center. This is her account of the 40 days they were there - with notes and photos.

photo - Wendy, Ted, and Robert Pirsig at the funeral for Chris Pirsig.

Wendy Pirsig cuke page

Open Up Your Mind

Our way of life should be more stable, and more wide, and more open to everyone. Keeping something just within yourself is a violation of one of our precepts. Whether material or spiritual, not to open up for others is a violation of the precepts. Our mind should be open to everyone. If you want to open up your mind, you should resume your true mind or essence of mind according to the Sixth Patriarch. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Sheet of Paper

There is a limit in our effort and in our power to attain something. The difference of whether you become famous or not may be by a sheet of paper. If you are stronger than the other a little bit, you will become famous. That's all. If you can do it a little bit ahead of people, you will be successful. To be involved in that kind of competition is to sacrifice yourself. And it is silly to be involved in this kind of life. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Something Which Will Appease

This kind of interest in our practice is not the usual interest of being proud of your power or your understanding, but something which will appease all the ambitious thoughts and all resistance. That is why many artists, poets, samurai and some influential persons—who found a dead end in their way—practiced zazen. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Joan Larkey

Expanded on yesterday's post on Joan Larkey. Added a few comments from Leslie James and five photos by Barbara Wenger. 

Happy Bodhi Day

 Thanks Buddha.

On Joan Larkey's final days

Karin Gjording sent this year old photo and wrote the following about Joan Larkey who died in her Carmel Valley hom on December 4th, the 51st anniversary of shunryu Suzuki's death. She was 95, born on August 23, 1927. As one can see from what Karin wrote, I was wrong in my initial post to say she was in a care home. - dc

 

Karin: Joan fell 6 months ago, was hospitalized and then in rehab for about 3-4 weeks.  Then home with as much assistance as she could afford.  We set up a few hours daily of people coming in to prepare food, clean, etc. 

 

Joan died on December 4, between midnight and 4 am.  I gave her medicine at midnight, and when I went in to give her 4 am dose, she had gone.  She was cold to the touch so I think died closer to midnight.   (Leslie said maybe she was emulating Suzuki roshi…).   She had been unresponsive to people for several days.  And had mostly stopped talking quite a while ago, maybe 2-3 months.  She lay in bed almost all the time, by her own choice.   Seemed to be focused inwardly.  

I set up an altar in her room.  Around noon we had a brief service officiated by Shōgen from the Jamesburg area, He knew Joan.  Very few of us were there but it was a much appreciated service.  Leslie did communicating with larger ZC community, but it was really not possible for us to manage a 3 day sitting time for Joan.  And her partner Rick very much liked the several hours she was there, and the service. 

 

She lived in a beautiful house about a half mile west of the village, a home with spectacular view of the mountains.  Never in a home.  She had no dementia but she was pretty muddled in the last few months.  

Rick and Joan met about 6 years ago and shared a lot of things—theater particularly.  He has been living with Joan since Covid. He is in his 80s.  We haven’t written an obit.  I suppose we will.

*****

Leslie James adds

Joan stayed in her own beautiful home in Carmel Valley Village, up the hill on the north side of the valley looking over to Garland Park.  Joan designed and rebuilt the house when she moved there from Carmel.   Maybe Karin will remember the year.  No dementia, just the same old Joan.   Always curious, often with an opinion.   She and Rick were together for about 10 years, with him moving in full time about 4 years ago.   He is a wonderful, intelligent man.   He writes historical plays, recently one called Abolition about Frederick Douglas and John Brown that is playing on some PBS channels.   They loved reading together, history, science, poetry.  Also watching movies, doing jigsaw puzzles.   I am so glad she had him in her last years, most of which she was in very good health for her age.

*****

To me, Joan was always a classy woman whose presence, not her, demanded respect. - dc

*********

Barbara Wenger sends more photos of Joan from earlier days

at Greens party

with Issan Tommy Dorsey

Joan Larkey, Shunko Mike Jamvold, Jordan Thorn (who was with Joan for some time back then)

tea time at Tassajara - names to come

  

The True Dragon

As Dogen Zenji in his instructions on zazen said, “Don't be afraid of the true dragon.” In China there was a man who liked dragons very much. Even though he didn't know actually what it was, he was very interested in dragons, and he liked to talk about dragons. Even though we don't know what zazen is, people like to talk about zazen all day and night, all night and day [laughs, laughter]. But Dogen Zenji said, “Don't be surprised at the true dragon.” — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Something Which Is Wrong

So the more you understand human nature, the more you will be interested in our way. Another aspect of human nature is we may like something wrong rather than true [laughs]. This is maybe the same tendency we have when we feel some resistance. Something which is true is maybe always very common and not so interesting, not so colorful. It is just plain and common. So you have no interest in it. Something which is wrong [laughs] is very interesting to you to see, you know. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Inward Effort

It is silly for us to be caught by feelings of resistance. Resistance because of discrimination is a kind of imitation. Usually we imitate something in the same way, but when we have resistance, we imitate in an opposite way [laughs]. But the way is caused by some outward object. In other words, your mind is enslaved by outward objects. In this way, resistance and imitation are the same. You have no freedom. So, if you want to obtain perfect freedom from everything, your effort should be directed inward. As long as you have this kind of practice, you have no danger of being enslaved by anything. You will always have perfect freedom. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

RIP Joan Larkey

 Just got word from Elizabeth Sawyer that Joan Larkey died. Elizabeth said that her old friend Karin Gjording was with her. 

Farewell Joan. Gya te gya te. - dc

Freedom of Creativity

When we do not think “right or wrong, good or bad,” our mind is big enough to accept things whether they are old or new. Who tells us the teaching or who forces some way of life on us doesn't matter. We will not lose our way, and we will develop our way with our own ideas and in our own way. There will be freedom of creativity. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

Good or Bad

In our practice, we should forget all about ideas of good or bad, right or wrong. But when old culture becomes rigid and concrete, it will always force something anew. So, in our practice, even though we do not ignore the ideas of good or bad, we are not caught by the ideas of good or bad anymore. Instead of expressing resistance, we resume our original nature or universal nature or a state of mind before being crystallized in some particular way. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.

To help others avoid tragedy

 CBS Bay Area News

Micah's Hugs founded by Michelle and Micah Sawyer

thanks for sending this Elizabeth Sawyer

Resistance to the Old Way

Usually resistance and obedience are two quite different tendencies or activities of mind or functions of mind. But originally they are not different. There we have the reason why we practice something informally and why we practice in the opposite way. Because you feel some resistance to your old culture, you should practice zazen. And you feel better to practice our way, because our practice is the expression of our resistance to the old way of life. — Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 67-12-05-B - as found on shunryusuzuki.com edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for Shunryu Suzuki lecture excerpts - with a photo.