Universal

We say we have two kinds of knowledge: intuitive knowledge and thinking or discriminating knowledge. Scientific and philosophical knowledge are the dualistic thinking knowledge. As long as we use words and we think with words, it is impossible to reach the absolute conclusion. When we just resume our own nature, which is universal to everyone, we can realize our true nature, which is universal to human beings and even animals, and plants, and all existence. And that is why in Zen practice we stop our mind.

Jane Hirshfield with her horse

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-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.

Encourage Your Practice

The only way is just to practice Zen with right understanding. If you do not have right understanding, your practice will be mixed up with some other practice. And in America there are so many misunderstandings of Zen. Through Shobogenzo we have to polish our practice, and we have to keep our practice from various misunderstandings. That is why we have Shobogenzo. That is why in sesshin I should talk. The purpose of my talk is not to give you some knowledge, but to encourage your practice without being interested in the philosophical depth of our system.

Photo by Renshin Bunce

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-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.

Why We Have a Philosophy of Zen

The Soto school has a pretty deep philosophy, but as I said last night, the Shobogenzo, or the philosophy of Zen, is just a lid, just a cover of a pan. People may be interested in Zen, but without some intellectual understanding, it is difficult to figure out what Zen is. So that is why we have a philosophy of Zen. But with philosophy you cannot have a true understanding of Zen. Zen should be understood by Zen, by practice of Zen, not by philosophy—even by reading Shobogenzo, you cannot [laughs] actually realize what Zen is.

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-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.

Becoming Yourself - A New Book of Shunryu Suzuki Lectures

Becoming Yourself: Teachings on the Zen Way of Life

Shunryu Suzuki lectures, edited by Jiryu Rutschman-Byler and Sojun Mel Weitsman

Available now on Amazon

In a Religious Way

There are many scientists who become interested in religion. Some of them are perhaps interested in true religion, but some will not have a true understanding of religion. As long as their understanding is limited to the scientific realm, it is impossible to know what true religion is because religion should be understood in a religious way. Religion is not understood through philosophy or science.

Physicist (and Zen student) Doug Greiner

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-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

Diane Renshaw  began Zen practice at Tassajara in 1978, received lay ordination in 1993, and has been working with Tassajara on a native plant project for 25 years. Diane lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is an experienced botanist, birdwatcher, and ecologist. In this podcast we hear about her life as a scientist and a Buddhist—and more.

Without True Practice

Without true practice it is impossible to realize our true nature. Of course, what we do in our everyday life, whether we are aware of it or not, is based on our true nature. True nature drives us to do things, but if you do not understand, or if you do not realize what true nature is, and if you have no system to know the actual meaning of your true nature, you will get into confusion.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-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.

Through Practice

The conclusion of my talk is always why we should practice zazen. This is not just casual talk. And basically, my talk is based on the Shobogenzo. Fortunately, we have a complete system of how to understand true religion. True religion cannot be understood in a philosophical or a scientific way. The only way to understand or to realize our true nature is just through practice.

Photo by Renshin Bunce

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-26-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 New Book by Les Kaye

I Had a Good Teacher

“interweaves Les Kaye’s Dharma talks with personal stories to reveal the subtleties of integrating Zen practice into a life of work and family. It includes fascinating memories of Suzuki Roshi and short writings about events at the zendo, including the time Steve Jobs visited Les for guidance integrating work and spiritual practice. I Had a Good Teacher is an excellent introduction to Zen in daily life, a warm portrait of a great Zen teacher, and a reminder to meditators to return to basics, keep their meditation real, and practice awareness all day long.” - on Amazon

Review by Jon M. Sweeney on Spirituality & Practice

Les's page on cuke.com

Beyond Discussion

We don’t know why we should try to improve ourselves. No one knows. There is no reason for it, or it is beyond discussion. Even though you cannot discuss it, our true nature is so big. It is out of our intellectual understanding, so it makes no sense even if you discuss it. “What are you talking about?” [Laughs.] Those who are aware of it will laugh at you if you discuss why it is so big a problem to discuss. This is why we bow to Buddha.

Drawing by Stan White

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-07-22 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.