Necessary

If you want to practice this kind of practice as a good example of everyday life, you need your friends, you need your teacher, you need the precepts we have. Even though it is almost impossible to observe them, they are necessary. And some form is necessary, and some way of working or some way of taking breaths is necessary.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Enlightenment Is Everywhere

Enlightenment is not some certain stage. Enlightenment is everywhere. Wherever you are, enlightenment is there. Whatever you do, if you do it with your best effort, that is enlightenment. This point is very important for our Zen practice and for our everyday life. So, to practice Zen is a part of everyday life. In everyday life we should make our effort. Without our effort in everyday life, just coming to sit here for forty minutes, that is not Zen at all.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Best Effort

Our effort is to observe precepts. If we give our best effort each moment with confidence, that is enlightenment. Don’t ask whether a way is perfect or not. When we do our best to observe precepts, to practice Zen, then there is enlightenment. There is no other way to attain enlightenment.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

That Effort

Dogen Zenji actually was enlightened when he heard a disciple being hit by his master. “What are you doing? You have to make hard effort. What are you doing here?” His teacher slapped a person who sat next to him, and he was enlightened. That effort is Zen.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

The Secret

The secret of observing precepts is to practice Zen. Because if you practice Zen, the dualistic idea of to observe or not to observe takes place within your mind. You have no one to blame, and there is no one who is violating precepts. When you make an effort to observe precepts, even though it is not complete, that effort is Buddha-Mind’s effort. If you yourself are outside of the precepts or Buddha-Mind, there is no time to observe completely. But if your activity is involved in Buddha’s big activity, whatever you do is Buddha’s effort. Then even though it is not perfect, you are manifesting Buddha’s mercy and activity.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Richard Baker Recovering

 Here's a page on cuke.com for Richard Baker's recovery from his stroke. Nothing new. A few photos. Will add to it.

Zen Practice and Precepts Is One

We say, “Zen practice and precepts is one.” To observe precepts is to practice Zen. It is the same thing. In precepts we have—not moral code—but we have many rules. Most of the rules or commandments are almost impossible to observe completely [laughs]. I don’t think that you can observe them. But if you practice zazen, you can [laughs] observe them.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Jiryu Mark Rutschman-Byler is the abbot of Green Gulch Farm as a co-abbot of the SF Zen Center. In the podcast he talks about Becoming Yourself, an upcoming book of Shunryu Suzuki lectures that he worked on with Mel Weitsman. First he talks briefly about Nicole Baden and Richard Baker's recent stay at the City Center and Green Gulch and Baker's stroke of a week ago. He reads selections from Becoming Yourself: Teachings on the Zen Way of Life and we talk about that and more. Most enjoyable. Listen to the podcast and read more about him.

Big Mind

If your effort is based on big mind, you cannot get out of it. It is so big that you cannot get out of it. But if your small self starts to act without any care of big mind, that is not Zen. What you do should be well taken care of by big mind. So, our practice should be based on big mind. Then the pain we have in our legs is the same, but how we handle it is quite different.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Buddha’s Practice Should Be Better

All those difficulties you have in zazen should not take place outside of your mind. All those efforts should be kept within your mind. In other words, you have to accept it. You should not try to make a particular effort based on your small self like: “My practice should be better,” [laughs] “my practice.” Buddha’s practice should be better, but not yours.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

A Caring Bridge page for Richard Baker

 This Caring Bridge page for Zentatsu Richard Baker was started by his daughters, Sally and Elizabeth, and Sophia.

photo -
Richard leaving UCSF yesterday with daughter Sophia, future son-in-law Ben and dear family friend, Renée.)

from Caring Bridge page

Difficulty

When you practice Zen you have of course pain in your legs, and mentally you have some difficulty. You will find it is rather difficult to concentrate only on your breathing. And various images will come into your mind. Or your mind will go out for a walk wandering about [laughs]. It is rather difficult for me too, so I think you will find out it is rather difficult.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Psychological Activity

What is our psychological activity within ourselves? And psychological activity which takes place outside of ourselves is delusion [laughs] according to Buddhist psychology. It is delusion. It is not true. It does not exist. So, deluded activity will not result in anything. But true activity, only true activity results in good results.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Zentatsu to be Discharged from UCSF Hospital

Zentatsu Richard Baker recovering well from the stroke he had on May 18th, Shunryu Suzuki's birthday, and will be discharged from UCSF Hospital on the 21st, Wednesday. The doctors say he's healthy but it's not good for him to travel. He'll be staying at the SFZC City Center. Nicole Baden will be there too. Paul Rosenblum is with him as are family. He's had visitors and is in good spirits. It seems the stroke hit his speech center so he'll be doing some therapy for that.

