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Shunryu Suzuki Quotes

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Shunryu Suzuki, born on May 18, 1904, was a renowned Zen master from Japan. He played a significant role in spreading Zen culture in the Western world.

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All Ifs Mind Practice Way Zen Should Trying Moments Ideas Meditation Enlightenment Thinking Activity Accepting Buddhism Self World Beginners Important Teaching

Famous Shunryu Suzuki Quotes

“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.”

Ifs Feels Trying Moments Lasts Moving Time Periods Intention Instant Each Day Expecting

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“Bowing is a very serious practice. You should be prepared to bow, even in your last moment. even though it is impossible to get rid of our self-centered desires, we have to do it. Our true nature wants us to.”

Want Should Self Moments Lasts Desire Practice Impossible Serious Prepared Bows Be Prepared Want U Self Centered True Nature

Book:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Source: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

“Moment after moment, completely devote yourself to listening to your inner voice.”

Moments Voice Listening Inner Voice

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“Moment after moment everything comes out of nothingness. This is the true joy of life.”

Moments Joy Nothingness Joy Of Life True Joy

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.”

Moments Lasts Buddhism Yoga Treats Preparation Wellness Mma

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“When you accept everything, everything is beyond dimensions. The earth is not great nor a grain of sand small. In the realm of Great Activity picking up a grain of sand is the same as taking up the whole universe. To save one sentient being is to save all sentient beings. Your efforts of this moment to save one person is the same as the eternal merit of Buddha.”

Persons Whole Moments Earth Universe Effort Accepting Activity Eternal Merit Realms Dimensions Sand Grain Sentient Beings Grains Of Sand

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“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.”

Moments Helping Spiritual Moving Dies Spirituality Enlightenment Being True Anticipate Express Yourself Be True To Yourself True To Yourself

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“When you say, "Wait a moment," you are bound by your karma; when you say "Yes I will," you are free.”

Moments Waiting Bounds Karma Procrastination

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“There should not be any particular teaching. Teaching is in each moment.”

Should Moments Teaching Particular

Book:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Source: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

“When we do not expect anything we can be ourselves. That is our way, to live fully in each moment of time.”

Way Moments Way To Live

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“Zen is not some fancy, special art of living. Our teaching is just to live, always in reality, in its exact sense. To make our effort, moment after moment, is our way.”

Way Art Moments Reality Effort Teaching Special Fancy Art Of Living

Book:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Source: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

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

Ideas Moments Time No Idea Expecting

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“As long as we have some definite idea about or some hope in the future, we cannot really be serious with the moment that exists right now.”

Long Ideas Moments Existence Serious Right Now Definite

Book:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Source: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

“The purpose of studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study ourselves. That is why we have teaching. But the teaching is not ourselves. It is some explanation of ourselves. To study the teaching is to know yourselves. That is why we do not ever attach to the teaching, or to the teacher. The moment you meet a teacher you should leave the teacher, and you should be independent. You want a teacher so that you can be independent. So you study yourselves. You have the teacher for yourselves, not for the teacher.”

Knows Want Should Self Moments Purpose Study Teacher Teaching Buddhism Independent Explanation

Author:Shunryu Suzuki

“There is no connection between I myself yesterday and I myself in this moment”

Moments Connections Yesterday

Book:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Source: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

“We do not slight the idea of enlightenment, but the most important thing is this moment, not some day in the future. We have to make our effort in this moment. This is the most important thing for our practice.”

Important Ideas Moments Effort Practice Enlightenment Important Things

Book:Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice

Source: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice

About the Author

Born: May 18, 1904
Died: December 4, 1971
Known for: Author
Quotes: 245

Books & Sources

Zen Mind, Beginner's MindRelated source material

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and PracticeRelated source material

Branching Streams Flow in the Darkness: Zen Talks on the SandokaiRelated source material

Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen – The Final Teachings of Shunryu Suzuki to Empower Your FreedomRelated source material

Zen Mind, Beginners MindRelated source material

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