Zen in Ten: Beginner's Mind
Eternal Wisdom from Suzuki Roshi
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. But in the expert’s mind there are few.”
“Our way is not to sit to acquire something. It is to express our true nature.”
“Our body and mind are not two and not one. If you think your body and mind are two, that is wrong; if you think that they are one, that is also wrong. Our body and mind are both two and one.”
“Big mind is something to express, not to figure out. Big mind is something you have, not something to seek for.”
“When everything exists within your big mind, all dualistic relationships drop away.”
“When you do something, you should burn yourself completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.”
“Calmness of mind does not mean you should stop your activity. Real calmness should be found in activity itself.”
“So to be a human being is to be a Buddha. Buddha nature is just another name for human nature, our true human nature.”
“Moment after moment, everyone comes out of nothingness. This is the true joy of life.”
“You are living in this world as one individual, but before you take the form of a human being, you are already there, always there. We are always here.”
The One Source: Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. New York & Tokyo, Weatherhill, 2001.