Shunryu Suzuki Quotes - Page 2

Quotes about:

• To accept some idea of truth without experiencing it is like a painting of a cake on paper which you cannot eat.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Cake, Ideas, Paper

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• We try, and we try, and we fail; and then we go deeper.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Trying, Failing, Deeper

  22 Copy quote

• When you do not realize that you are one with the river, or one with the universe, you have fear. Whether it is separated into drops or not, water is water. Our life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death anymore.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Inspirational, Spiritual, Rivers

  19 Copy quote

• 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

  Progress, Trying, Littles

  Shunryu Suzuki (2010). “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind”, p.31, Shambhala Publications

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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.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Chinese, Principles, Scripture

  "Lotus Sutra No. 6". Lecture at the Zen Mountain Center, www.cuke.com. February 1968.

  10 Copy quote

• Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Reality, Perfect, Imperfection

  "Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen". Book by Shunryū Suzuki. Chapter: "Wherever You Are, Enlightenment Is There", p. 127, 2002.

  29 Copy quote

• The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Two, Feet, Important

  97 Copy quote

• 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

  Life, Stars, Clouds

  69 Copy quote

• 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

  Order, Organization, Mind

  Shunryu Suzuki (2010). “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind”, p.10, Shambhala Publications

  85 Copy quote

• When you are practicing zazen, do not try to stop your thinking. Let it stop by itself. If something comes into your mind, let it come in, and let it go out. It will not stay long. When you try to stop your thinking, it means you are bothered by it. Do not be bothered by anything. It appears as if something comes from outside your mind, but actually it is only the waves of your mind, and if you are not bothered by the waves, gradually they will become calmer and calmer.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Mean, Thinking, Long

  Shunryū Suzuki, Trudy Dixon, Richard Baker (2006). “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind”, p.22, Shambhala Publications

  63 Copy quote

• Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Change, Perfect, Worry

  67 Copy quote

• You must be true to your own way until at last you actually come to the point where you see it is necessary to forget all about yourself.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Way, Lasts, Forget

  Shunryu Suzuki (2010). “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind”, p.27, Shambhala Publications

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• In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.... In the beginner's mind there is no thought, 'I have attained something.' All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. When we have no thought of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. We can really learn something.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Self, Meditation, Achievement

  78 Copy quote

• 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

  Moving, Heart, Space

  55 Copy quote

• I discovered that it is necessary, absolutely necessary, to believe in nothing. That is, we have to believe in something which has no form and no color--something which exists before all forms and colors appear... 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.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Believe, Self, Color

  Shunryū Suzuki, Trudy Dixon, Richard Baker (2006). “Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind”, p.144, Shambhala Publications

  27 Copy quote

• To express yourself as you are, without any intentional, fancy way of adjusting yourself, is the most important thing.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Important, Fancy, Adjusting

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• It must be obvious...that there is a contradiction in wanting to be perfectly secure in a universe whose very nature is momentariness and fluidity.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Wisdom, Fluidity, Contradiction

  85 Copy quote

• Don't move. Just die over and over. Don't anticipate. Nothing can save you now because you have only this moment. Not even enlightenment will help you now because there are no other moments. With no future, be true to yourself and express yourself fully. Don't move.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Spiritual, Moving, Enlightenment

  16 Copy quote

• You are perfect as you are and there is always room for improvement.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Perfect, Empowerment, Rooms

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• When you live completely in each moment, without expecting anything, you have no idea of time.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Time, Ideas, Moments

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• In reflecting on our problems, we should include ourselves.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Problem, Should, Reflecting

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• To renounce things is not to give them up. It is to acknowledge that all things go away.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Giving, Going Away, Renounce

  31 Copy quote

• You will always exist in the universe in one form or another.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Form, Universe

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• So the secret is just to say 'Yes!' and jump off from here. Then there is no problem. It means to be yourself, always yourself, without sticking to an old self.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Being Yourself, Mean, Secret

  26 Copy quote

• So for a period of time each day, try to sit, without moving, without expecting anything, as if you were in your last moment. Moment after moment you feel your last instant. In each inhalation and each exhalation there are countless instants of time. Your intention is to live in each instant.

  Shunryu Suzuki

  Time, Moving, Trying

  25 Copy quote

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