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To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing.

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
Express
Without
Important
Thing
Way
Intentional
Adjusting
Fancy

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If it is raining out, do not walk fast, because it is raining everywhere.
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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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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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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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When you say, Wait a moment, you are bound by your karma when you say Yes I will, you are free.
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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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Because all existence is founded upon the ever-present state of union, everything already exists in a state of tranquility. However, this state of tranquility is masked from us by our assumption that there is a separation, that there is a problem.
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Although we have no actual written communications from the world of emptiness, we have some hints or suggestions about what is going on in that world, and that is, you might say, enlightenment. When you see plum blossoms or hear the sound of a small stone hitting bamboo, that is a letter from the world of emptiness.
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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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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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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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The more you practice zazen, the more you will be able to accept something as your own, whatever it is.
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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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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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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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Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement.
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If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything it is open to everything.
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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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From True Emptiness The Wondrous Being Appears
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You can't make a date with enlightenment.
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