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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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Shunryu Suzuki
Age: 67 †
Born: 1904
Born: May 18
Died: 1971
Died: December 4
Bhikkhu
Leader
Missionary
Philosopher
Writer
Atlanta
Georgia
Exist
Else
Something
Sake

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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If you were not born in this world, there would be no need to die. To be born in this world is to die, to disappear [laughing].
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The seed has no idea of being some particular plant, but it has its own form and is in perfect harmony with the ground, with its surroundings ... and there is no trouble. This is what we mean by naturalness.
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If it is raining out, do not walk fast, because it is raining everywhere.
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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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Instead of respecting things, we want to use them for ourselves and if it is difficult to use them, we want to conquer them.
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It is a big mistake to think that the best way to express yourself is to do whatever you want, acting as you please. This is not expressing yourself. If you know what to do exactly, and you do it, then you can express yourself fully.
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True communication depends upon our being straightforward with one another... But the best way to communicate may be just to sit without saying anything.
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Our way is to practice one step at a time, one breath at a time, with no gaining idea.
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It is wisdom that is seeking for wisdom.
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The highest truth is daiji, translated as dai jiki in Chinese scriptures. This is the subject of the question the emperor asked Bodhidharma: What is the First Principle? Bodhidharma said, I don't know. I don't know is the First Principle.
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Discipline is creating the situation.
Shunryu Suzuki
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To give your sheep or cow a large, spacious meadow is the way to control him.
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In the mind of the beginner, there are many possibilities. In the mind of the expert there are few.
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To be different is to have value. In this sense all things have equal, absolute value. Each thing has absolute value and thus is equal to everything else.
Shunryu Suzuki
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Nothing outside yourself can cause any trouble. You yourself make the waves in your mind. If you leave your mind as it is, it will become calm. This mind is called big mind.
Shunryu Suzuki
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The more you practice zazen, the more you will be able to accept something as your own, whatever it is.
Shunryu Suzuki
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Meditation opens the mind to the greatest mystery that takes place daily and hourly it widens the heart so that it may feel the eternity of time and infinity of space in every throb it gives us a life within the world as if we were moving about in paradise.
Shunryu Suzuki
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We ourselves cannot put any magic spells on this world. The world is its own magic.
Shunryu Suzuki
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If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything it is open to everything.
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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.
Shunryu Suzuki