Podcast with Judyth Weaver

Cuke Audio Podcast with Judyth Weaver is a Tai Chi and Sensory Awareness teacher who studied dance in New York and Tokyo and Zen in Kobe and came to the SF Zen Center in 1968. And much more. Check her out further at judythweaver.com. 

Composure

To attain enlightenment means to have this kind of complete composure in our life, without any discrimination. But, at the same time, if we stick to this kind of attitude of non-discrimination, that is also a kind of discrimination, you know. So how we practice zazen-- how we attain this kind of complete composure-- is the point, you know, you should have when you start our practice.     --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki  lecture - 69-01-25-bn - as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. 

Roshis Visit Tassajara 1968 - Seeking photos

Got the following email from a researcher:

Greetings,

I am writing to ask for assistance in a research project related to the opening of the Tassajara Center in 1968. In particular I'm asking about photos. More specifically I'm looking for photos that include (if any exist) a Flora Eko Courtois. Flora was a student of Maezumi Roshi, considered a founder of ZCLA, was recognized by Yasutani Roshi as having the experience of enlightenment by oneself alone which, on account of his urging, she wrote about in a small book titled "An Experience of Enlightenment."

Flora died in early 2000 at the age of 84 so she would have been in her early 50's when she made the drive to Tassajara in 1968 with passengers Maezumi Roshi, Yasutani Roshi, Soen Nakagawa Roshi, and Eido Shimano Roshi.

While I realize that photos from 50+ years ago may be archived and not easily accessible I'm hoping that's not the case and that something can be found without much effort. Thank you in advance for your consideration of my request.

Roger Jo Ei Stawasz

**************

I referred Roger to a page on cuke.com about this visit. I can ask Barbara Wenger if she knows of any photos of that visit. There are three in the Wind Bell article linked to that includes only the celebs.  Will ask on FB. - dc

Continuing with the Sun Faced Moon Faced Buddha thing

The difference between Baso and we ordinary people is for Baso, you know, whatever happen to him, he can accept things as it is, as it happens. But we can not accept everything. Something which you think is good, you may accept it. But something which you do not like you cannot -- you don't accept it. And you compare one to the other. And you may say, “this is the truth; this is not true.” And “he is a true Zen master; and he is not a true Zen master.” And “he is good Zen student; but I am not.” That is quite usual way of understanding. With this kind of understanding you cannot figure out what kind of idea we can sit with every day.   --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki  lecture - 69-01-25-bn - as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching. 

DC Comment:: He sort of stumbled there at the end - and this is after I edited it to seem to say what he was saying, but I'd say he was trying to say we can't practice  Zen with this sort of idea.

Every Breath

Actor and Zen teacher Peter Coyote and Lew Richmond have a conversation about Lew's new book on aging for men,  EVERY BREATH, NEW CHANCES: HOW TO GROW OLD WITH HONOR AND DIGNITY.  Lew says, "As two aging men we cover a lot of ground and go into depth about the book and its original new contemplative practice, 'deep mind reflection.'"  Listen to the conversation here.  You can purchase the book  here.

L to R - Al Tribe, Lew Richmond, Peter Coyote, after Al and Peter received transmission from Lew, January 26, 2016.

Sun and Moon

When I am sick, I may be the moon-faced buddha [laughs]. When I am healthy, I am the sun-faced buddha. But the sun-faced buddha or the moon-faced buddha has no special meaning. It means that, whether I am ill or healthy, still, you know, I am practicing zazen. There is no difference. So you shouldn't worry about my health, you know. Even though I am in bed, you know, I am buddha. So don't worry about me.    --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki  lecture - 69-01-25-bn - as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching.

A Report on

 The soon to be over intensive on The Lotus Sutra: A Teaching for Bodhisattvas in Our Time of Great Challenge and Change - that Reb Anderson is leading via Zoom. 

Wendy Pirsig is attending it and wrote: Over 200 people with Tenshin Reb Anderson, from all over the world for 15 weekdays, plus there have been breakout discussion groups on Saturdays, and talks by Linda Cutts and Nancy Schroeder on Sundays, and even sutra-copying zoom sessions.  Reb lectures about an hour, and then invites offerings, shosan-style, the second hour. There's also Green Gulch-based zazen and service on zoom. The Lotus Sutra is pretty hard sledding for me but I am soaking it in, and it has been a highly beneficial way to spend the cold January days of lockdown.  The other participants are quite amazing, just about everyone ordained and most have done intensives before, now all together again through zoom. Great tech backup support from Brendan Crowe.  And Reb is in full force.  I never thought I'd see him again, let alone have a chance to do something like this, it's pretty great. 

Health

Some of Japanese member, you know, thought because I am always zazen, “He not catch cold. [Laughs.] He will not suffer from flu. But it was funny for him to stay in bed so long.” [Laughs.]

The purpose of zazen is to make ourselves physically strong or to make ourselves mentally healthy or strong, maybe to make our mind healthy and body healthy. But healthy mind is not just, you know, healthy mind in its usual sense, and weak body is not weak body in its usual sense. Whether it is weak or strong, when that weakness and that strength is based on so-called truth or buddha-nature, that is healthy mind and healthy body.    --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki  lecture - 69-01-25-bn - as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching.

Composure

[After being down for a month and  half with a flu] I am glad to see you from here [laughs]. My voice may not be so good yet, but today I'm testing, you know, just testing. [Laughs, laughter.] I don't know if it works or not. Whether it works or not, or if I speak or not, is not such a big problem for us. Whatever happen to us, it is something which it should happen. So the purpose of our practice is to have this kind of complete composure in our everyday life.   --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki  lecture - 69-03-09 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC  - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching.

Excerpt from ZC Board Notes

Roshi: because Jean cannot attend the entire period she has refused [to be Shuso]. My idea--someone like Dan can take her place while she is away. She had a very good reputation at Eiheiji. Even though most of the teachers have changed there, she is still known. She practiced there long enough and sincerely enough. In our school nuns are treated uncertainly.