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When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.

Shunryu Suzuki

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Shunryu Suzuki
Age: 67 †
Born: 1904
Born: May 18
Died: 1971
Died: December 4
Bhikkhu
Leader
Missionary
Philosopher
Writer
Atlanta
Georgia
Leaving
Completely
Effort
Something
Good
Like
Bonfire
Trace
Burn

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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A Master who cannot bow to a disciple cannot bow to Buddha.
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Because all existence is founded upon the ever-present state of union, everything already exists in a state of tranquility. However, this state of tranquility is masked from us by our assumption that there is a separation, that there is a problem.
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For Zen students a weed is a treasure. With this attitude, whatever you do, life becomes an art.
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When the restrictions you have do not limit you, this is what we mean by practice.
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We do not slight the idea of enlightenment, but the most important thing is this moment, not some day in the future. We have to make our effort in this moment. This is the most important thing for our practice.
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The secret of zen is just two words: not... always... so.
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Only when you understand people, they may understand you. So even though you do not say anything, if you understand people there is some communication.
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Zazen practice and everyday activity are one thing. We call zazen everyday life, and everyday life zazen.
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The true practice to meditation is to sit as if you where drinking water when you are thirsty.
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Each one of us must make his own true way, and when we do, that way will express the universal way.
Shunryu Suzuki
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A flower falls, even though we love it and a weed grows, even though we do not love it....In this way our life should be understood. Then there is no problem.
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Although we have no actual written communications from the world of emptiness, we have some hints or suggestions about what is going on in that world, and that is, you might say, enlightenment. When you see plum blossoms or hear the sound of a small stone hitting bamboo, that is a letter from the world of emptiness.
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If you want to enjoy the movie, you should know that it is the combination of film and light and white screen, and that the most important thing is to have a plain, white screen.
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An enlightened person does not ignore things and does not stick to things, not even to the truth.
Shunryu Suzuki
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Let your ears hear without trying to hear. Let the mind think without trying to think and without trying to stop it. That is practice.
Shunryu Suzuki
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We do not exist for the sake of something else. We exist for the sake of ourselves.
Shunryu Suzuki
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Whereever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything. That is more true than I can say, and more true than you can hear.
Shunryu Suzuki
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We must exist right here, right now!
Shunryu Suzuki
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All descriptions of reality are limited expressions of the world of emptiness. Yet we attach to the descriptions and think they are reality. That is a mistake.
Shunryu Suzuki
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People who know the state of emptiness will always be able to dissolve their problems by constancy.
Shunryu Suzuki