Quote

When we become truly ourselves, we just become a swinging door, and we are purely independent of, and at the same time, dependent upon everything.

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
Time
Dependent
Door
Independent
Truly
Doors
Upon
Become
Swinging
Everything
Purely

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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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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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Bowing is a very serious practice. You should be prepared to bow, even in your last moment. even though it is impossible to get rid of our self-centered desires, we have to do it. Our true nature wants us to.
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Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.
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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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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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It is wisdom that is seeking for wisdom.
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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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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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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 give your sheep or cow a large, spacious meadow is the way to control him.
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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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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.
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Religion is not any particular teaching. Religion is everywhere.
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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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When the restrictions you have do not limit you, this is what we mean by practice.
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The more you practice zazen, the more you will be able to accept something as your own, whatever it is.
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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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The way that helps will not be the same it changes according to the situation.
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We do not exist for the sake of something else. We exist for the sake of ourselves.
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