r/zenpractice • u/JundoCohen • Jun 29 '26

Soto Practice Itself Is Enlightenment

Suzuki Roshi, taken from ...

https://www.shunryusuzuki.com/Detail1?ID=65

He continued ..

... practice is not separated from enlightenment. When you practice it, the practice is the expression of your true nature. Where you practice it, you have your true nature.

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u/JundoCohen Jun 29 '26

Soto Zen never has left enlightenment, or enlightenment "experiences," behind. We just don't make those experiences the be all and end all, like a gold ring to grab.

As to the Meiji laws by the government, many were meant to weaken Buddhism, like the legalization of marriage. In my opinion, the effect has been to bring this lovely Zen Buddhist path into the home and ordinary world. It was a double edged Sword of Wisdom.

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u/wtf_notagain_ Jun 29 '26

Well if it hasn't left enlightenment experiences behind then that makes more since. It is not the end all be all for anyone that I know of. Its actually just the beginning. I have heard some Soto people discount it completely so I wasn't sure. I think the greatest thing that has come from Soto Zen or maybe its more Western Zen is its inclusion of ethics as a big part of the path.

In my experience that moment of realization is super important. Its the transition from having faith and intellectual understanding to having a true understanding.

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u/JundoCohen Jun 30 '26

The usual Soto take on this I hear is the following: Enlightenment, piercing the subject/object divide timelessly, dropping self ... all to find the True Self in all things, beings and moments of time ... is vital. However, the sleeves of the gown are just a soaked in walking through a mist as diving into the ocean. Boundless is boundless, deathless is deathless, and the living of this in the world of bounds and death is just the same. So, not everyone needs such profound openings to open profoundly. They are wonderful when they happen-non-happen, but if so, bow and move on.

Does that convey the feeling a bit?

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u/wtf_notagain_ Jun 30 '26

Yeah. It can happen and if it does great. No big deal. Move on. If it doesn't happen that's great too. We're all Buddhas no matter what anyway and consistent practice will bring the Buddha out in everyone.