Quote

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.

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
Trying
Progress
Make
Realizing
Always
Possible
Though
Rapid
Littles
Rapids
Little
Practiced
Hard
Extraordinary
Even
Realize

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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It is only by practicing through a continual succession of agreeable and disagreeable situations that we acquire true strengths. To accept that pain is inherent and to live our lives from this understanding is to create the causes and conditions for happiness.
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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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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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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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Each one of us must make his own true way, and when we do, that way will express the universal way.
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Whereever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything. That is more true than I can say, and more true than you can hear.
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If you think your body and mind are two, that is wrong if you think that they are one, that is also wrong. Our body and mind are both two and one.
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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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Take care of things, and they will take care of you.
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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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How much 'ego' do you need? Just enough so that you don't step in front of a bus.
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When you sit, everything sits with you.
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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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You can't make a date with enlightenment.
Shunryu Suzuki
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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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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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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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Moment after moment everything comes out of nothingness. This is the true joy of life.
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From True Emptiness The Wondrous Being Appears
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The true practice to meditation is to sit as if you where drinking water when you are thirsty.
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