Shunryu Suzuki Stories

MEMORIES OF SUZUKI Roshi FROM WIND BELL AND DC FILES

Letters on Suzuki Index - with more on these letters

Steve Stroud

This one came off the Internet. It looks like might be off the Well.

Topic 370 [spirituality]: Enlightenment‑‑have you given up on the concept? #39 of 128: Steve Stroud (ss) Tue Jan 4 '94 (13:01)

Notwithstanding my belief in the axiom "you can only see your own level" and its corollary, "I wouldn't really know one if I saw one" I have met people who I would unquestionably say were "enlightened." The avatar Meher Baba for one. Oscar Ichazo. Suzuki Roshi. Suzuki Roshi's answer to my "what is enlightenment" question appealed the most. He said, "Ha, ha, ha. You see! It's the monkey mind! Trying to understand enlightenment with the monkey mind. Ha. Ha."

I also loved the Dalai Lama's answer to the question "Are you enlightened?" His answer was, "no."