To be a Buddhist, moment after moment, we take vows. It is not necessary to think about whether it’s possible or not. When you take a vow and think about whether it’s possible, your way already is not a Buddhist way. You are falling into a superficial practice of “you should do” or “you should not,” or “you should take a vow” or “you shouldn’t take a vow.” To take a vow is to observe our way. So this, like zazen practice, is one of the many ways to practice our way.
Ordination Ceremony - January 1973
—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-29 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.