The Zen teacher Suzuki Roshi said that the only effective mind is a “beginners mind” — one that is always open to revision, one that is not too attached to its current view. It takes real discipline to keep our minds open in this way. This year’s Bennett Lecture provided us with an especially powerful demonstration of how rewarding such discipline can be.

The Zen teacher Suzuki Roshi said that the only effective mind is a “beginners mind” — one that is always open to revision, one that is not too attached to its current view. It takes real discipline to keep our minds open in this way. This year’s Bennett Lecture provided us with an especially powerful demonstration of how rewarding such discipline can be.