The Existence of Mind

I don’t know existentialism, so I cannot compare, but there must be some difference. We have no existentialism, but in our Buddhist philosophy we have this kind of interpretation of our mental functions. We Buddhists suffered a lot [laughs] about our mind, so Buddhism studies our mind. Our mind is very troublesome [laughs]. We don’t know what to do with it. So, at last we found that it is impossible to study our mind, but you cannot deny the existence of mind.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Mental Activity Itself

Before philosopher Northrop, they classified our mental functions in three ways: pursuing truth, pursuing goodness, and pursuing beauty. But actually, those functions are not independent. When we do something, it is willpower, and it involves emotions. And it also involves good and bad ethics. So, if one of them is lacking, you cannot do anything. So, it is better to study it as mental activity itself, without classifying in three ways. This way is nearer to Buddhism—phenomenology or existentialism is close to Buddhism. But [laughs] not exactly so.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Religion Covers Everything

Before Buddhism was known to the West, by religion you meant Christianity. So, it’s no wonder that the Western idea of religion is quite different from our idea of religion. Our idea of religion covers everything, all of human culture. So, it is impossible to study by a scientific way, because science takes some viewpoint. But religion can take viewpoints of science, or natural science, or cultural science, or ethics, or philosophy, or logic, so studying from a fixed standpoint cannot understand what religion is because it covers everything.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Understanding of Religion

If you compare the Shobogenzo to your philosophy of religion, you will find the difference between your understanding of religion and Dogen’s understanding of religion. He does not allow his Shobogenzo to be a philosophy. Shobogenzo is not philosophy. Shobogenzo is religious literature, or religious philosophy, not philosophy of religion [laughs]. Direct religious experience is Shobogenzo.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Religious Culture

When I say inmost request, it may sound like something emotional or some activity, but it is not so. Religious culture in our sense is not just building or painting or rituals in the monastery. Our religious culture includes all culture: science and philosophy and everything. From our viewpoint we call it religious culture. So, what you do—what you cook in the kitchen is religious activity. When you work in the zendo, it is religious activity. Not just bowing to Buddha is our religious activity.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

This Kind of Practice

When your meal is ready, someone who is responsible for the kitchen will bow to the zendo. This bow is for you, who practice zazen here, including Buddha. But usually they bow in the kitchen, so we don’t know, so we cannot answer the bow, so we don’t. But actually, the head of the kitchen will bow for us who practice this practice. The practice is done by your Buddha nature. This kind of bow is the bow which we do to the Buddha. Buddha is someone who is practicing this way. Not only Buddha, but also every existence is doing this kind of practice.

Image generated by Google Gemini

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Lost in Duality

If you ignore true “I,” which chooses “What should I do?” then you will be lost in duality. “What shall I do? This way or that way?” Just duality—you will suffer in duality. When you have a strong inmost request, a strong desire to do the right thing, there’s no alternative. The conclusion will be indubitably found out.

Image generated by ChatGPT

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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

Marsha Angus  has been a therapist for many in and out of the SFZC realm for decades. She received lay ordination in 1979 from Richard Baker, was shuso at SFZC in 2007 and received lay entrustment in 2010 from Dairyu Michael Wenger. She started practicing at Green Gulch Farm in 1975. She lives in Mill Valley with her partner, Kiku Christina Lehnherr. Listen to the podcast and learn more.

Not Dualistic

When we practice something, it is of course dualistic. Our practice may be dualistic. But when you practice with awareness of this inmost “I,” your practice is not dualistic anymore. Your practice looks dualistic, but your practice is done by the inmost request of your nature. That is not dualistic.

Image generated by ChatGPT

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-27-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.

Belated RIP Alice Haspray

 Just recently learned that Alice Haspray died a year go. 

Farewell dear friend from long ago and more recently. It's been good to know you.

Tribute to Alice on Chronicles of CTR

Alice and Richard Haspray cuke page