File Name: 71-03-12
Friday, March 12, 1971
from Reed College, Q & A after lecture.
It is not so easy to say what actual practice is, what Zen is. But anyway, I want to try. First of all, why we practice Zen may be the question most of you have. As you know, Buddha's first teaching is the Four Noble Truths. According to him, our life is a life of suffering. And if you know the cause of suffering, you will know how to go through our suffering, and you will attain Nirvana or enlightenment. Tonight maybe it is better to explain why we suffer. Suffering includes various kinds of ... Read Transcript (this version is updated and corrected at times. Any other transcripts below are not).