Quote

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

More quotes by Shunryu Suzuki

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Life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death anymore, nor actual difficulty in our life.
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The goal of our life’s effort is to reach the other shore, Nirvana. Prajna paramita, the true wisdom of life, is that in each step of the way, the other shore is actually reached.
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Zen is everywhere.... But for you, Zen is right here.
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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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When you understand one thing through and through, you understand everything.
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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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Whereever you are, you are one with the clouds and one with the sun and the stars you see. You are one with everything. That is more true than I can say, and more true than you can hear.
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There are, strictly speaking, no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity.
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If you cannot bow to Buddha, you cannot be a Buddha. It is arrogance.
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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.
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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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People who know the state of emptiness will always be able to dissolve their problems by constancy.
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Religion is not any particular teaching. Religion is everywhere.
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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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If it is raining out, do not walk fast, because it is raining everywhere.
Shunryu Suzuki
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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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The seed has no idea of being some particular plant, but it has its own form and is in perfect harmony with the ground, with its surroundings ... and there is no trouble. This is what we mean by naturalness.
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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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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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