Within Ourselves

For us to work on something or to help others is to do things within ourselves. Our effort is concentrated within ourselves. According to the sixth patriarch it is the activity of our true nature within. In the realm of true nature we do things, not outside of our mind. All that we do is the activity of our true mind, which is not dualistic. By mind he means Big Mind, not selfish mind.

Putative mummy of Sixth Patriarch’s body

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Without an Idea of Self

If our life is based on an idea of self, what we do will not be successful in its true sense. You will be successful in one way, but in another you will cause some conflict. So, to work without an idea of self is very, very important. It is much more important than making a good decision. Even when you make a good decision, if that decision is based on a one-sided idea of self, what you do will create some difficulties for yourself and for others.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Zentatsu Recovering from Stroke

 

Zentatsu Richard Baker is in Marin General Hospital recovering from a stroke he had at Green Gulch this morning. His dharma heir, Tatsudo Nicole Baden, and family are with him. He's smiling and "cognitively clear." No paralysis. All healing thoughts and prayers go out to Zentatsu to whom I am profoundly grateful..

Featured Cuke Archives page

Barbara Horn came to the SFZC in the mid seventies, practiced Insight Meditation with Jack Kornfield at Barre, Mass., studied cooking with Julia Childs, got a graduate degree in mediation and interfaith chaplaincy. She volunteered for the 911 rescue and recovery effort and founded Calling of the Names - callingofthenames.org. Listen to the podcast and read more about her.

Silent and Calm

To remain silent and calm is a kind of test we receive. 

If you can remain silent and calm, it means you have no idea of self.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Work

To work on something is not difficult but not working on anything is rather difficult. When we have an idea of self, we cannot stay still. Because we have an idea of self we find a reason why we work on something. But if you do not have any idea of self, you can remain silent and calm as you work on something. You will not lose your composure whether you work or not.

Sandy Watkins working with Chino Sensei

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Just To Sit

Most of you are beginners, so it may be rather difficult to understand why we practice zazen in this way. We always say, “just sit.” That’s all we say. But if you sit, you will find out Zen practice—just to sit is not so easy. Just to sit may be the most difficult thing.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-12-11-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Day by Day

You should just say, “Yes, I will” [laughs]. That is the secret of observing our precepts, and that is how you follow our rules. Then day by day your practice will mature.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Tatsudo Nicole Baden is a Dharma Successor of Zentatsu Baker in the Dharma Sangha Soto Zen Lineage. Last September Richard Baker passed on the abbotship of Dharma Sangha in Germany and the US to Nicole. In this podcast she will be talking about the Launch of the Dharma Academy with a free and open event on the weekend of May 23-25, “Engaging the Heart of Wisdom: Pathways for Meeting Uncertainty.” Participating dharma teachers include Zentatsu Richard Baker, Joan Halifax, Jiryu Rutschuman-Byler, Valerie Brown, Ryuten Paul Rosenblum, Rahshaana Green, Sarabinh Levy-Brightman, Ravi Welch, Lien Shutt, and Tatsudo Nicole Baden. Learn more about the event and sign up at courses.dharmaacademy.com/launch-event. Listen to the podcast and read more about her.

Pretty Good

Bodhidharma at first did not accept his disciple’s practice. But after he tried very hard, and he gave up the practice of perfection—then, okay he’s pretty good. His practice was mature enough. So, he didn’t say anything.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Same Quality

The moon in the sky, the moon in the water; it is the moon. It has the same quality. Although it is small, even a bodhisattva mind of the moon is there. Dogen Zenji points out this point.

Image generated by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

O Mother Gaia: The World of Gary Snyder

An excellent film called O Mother Gaia: The World of Gary Snyder has been completed just in time for Gary's 95th birthday. The 100-minute film by Colin Still features extensive footage of Gary himself along with Allen Ginsberg, Michael McClure, Peter Coyote, Jane Hirschfield, Carol Koda (his late wife), and Jack Shoemaker (his publisher).

You can view the film for free at this link any time before midnight this Sunday (May 11). After that time it will presumably be available only through ordinary film distribution. I encourage you to see it now while you have a chance.

