Enslaved

We are doing something always in relation to something else. But we should not be enslaved by it. There is a difference between being enslaved by it and having a good relationship. When you are enslaved by it, what you do is not pure enough, realistic enough. Something is in it between you: rules or idea or idea of self. “I am doing something” actually means, I am enslaved by “me,” idea of “me.” So, we should be more realistic.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

No Rules

If you fail at serving tea, you should think about why, without making some excuse. You failed anyway, you know. So, what should you do to not fail again? There are no rules but to be aware of what you are doing. Do you understand?

City Center - in Suzuki’s dokusan and study room with Yvonne Rand c. 1970

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Aware

That you have a problem means you have not yet [taps with stick] surrendered enough. Something is there, you know. You should not attach to it, or you should not be bothered by it, or you should not be satisfied with it, whatever it is, or you should not try to avoid it because it is there [taps several times]. So, you should be aware of that problem and why you have that kind of problem [taps several times].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Suzanne Suarez Hurley heard Shunryu Suzuki give lectures in 1969 then joined Steve Gaskin as a founding member of The Farm in Tennessee. She practiced with Dainin Katagiri in Minneapolis and at the SF Zen Center with Richard Baker. She started a sitting group in Florida where she practiced law. Through the years she has continued her connection to Zen and The Farm. Listen to our podcast and read more about her - http://cuke.com/f.

Surrender

We say “absolute surrender.” But you have nothing to surrender. If you have something to surrender, it is a usual way. But we have nothing to surrender. You should always find out yourself.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Like a Child

You should be like a child who draws things whether they are good or bad. Sometimes you will do things without much reason. If that is difficult, you are not actually ready to practice zazen.

Monica Linde, Eliot and Lethe Walters, and Jane Westberg outside of the Tassajara school-house.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Fundamental Attitude

In this sesshin I feel very sorry that I cannot help you so much. But the way you study true Zen is not through some verbal things. You should open yourself, and you should give up everything. Anyway, you should try, whether you think it is good or bad. This is the fundamental attitude to study.

Shunryu Suzuki lecturing in old Tassajara zendo 1967

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Try Various Ways

If possible, we should give instructions one-by-one. But because that is difficult, we give some lectures like this [laughs]. But you shouldn’t stick to a lecture. You should think more about what I really mean. So, for the beginner, maybe instruction is necessary, but for advanced students, we don’t give so much instruction, and they should try various ways.

Fall Practice Period 1984

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Without Any Rules or Prejudice

When I got up twenty minutes earlier than the handbell came, I was scolded. “Don’t get up so early! You will disturb my sleep.” Usually if I got up earlier it was good, but for my teacher it was not good [laughs]. When you try to understand things better, without any rules or prejudice, then that means selflessness.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

A Good Chance To Practice

Under bad circumstances you may easily give up. But in such cases, you should try hard. How should you practice, for instance, if you are very sleepy? “Oh, maybe better not to practice zazen. Maybe better to rest.” Yeah, sometimes it is better, but at the same time, that may a good chance to practice.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Featured Cuke Archives page

David Weinstein is the founding teacher of the Rockridge Meditation Community in Oakland, California and a therapist listed on the Psychology Today website. His path led to Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, India, Korea, Japan, Hawaii, and the Bay Area. Listen to our podcast and read more about him - http://cuke.com/f.

Find Something To Do

In morning time we clean our room. But we have not enough rags or brooms, so it is almost impossible for everyone to participate in our cleaning. So, under this circumstance, what you should do is to find something to do [laughs]. You may think, “There is nothing for me to do.” But there is, if you try hard to find out what you should do.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

It Was a case of Wind Bell Errata

We found the culprit - a 2002 SFZC Wind Bell had that drawing attributed to Philip Whalen rather than Stan White. I see I'd hand written on that page "Sure looks like Stan White." - thanks Peter Ford

Appropriate Way

Each one of us must have each one’s own way. And according to the situation, you should change your way to find some appropriate way. So, you cannot stick to anything. The only thing we have to do is to find some appropriate way under new situations.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

No Particular Way

We have perhaps too many students in this zendo. But even if a master has only two or three students, they will never tell you our way in detail.... There is no particular way for us, because each one of us are different from the other.

Tassajara Fall Practice Period 1975

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Apologies to Stan White (RIP)

The prior post with the drawing of the sleeping monk falsely attributed the art to Philip Whalen. That's been corrected but for those who read that already, the artist was Stan White who drew a zillion pieces along that vein. Check them out at the 

Stan White cuke page with links to many of his drawings.

We found the culprit - a 2002 SFZC Wind Bell had that drawing attributed to Philip Whalen rather than Stan White. I see I'd hand written on that page "Sure looks like Stan White." - thanks Peter Ford

and thanks t0 Beverly Horowitz for the heads up

Limiting

Some of you may try hard to study something if you like it. If you don’t like it, you don’t. You ignore it. That is not only a selfish way, but also it’s limiting the power of your study. So, you always live in a limited world. You cannot accept things as it is.

