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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.

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
Idea
Moments
Ideas
Slight
Important
Enlightenment
Thing
Effort
Make
Practice
Future
Moment

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Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement.
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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.
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There should not be any particular teaching. Teaching is in each moment.
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People say that practicing Zen is difficult, but there is a misunderstanding as to why. It is not difficult because it is hard to sit in the cross- legged position, or to attain enlightenment. It is difficult because it is hard to keep our mind pure and our practice pure in its fundamental sense.
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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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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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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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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.
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Concentration comes not from trying hard to focus on something, but from keeping your mind open and directing it at nothing.
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When you sit, everything sits with you.
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When you do something, if you fix your mind on the activity with some confidence, the quality of your state of mind is the activity itself. When you are concentrated on the quality of your being, you are prepared for the activity.
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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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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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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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You will always exist in the universe in one form or another.
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You can't make a date with enlightenment.
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A Master who cannot bow to a disciple cannot bow to Buddha.
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