To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing. Shunryu Suzuki More Quotes by Shunryu Suzuki More Quotes From Shunryu Suzuki Wabi means spare, impoverished; simple and functional. It connotes a transcendence of fad and fashion. The spirit of wabi imbues all the Zen arts, from calligraphy to karate, from the tea ceremony to Zen archery. Shunryu Suzuki fashionmeanart A garden is never finished. Shunryu Suzuki finishedgarden 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. Shunryu Suzuki buddhismbedfeelings Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement. Shunryu Suzuki mmauseperfect In the zazen posture, your mind and body have, great power to accept things as they are, whether agreeable or disagreeable. Shunryu Suzuki acceptingbodymind When something dies is the greatest teaching. Shunryu Suzuki diesteaching There should not be any particular teaching. Teaching is in each moment. Shunryu Suzuki momentsteachingshould There are, strictly speaking, no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity. Shunryu Suzuki activityenlightenedpeople We do not exist for the sake of something else. We exist for the sake of ourselves. Shunryu Suzuki sake The teaching which is written on paper is not the true teaching. Written teaching is a kind of food for your brain. Of course it is necessary to take some food for your brain, but it is more important to be yourself by practicing the right way of life. Shunryu Suzuki being-yourselflearningteaching So the most difficult thing is always to keep your beginner's mind. There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen. Even though you read much Zen literature, you must read each sentence with a fresh mind. You should not say, "I know what Zen is," or "I have attained enlightenment." This is also the real secret of the arts: always be a beginner. Be very very careful about this point. If you start to practice zazen, you will begin to appreciate your beginner's mind. It is the secret of Zen practice. Shunryu Suzuki realpracticeart We ourselves cannot put any magic spells on this world. The world is its own magic. Shunryu Suzuki magicthis-worldworld The world is its own magic. Shunryu Suzuki magicworld 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 wallpridepractice You want to eliminate your evil desires in order to reveal your Buddha nature, but where will you throw them away? Shunryu Suzuki evildesireorder People who know the state of emptiness will always be able to dissolve their problems by constancy. Shunryu Suzuki emptinessablepeople Even if the sun were to rise from the west, the Bodhisattva has only one way. Shunryu Suzuki westsunway Religion is not any particular teaching. Religion is everywhere. Shunryu Suzuki teaching-religionteachingreligion 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. Shunryu Suzuki scripturechineseprinciples The secret of zen is just two words: not... always... so. Shunryu Suzuki secrettwo
