‘Why sit in meditation? In order to get quietness for yourself alone? If so, the practice of zazen is something like using a drug. Take a drug instead of zazen and you could have more quietness, which is called a big hallucination – fantastic. After the drug has worn off, I think your troubles will come back. Then you take the drug again. Same thing. If people want quietness through the practice of zazen, they have to realize that their daily lives must be arranged for tasting quietness because other people also want the same thing.’ (from Wind Bell)
Both Katagiri and Suzuki Roshi often refered to drugs in their talks, as no doubt they were to the forefront of the students’ minds at the time.
Shundo David Haye 