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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.

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
Helping
Others
Cannot
Hard
Trying
Way
Make
Anyone
Help

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A Master who cannot bow to a disciple cannot bow to Buddha.
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There are, strictly speaking, no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity.
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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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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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Life without zazen is like winding your clock without setting it. It runs perfectly well, but it dosen't tell time.
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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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Religion is not any particular teaching. Religion is everywhere.
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When you are fooled by something else, the damage will not be so big. But when you are fooled by yourself, it is fatal. No more medicine.
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Our way is to practice one step at a time, one breath at a time, with no gaining idea.
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There is no connection between I myself yesterday and I myself in this moment
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The purpose of our practice is just to be yourself.
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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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If it is raining out, do not walk fast, because it is raining everywhere.
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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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In your big mind, everything has the same value...In your practice you should accept everything as it is, giving to each thing the same respect given to a Buddha. Here there is Buddhahood
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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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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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To have some deep feeling about Buddhism is not the point we just do what we should do, like eating supper and going to bed. This is Buddhism.
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