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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.

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
Clear
Light
Sutra
Lotuses
Whole
Lotus
Make
Buddha
World
Corner
Corners
Says

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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If it is raining out, do not walk fast, because it is raining everywhere.
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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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Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.
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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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You see something or hear a sound, and there you have everything just as it is. [...] Whatever you do, it should be an expression of the same deep activity. We should appreciate what we are doing. There is no preparation for something else.
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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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Nothing outside yourself can cause any trouble. You yourself make the waves in your mind. If you leave your mind as it is, it will become calm. This mind is called big mind.
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Enlightenment is not a complete remedy.
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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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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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Discipline is creating the situation.
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If you continue this simple practice every day, you will obtain some wonderful power. Before you attain it, it is something wonderful, but after you attain it, it is nothing special.
Shunryu Suzuki
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There is no connection between I myself yesterday and I myself in this moment
Shunryu Suzuki
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If you take pride in your attainment or become discouraged because of your idealistic effort, your practice will confine you by a thick wall.
Shunryu Suzuki
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We try, and we try, and we fail and then we go deeper.
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Only when you understand people, they may understand you. So even though you do not say anything, if you understand people there is some communication.
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For Zen students a weed is a treasure. With this attitude, whatever you do, life becomes an art.
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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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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.
Shunryu Suzuki