Quote

The secret of Soto Zen is just two words: not always so.... In Japanese, it's two words, three words in English. That is the secret of our 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
Secret
Practice
Words
Three
Two
Always
Japanese
English

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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When you do something, if you fix your mind on the activity with some confidence, the quality of your state of mind is the activity itself. When you are concentrated on the quality of your being, you are prepared for the activity.
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To be different is to have value. In this sense all things have equal, absolute value. Each thing has absolute value and thus is equal to everything else.
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Instead of criticizing, find out how to help.
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We try, and we try, and we fail and then we go deeper.
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Our mind should be free from traces of the past, just like the flowers of spring.
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From True Emptiness The Wondrous Being Appears
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No matter what god or doctrine you believe in, if you become attached to it, your belief will be based more or less on a self-centered idea.
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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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There should not be any particular teaching. Teaching is in each moment.
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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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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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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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Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.
Shunryu Suzuki
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If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything it is open to everything.
Shunryu Suzuki
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Zen is everywhere.... But for you, Zen is right here.
Shunryu Suzuki
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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.
Shunryu Suzuki
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Zazen practice is the direct expression of our true nature. Strictly speaking, for a human being, there is no other practice than this practice there is no other way of life than this way of life.
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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In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few.
Shunryu Suzuki
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When he bowed to all those buddhas, the buddhas he bowed to were beyond his own understanding. Again and again he did it.
Shunryu Suzuki