July 22nd, 1971
Thursday, July 22nd, 1971Shunryū Suzuki-rōshi
SAN-PACHI-NENJU
Thursday, July 22, 1971
Tassajara
Listen to this talk: Suzuki-roshi 71-07-22
This evening I want to explain about san-pachi-nenju[1] which we practice. Can you hear me?
Student: No.
Suzuki-roshi: No. Okay. [Laughs, laughter.] San-pachi. San-pachi-nenju which we practiced this evening. Some of you must have joined the ceremony, and some of you must have seen it. But before I explain about san-pachi-nenju, I want to explain our—what is our practice and what will be each one of yours practice—practice of each one of you should be or will be.
Before everyone—before we become Buddhist, you are lay Buddhist. And before you become lay Buddhist, you are laymen which does not belong to—member of Buddhists. Now can you hear me? Member of Buddhist. So [there are] non-Buddhist people and Buddhists. And Buddhist can be classified in four: lay Buddhist—lay Buddhist man and lay Buddhist woman and maybe layman and laywoman, and nun, and priest. Those are five class—classes of Buddhist group. Four—we have four groups.
And each layman accept Buddhists precepts. If usual person accepts precepts, we become Buddhist. And I have been explaining what is precepts. So tonight I will not speak—talk about it; but if you become Buddhist, what kind of practice you will have is next thing—is the thing I want to talk [about]—to study.