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

This book presents a series of informal talks by Shunryu Suzuki, a prominent Zen Buddhist teacher, focusing on the practice of Zen meditation and its principles. Suzuki's teachings emphasize the importance of mindfulness and the beginner's mind, encouraging readers to approach their practice with openness and simplicity. more

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Shunryu Suzuki
Shunryu Suzuki

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. more

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“I Don't Have Time to Explain (Sonnet 2466-2467) I don't have time to explain basic science, I don't have time to explain why vaccines are crucial, why the earth is not flat. I don't have time to explain basic theology, I don't have time to explain why no religion is truer than another, and why belief as coping mechanism is okay, but belief mustn't be confused with truth. For example, if you wanna talk facts, most scientific religion is buddhism, for much of buddhist literature is basic psychology, sure, all religious meanderings occasionally align with modern science, but no theology is more aligned with modern science than buddhism - likewise, most nonviolent religion is jainism, to harm even a fly is sin in jainism - and most charitable religion is sikhism, nobody goes hungry where there is a sikh langar, that too without being converted into a sikh. There are two kinds of divinity in the world, doctrinal divinity and human divinity - doctrinal divinity is less holy, more prejudice, whereas human divinity prioritizes humanity. There are two kinds of truth in the world, empirical truth and human truth - empirical truth is all about facts, human truth is more than facts - human truth applies facts wisely among other instruments to uplift human condition.”

“You could heal him?" I asked, glancing at Hal. "Could," said the wysling, "but won't, until I get what's mine." I pressed my lips together and took a deep breath. "You're heartless and selfish." "I agree," he said, steepling his pale hands together and pointing them at the floor. "Any decent human being would offer to heal him anyway. However, since I'm neither decent nor a human being, I feel pretty all right about it.”

“If we cleaved ourselves in half to examine our daily mind chatter under a microscope, who amongst us would daringly display the sediment of their innermost thoughts for public consumption? A tattler’s tale reporting the silted musings resembling my tarnished soul is probably the most typical scorecard. Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), an English novelist and poet declared, “If all hearts were open and all desires known – as they would be if people showed their souls – how many gapings, sighings, clenched fists, knotted brows, broad grins, and red eyes should we see in the market place!” My unsavory report card is indistinguishable from the blemished masses. Etched into the end zone of my lifetime playing field are the horrors of gluttony, greed, failure, and humiliation. Recognition of my sinful life led directly to a rash act of despondency. Commission of a ream of sins is a reflection of my weak character. Guilt from leading a sinful life, not strong character, manufactured the overwhelming despair that caused me to seek absolution. The willingness to grade myself as less than a satisfactory human being might be my only hope of ever achieving spiritual salvation.”