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It is easy to have calmness in inactivity, it is hard to have calmness in activity, but calmness in activity is true calmness.

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
Easy
True
Hard
Inactivity
Calmness
Activity

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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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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To have some deep feeling about Buddhism is not the point we just do what we should do, like eating supper and going to bed. This is Buddhism.
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In the Lotus Sutra, Buddha says to light up one corner - not the whole world. Just make it clear where you are.
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People who know the state of emptiness will always be able to dissolve their problems by constancy.
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The world is its own magic.
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Happiness is sorrow sorrow is happiness. There is happiness in difficulty difficulty in happiness. Even though the ways we feel are different, they are not really different, in essence they are the same. This is the true understanding transmitted from Buddha to us.
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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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If you take pride in your attainment or become discouraged because of your idealistic effort, your practice will confine you by a thick wall.
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In your big mind, everything has the same value...In your practice you should accept everything as it is, giving to each thing the same respect given to a Buddha. Here there is Buddhahood
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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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So when you try hard to make your own way, you will help others...before you make your own way you cannot help anyone, and no one can help you.
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Things are always changing, so nothing can be yours.
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Instead of criticizing, find out how to help.
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The way that helps will not be the same it changes according to the situation.
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There should not be any particular teaching. Teaching is in each moment.
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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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In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few.
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When the restrictions you have do not limit you, this is what we mean by practice.
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When he bowed to all those buddhas, the buddhas he bowed to were beyond his own understanding. Again and again he did it.
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Don't move. Just die over and over. Don't anticipate. Nothing can save you now because you have only this moment. Not even enlightenment will help you now because there are no other moments. With no future, be true to yourself and express yourself fully. Don't move.
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