Quotes from Shunryu Suzuki

The true purpose is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

We should find perfect existence through imperfect existence. We should find perfection in imperfection... The eternal exists because of non-eternal existence... We should find the truth in this world, through our difficulties, through our suffering... Pleasure is not different from difficulty. Good is not different from bad.

You must force yourself to be patient, but in constancy there is no particular effort involved--there is only the unchanging ability to accept things as they are. For people who have no idea of emptiness, this ability may appear to be patience, but patience can actually be non-acceptance.

Our way to practice is one step at a time, on breath at a time.

When we do not expect anything we can be ourselves.

Each existence depends on something else... there are no separate individual existences. There are just many names for one existence.

To have a headache will be all right, because you are healthy enough to have a headache.

Zen practice is to open up our small mind.

There is no certain way that exists permanently... Moment after moment we have to find our own way.

In Hinayana Buddhism, practice is classified in four ways. The best way is just to do it without having any joy in it, not even spiritual joy. This way is just to do it, forgetting your physical and mental feeling, forgetting all about yourself in your practice.

But do not give up your practice; continue it, knowing your weakness.

Because you are already there [in this world], you can appear in the world. Also, it is not possible for something to vanish which does not exist. Because something is there, something can vanish... But even though you vanish, something which is existent cannot be non-existent. That is the magic.

Just remain on your cushion without expecting anything.

When everything exists within your big mind, all dualistic relationships drop away. There is no distinction between heaven and earth, man and woman, teacher and disciple. Sometimes a man bows to a woman; sometimes a woman bows to a man. Sometimes the disciple bows to the master; sometimes the master bows to the disciple... In your big mind, everything has the same value.

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. It is not like going out in a shower in which you know when you get wet. In a fog, you do not know you are getting wet, but as you keep walking you get wet little by little.

In your very imperfections you will find the basis for your firm, way-seeking mind.

Everything changes. There is nothing to stick to. That is the Buddha's most important teaching.

Another mistake will be to practice for the sake of the joy you find in it. Actually, when your practice is involved in a feeling of joy, it is not in very good shape either. Of course this is not poor practice, but compared to the true practice it is not so good.

Because your attainment is always ahead, you will always be sacrificing yourself now for some ideal in the future.

A mind full of preconceived ideas, subjective intentions, or habits is not open to things as they are. That is why we practice zazen: to clear our mind of what is related to something else.

There is no easy way to be a teacher or a disciple, although it must be the greatest joy in this life.

In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind, there are few.

Concentration is not to try hard to watch something... Concentration means freedom... In zazen practice we say your mind should be concentrated on your breathing, but the way to keep your mind on your breathing is to forget all about yourself and just to sit and feel your breathing.

But the purpose of studying Buddhism is to study ourselves and to forget ourselves. When we forget ourselves, we actually are the true activity of the big existence, or reality itself.