Drawing by Stan White
Stan White cuke page with links to many of his drawings.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

We found the culprit - a 2002 SFZC Wind Bell had that drawing attributed to Philip Whalen rather than Stan White. I see I'd hand written on that page "Sure looks like Stan White." - thanks Peter Ford

thanks for the heads up to Beverly Horowitz that we originally had attributed the drawing incorrectly to Philip Whalen.

Cover

Whatever you do, you will not waste your time. But when you do something with some limited idea or some definite purpose, what you will gain is some concrete thing which will cover your inner nature. So, it is not a matter of what you study, but a matter of gaining the faculty to see things as it is, to accept things as it is, to understand things as it is.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

That Attitude

It looks like a waste of time [laughs, laughter], but it is not so. That attitude [to study with no purpose] is important. If you continue to try to seek in that way, more and more you will gain power to understand things.

Joanne Kyger

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Sign at Baths at Tassajara

 

photo by Frank Kilmer

Featured Cuke Archives page

Teresa Rivera started reading books about Eastern religion while living in France. She found what she was looking for when she started sitting with Taisen Deshimaru's group in France. In 1973 she arrived at the San Francisco Zen Center. She practiced for years at Tassajara and Green Gulch. She just turned 90. Hear about all that and more in our podcast - http://cuke.com/f.

Drinking Sake

If some Zen master drinks a lot of sake, you may think the best way to obtain enlightenment is to take a lot of sake, and then you will attain enlightenment. But even though you take a lot of sake as he does, you will not attain enlightenment [laughs, laughter].

Group photo from Garuda - From left-to-right: Unknown, Karl Usow, Trungpa Rinpoche, Henry Schaeffer

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Studying

If you want to study something, it’s better not to have any purpose—to study without knowing how to study or knowing what Buddhism is.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Seeking

When you are seeking for something, your true nature is in full activity, like someone who is in the dark seeking for his own pillow because he lost it. In the dark—so you don’t see anything, but you’re seeking for the pillow you lost. At that time, your mind is in full function. But if you know where the pillow is, your mind is not in full function. Your mind is acting in a limited sense. But if you don’t know where the pillow is, you are just seeking, and your mind is open to everything. In that way, you will see things as it is.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Stick?

If you are told something by someone, naturally you will stick to something you experienced or you understood. The moment you think you understand something, you will stick to it. And you will lose the full function of your nature.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Subtle Attitude

You should always try to find out what’s really meant by “buddha-nature” or by “practice” or by “enlightenment.” In this way, you will have a more subtle attitude towards everything until you understand things as it is.

Tassajara, winter-spring practice period 1974 - Mary Williams

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Why

In your zazen, perhaps you will have many difficulties or problems. But when you have some problem, it is necessary for you to try to find out by yourself why you have the problem. Before you ask someone, it is necessary for you to try to find out why.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-15 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Myphon Hunt arrived at the San Francisco Zen Center in the early seventies after five years living at The Farm in Tennessee founded by Steve Gaskin. She spent some time in Dharamsala and Tibet, and studied with Joshu Sasaki’s group. She’s now living at the Enso Village retirement community. Listen to our podcast - http://cuke.com/f.

Don't Be Fooled

We shouldn’t be fooled by Nansen and Joshu, even though he said, “Everyday life is the true way.” If you are fooled by them, you will say, “Whatever we do, that is the true way. There is not any need to practice zazen. What is wrong with not practicing zazen? Even though we do not sit in a cross-legged position, that is the true way.” [Laughs.] If you understand in this way, you are trying to understand the koan literally without knowing what they really meant by that discussion.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-10 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

In Short

Actually, what I meant is—you should practice zazen [laughs, laughter]. That is what I wanted to say. But you should practice it. You should be completely involved in your practice. That is what I meant in short. Then everyone will attain enlightenment.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-10 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Koan Practice and Shikantaza

You may think it is nonsense for a Rinzai student [laughs] to come to Tassajara and practice shikantaza, but it isn’t so. Koan practice could be shikantaza. Shikantaza could be koan practice. Actually, if you really practice koan practice under right instruction, that is shikantaza. If you practice shikantaza under the right teacher, it will be koan practice. If you understand our practice, there are not two practices. Your practice is pointing one way. It looks like various ways because you understand it in terms of Rinzai or Soto, shikantaza or koan practice. You may say I am a Soto teacher, but actually, our way directly came from Buddha.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-10 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Different and Universal

There is no difference between everyday problems and koans. There is no difference between a bird’s or fish’s way and Buddha’s way. And there are various ways to attain that kind of true way experience which could be your own, and which will be different from each other’s way, and which is a quite independent way from other’s way, and at the same time which is the universal way for everyone. That is the true way. If so, how can I explain [laughs] what is the true way?

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-10 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Accept

So, every day—when you accept even toilet-paper buddha, you have the true way. So anyway, the point is that you can accept things as it is, as you accept Buddha as your teacher. That is the true way. And as our patriarch and buddhas did it, it is possible for us to attain that kind of true way.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-10 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Include Everything

The true way is not something you can achieve in terms of right or wrong, successful or not successful. The important point is to always have composure within ourselves whether we are successful or not. To have deep mind, to include everything within ourselves—that is the true way or dao.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-03-10 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.