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Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.

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
Imperfection
Hear
Perfect
Reality
Nothing
Right

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.
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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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In the zazen posture, your mind and body have, great power to accept things as they are, whether agreeable or disagreeable.
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No matter what god or doctrine you believe in, if you become attached to it, your belief will be based more or less on a self-centered idea.
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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.
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If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything it is open to everything.
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Our practice should be based on the ideal of selflessness. Selflessness is very difficult to understand. If you try to be selfless, that is already a selfish idea. Selflessness will be there when you do not try anything.
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A tiger does not ignore or slight any small animal. The way he catches a mouse and catches and devours a cow are the same.
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If you continue this simple practice every day, you will obtain some wonderful power. Before you attain it, it is something wonderful, but after you attain it, it is nothing special.
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If it is raining out, do not walk fast, because it is raining everywhere.
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The secret of Soto Zen is just two words: not always so.... In Japanese, it's two words, three words in English. That is the secret of our practice.
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The way that helps will not be the same it changes according to the situation.
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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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You see something or hear a sound, and there you have everything just as it is. [...] Whatever you do, it should be an expression of the same deep activity. We should appreciate what we are doing. There is no preparation for something else.
Shunryu Suzuki
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Zazen practice and everyday activity are one thing. We call zazen everyday life, and everyday life zazen.
Shunryu Suzuki
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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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Things are always changing, so nothing can be yours.
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.
Shunryu Suzuki
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Instead of criticizing, find out how to help.
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Life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death anymore, nor actual difficulty in our life.
Shunryu Suzuki