We have been practicing counting-breathing [laughs] practice. I am sorry-- very sorry for you [laughter] for putting you in such a difficult, you know, practice. I know how difficult it is, but I think until you know how difficult it is, you will not find out-- you will not realize how important it is to practice counting-breathing practice once in a while to check your practice.

Actually, you know, secret of counting [laughter] breathing practice is, you know [laughter]-- hmm-- if you laugh I will not tell you. [laughter]. This is rather, you know-- this secret is-- must be kept only for me, but [laughs, laughter] as you have-- you have been practicing so hard without knowing it [loud laughter]-- why I put you in this practice--  I only wanted you to know how difficult it is! [Laughs, laughter.]

Not only, you know, counting-breathing practice. Just to-- to have good breathing is difficult enough. And we say-- Dogen Zenji says-- excuse me [drinks water]: “After all, what is your inhaling and exhaling? After all, what is it? Therefore, there is no self.” “After all, what is it? What is the exhaling and what is the inhaling? After all, what is it?” Therefore it is-- maybe if you write this sentence, you know: “After all, what is-- after all [laughs, laughter], what is it?”-- you know, and question mark, and many dots. “And so there is no self.” “After all,” you know, “who you are?.............”-- you know, question mark, and many dots. “So there is no self.”

Do you understand?

From 69-09-00-D . For more go to this entry on the Suzuki lecture archive found on Shunryu Suzuki dot com. - Edited a bit by DC, posted 1-07-15