One of the Many Ways To Practice

To be a Buddhist, moment after moment, we take vows. It is not necessary to think about whether it’s possible or not. When you take a vow and think about whether it’s possible, your way already is not a Buddhist way. You are falling into a superficial practice of “you should do” or “you should not,” or “you should take a vow” or “you shouldn’t take a vow.” To take a vow is to observe our way. So this, like zazen practice, is one of the many ways to practice our way.

Ordination Ceremony - January 1973

—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.

To Arise Buddha-mind

If you understand the purpose of observing the precepts is to arise buddha-mind, then when you say, “I will not kill,” at that moment you have buddha-mind. There is no need to think, “I have to observe precepts or vows forever.” Actually, we don’t know what we will do in the next moment [laughs]. It is very difficult to know, to be sure about our future. But if “I will not kill!” is so right now, that is enough to arise buddha-mind.

Memorial gathering at Nanjing massacre memorial site

—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.

Buddha’s Spirit

When we count precepts like Ten Prohibitory Precepts, we feel if we fail to observe even one of them, we will not be a good Buddhist—as if the purpose of taking vows or taking precepts is just to observe those things literally. That is maybe the usual way of understanding precepts. But the true purpose of precepts is not just to observe precepts so that you can attain enlightenment. Why we observe precepts or why we take vows is to actualize Buddha’s spirit.

—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.

Original Precept

At first, Buddha did not have any idea of setting up precepts. When someone would do something wrong, Buddha just said, “That is not right. Why don’t you do it this way?” That was the original precept. So, there were no precepts in terms of “This is a precept all Buddhists should keep.”

—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.

Mahayana

Mahayana Buddhism arose mainly because the teaching of Buddhism became more and more caught by a concrete idea of some particular teaching or precepts. And they tried to stick to the teaching rigidly. At first, they respected the teaching too much, and especially the priests tried to preserve the teaching. And this kind of effort resulted in a very rigid understanding of precepts or teaching.

—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.

Featured Cuke Archives page

David Chadwick, Rap on Refuge - like not taking refuge in our hopes and dreams. Listen to the podcast here.

Taking Vows

To take a vow is very important. To believe in Buddhism means to take vows. If you don’t take vows, life will be the life of karma. Only when we take vows will our life be the life of a Buddhist. And how we take vows may be the most important point.

—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.

All Buddhists

An underlying thought in the Agama Sutra is to help others, to save sentient beings. Usually, Mahayana Buddhists denounced Hinayana Buddhism, saying Hinayana Buddhists just practice our way to help themselves, not to help others. But actually, when they say in Agama Sutra that Buddha took nirvana because he finished his task in this world, it means that he came to this world to save others. And in various so-called Hinayana sutras, we find this kind of thought everywhere. Anyway, those vows are supposed to be Bodhisattva’s vows or Mahayana vows, but those four vows actually are vows for all Buddhists. All Buddhists should have these vows.

Calligraphy by Dainin Katagiri-roshi: The Four Vows

—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.

I Vow To Attain It

[After the chant (the last line of which is, “Buddha’s way is unsurpassable. I vow to attain it.”) Suzuki added:]

I vow to attain it. That is our practice. Right now. I vow to attain it. Don’t say, “I’m just a human a being” or “It is not possible for me to attain it.” Don’t say so. I vow to attain it. Like a child does. That is our practice.

Rhonda under Roshi’s sleeve, Minnie touched by Roshi’s flower, Toni Johansen in gassho, Lethe, Kathy Cook, Silas Hoadly

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-20 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.

Simple and Rich

Simple and rich. Strong and weak. Strong and kind. This is our practice. So, you cannot say what our practice is because it could be various virtues. It should not be so difficult [laughs], but it is difficult. That is our way. So, you cannot say our way is quite easy [laughs]. And you cannot say our way is very difficult. It is not difficult at all. Everyone can do it, but to continue it is rather difficult. Don’t you think so?

Photo by Tim Buckley

—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the image. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 69-04-20 as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.