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There are, strictly speaking, no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity.

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
Strictly
Enlightened
Speaking
Activity
People

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How much 'ego' do you need? Just enough so that you don't step in front of a bus.
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To accept some idea of truth without experiencing it is like a painting of a cake on paper which you cannot eat.
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After you have practiced for a while, you will realize that it is not possible to make rapid, extraordinary progress. Even though you try very hard, the progress you make is always little by little.
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When you try to understand everything, you will not understand anything. The best way is to understand yourself, and then you will understand everything.
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Zazen practice is the direct expression of our true nature. Strictly speaking, for a human being, there is no other practice than this practice there is no other way of life than this way of life.
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Discipline is creating the situation.
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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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Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.
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To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing.
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If you want to read a letter from the Buddha's world, it is necessary to understand Buddha's world.
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To cook is not just to prepare food for someone or to cook for yourself it is to express your sincerity. So when you cook you should express yourself in your activity in the kitchen. You should allow yourself plenty of time.
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Zen is everywhere.... But for you, Zen is right here.
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In your everyday life you always have opportunities for enlightenment. If you go to the rest room, there is a chance to attain enlightenment. When you cook, there is a chance to attain enlightenment. When you clean the floor, there is a chance to attain enlightenment.
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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.
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There is no connection between I myself yesterday and I myself in this moment
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An enlightened person does not ignore things and does not stick to things, not even to the truth.
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Time goes from present to past.
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When you sit, everything sits with you.
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When you are fooled by something else, the damage will not be so big. But when you are fooled by yourself, it is fatal. No more medicine.
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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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