Shunryu Suzuki Born : May 18, 1904Died : December 4, 1971 Browse All Authors Top 204 quotes by Shunryu Suzuki When my master and I were walking in the rain, he would say, 'Do not walk so fast, the rain is everywhere.' Shunryu Suzuki mastersrainfun 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. Shunryu Suzuki cuttingmeanideas It is easy to have calmness in inactivity, it is hard to have calmness in activity, but calmness in activity is true calmness. Shunryu Suzuki inactivitycalmnesseasy After you have practiced for a while, you will realize that it is not possible to make rapid, extraordinary progress. Even though you try very hard, the progress you make is always little by little. Shunryu Suzuki progresslittlestrying Everything is perfect, but there is a lot of room for improvement. Shunryu Suzuki improvementperfectrooms The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet. Shunryu Suzuki importantfeettwo When you sit, everything sits with you. Shunryu Suzuki meditation No teaching could be more direct than just to sit down. Shunryu Suzuki directteaching When we have our body and mind in order, everything else will exist in the right place, in the right way. But usually, without being aware of it, we try to change something other than ourselves; we try to order things outside us. But it is impossible to organize things if you yourself are not in order. When you do things in the right way, at the right time, everything else will be organized. Shunryu Suzuki organizationmindorder You will always exist in the universe in one form or another. Shunryu Suzuki universeform Instead of criticizing, find out how to help. Shunryu Suzuki criticizehelping The point we emphasize is strong confidence in our original nature. Shunryu Suzuki originalsstrong It is a big mistake to think that the best way to express yourself is to do whatever you want, acting as you please. This is not expressing yourself. If you know what to do exactly, and you do it, then you can express yourself fully. Shunryu Suzuki expressionmistakethinking 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. Shunryu Suzuki weedlovelife 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. Shunryu Suzuki starscloudslife Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as an enlightened person. There is only enlightened activity. Shunryu Suzuki activityenlightenedpersons Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality. Shunryu Suzuki imperfectionperfectreality Meditation opens the mind to the greatest mystery that takes place daily and hourly; it widens the heart so that it may feel the eternity of time and infinity of space in every throb; it gives us a life within the world as if we were moving about in paradise. Shunryu Suzuki spaceheartmoving Everything you do is right, nothing you do is wrong, yet you must still make ceaseless effort. Shunryu Suzuki effortstillsperfection In Japan we have the phrase, "Shoshin," which means "beginner's mind." Our "original mind" includes everything within itself. It is always rich and sufficient within itself. This does not mean a closed mind, but actually an empty mind and a ready mind. If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything. It is open to everything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few. Shunryu Suzuki empty-mindjapanmean