I assume that most of you know who Snyder is. If you don't, you may want to check out these two essays at my website:

• Gary Snyder: "Buddhist Anarchism" 
• Kenneth Rexroth: "Gary Snyder: Smokey the Bear Bodhisattva" 

Thanks, Ken Knabb, for sending this.

Incessantly

A bodhisattva mind will make its effort to save life. And because it is almost impossible that bodhisattva mind will continue with our teaching forever and will not stop. It will incessantly be working on everything. So, that kind of mind of course is not our dualistic small mind. But the relationship between our mind and this mind is very close. You cannot separate.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Tassajara Stories by David Chadwick - Kirkus Reviews

First review of the forthcoming Tassajara Stories: A Sort of Memoir/Oral History of the First Zen Buddhist Monastery in the West―The First Year, 1967 by David Chadwick and it's by Kirkus Reviews! Here's what they concluded: “An engrossing account of the people and antics that defined the Tassajara monastery in 1967.”

• kirkusreviews.com
• amazon.com

Buddha Is There

Even in our dualistic thinking mind, bodhisattva mind will reflect like the moon on water. That is, you may say, inspiration for the future. Even in your confused mind, Buddha is there. Even in muddy, wavy water, the moon will be there.

Image generated by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Continues Forever

Someone may say, “Sentient beings are innumerable, I vow to save them. If they are innumerable [laughs], how is it possible to save them?” But the bodhisattva way continues forever. So, a bodhisattva will go with bodhisattva mind forever. This kind of mind is not, of course, our thinking mind. It is beyond our thinking mind.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Buddha or Bodhisattva

Because you want to be a perfect Buddha instead of a bodhisattva, you have problems [laughs, laughter].

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

May Go to Hell

When you work in your garden, there may be various insects. What will you do? If you understand what you are doing is bodhisattva activity, then sometimes you will kill. By killing insects, you will go to hell [laughs, laughter]. But it doesn’t matter. You will go to hell with insects [laughter, laughs]. You will have many friends. You are stealing our vegetables, so I have to kill you. But because of killing you I may go to hell. Because of stealing our vegetables, you may go to hell. Let’s go to hell [laughs, laughter]! That is bodhisattva precepts.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Even Our Confused Mind

To understand the evanescence of life will be at the same time how to arise bodhisattva mind. Bodhisattva mind is not 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 receive inspiration from the truth, from the Buddha toward you. So, when your dualistic mind receives that inspiration, at that time you are Buddha.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Engaging the Heart of Wisdom

Live, Online & Free:  

An Invitation to the Dharma Academy Opening Event 
https://courses.dharmaacademy.com/launch-event

Pathways for Meeting Uncertainty

May 23–25 (all times in MST / Mountain Standard Time)

“Leaving self-centeredness behind, the world awakens — and calls us into a sense of shared aliveness. This calling is where wisdom begins, unfolds, and returns to its source: in stillness.” -Tatsudo Baden Roshi

Join us for this weekend of inspiration, exploration, and exchange.

Featured Cuke Archives page

Jean Ross began studying with Shunryu Suzuki very soon after he arrived in San Francisco. In this podcast, the second of two on her, I read more from her accounts in the Wind Bell publication of the SFZC about her experience studying Zen in Japan in the early sixties - and more. The podcast concludes with a piece I wrote about her for the Wind Bell in 1997 - DC.

Yes, I Will

Each moment includes its own past and future. A moment will be extended in four directions and past and future. So, as you practice zazen, you should say, “I will,” without being involved in doubting whether you can observe it forever or not. There’s no need from the beginning [laughs] to say, “No, I cannot.” You cannot say so. When you are really seeing 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.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Moment After Moment

No one can say in its ordinary sense, I can observe this precept forever [laughs]. You cannot say so. Even if you attain enlightenment, that is not possible. No one can be sure about anything. Moment after moment it is possible to say, “I will observe it.” At least in that moment, you should say, “Yes, I will.”

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.

Everything Changes

If it is possible for us to arise bodhisattva mind and to receive bodhisattva precepts, then you should, even if your practice is not so good, and you are always involved in dualistic thinking mind by emotional activities. Actually, as I always repeat, our practice is not a practice which you can explain completely. Our practice is something beyond our understanding. And Dogen says, we arise bodhisattva mind by knowing the teaching that everything changes.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 70-08-03 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. These posts are also on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram. We are continually working on improving the quality of transcriptions of Suzuki's lectures. After a new "verbatim transcript" is made, we create a minimally edited version which is more readable. See the most recently completed transcripts at shunryusuzuki.com/n.