Quote

For Zen students a weed is a treasure. With this attitude, whatever you do, life becomes an art.

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
Art
Life
Weed
Treasure
Students
Becomes
Attitude
Whatever

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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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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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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It is easy to have calmness in inactivity, it is hard to have calmness in activity, but calmness in activity is true calmness.
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The highest truth is daiji, translated as dai jiki in Chinese scriptures. This is the subject of the question the emperor asked Bodhidharma: What is the First Principle? Bodhidharma said, I don't know. I don't know is the First Principle.
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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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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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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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Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.
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From True Emptiness The Wondrous Being Appears
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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.
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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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All descriptions of reality are limited expressions of the world of emptiness. Yet we attach to the descriptions and think they are reality. That is a mistake.
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To accept some idea of truth without experiencing it is like a painting of a cake on paper which you cannot eat.
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When you sit, everything sits with you.
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Moment after moment everything comes out of nothingness. This is the true joy of life.
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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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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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Zen is everywhere.... But for you, Zen is right here.
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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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The purpose of our practice is just to be yourself.
Shunryu Suzuki