How you take vows is to do it without being involved in any idea of vows. This is the way the Buddha’s direct disciples took vows. Later Buddhism became more and more idealistic or more rigid, and we lost this important point. Those things are not something which we should be told. Actually, we are leading our life in this way. When we understand our life in some sophisticated way [laughs], we get into trouble. So, if you want to study our way, we must remember this point. It is necessary to study, of course, but in your study if you lose this point, your knowledge or your study will not work. You cannot own your knowledge in its true sense.
—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.
