Quote

Let your ears hear without trying to hear. Let the mind think without trying to think and without trying to stop it. That is 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
Think
Thinking
Ears
Hear
Stop
Practice
Without
Trying
Mind

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Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.
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Instead of respecting things, we want to use them for ourselves and if it is difficult to use them, we want to conquer them.
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Instead of criticizing, find out how to help.
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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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To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing.
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When the restrictions you have do not limit you, this is what we mean by practice.
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Someone was sitting in front of a sunflower, watching the sunflower, a cup of sun, and so I tried it too. It was wonderful I felt the whole universe in the sunflower. That was my experience. Sunflower meditation. A wonderful confidence appeared. You can see the whole universe in a flower.
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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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In the mind of the beginner, there are many possibilities. In the mind of the expert there are few.
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The world is its own magic.
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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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Moment after moment, completely devote yourself to listening to your inner voice.
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We must exist right here, right now!
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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.
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When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.
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A tiger does not ignore or slight any small animal. The way he catches a mouse and catches and devours a cow are the same.
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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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We ourselves cannot put any magic spells on this world. The world is its own magic.
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The secret of zen is just two words: not... always... so.
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The seed has no idea of being some particular plant, but it has its own form and is in perfect harmony with the ground, with its surroundings ... and there is no trouble. This is what we mean by naturalness.
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