Quotes from Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

ZEN MIND , THE BEGINNER’S MIND | SHUNRYU SUZUKI

Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind has become one of the best spiritual classics and much recommended as the best book to read on Zen. 

         

                    “It is wisdom which is seeking for wisdom”

Here is a list of some of the best lines from the book:

# BEGINNER’S MIND "In the beginner's mind

there are many possibilities, hut in the expert's

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. Then we can really learn something. The beginner's mind is the mind of compassion. When our mind is compassionate, it is boundless.

# Doing something is expressing our own nature. We do not

exist for the sake of something else. We exist for the sake

of ourselves. This is the fundamental teaching expressed in

the forms we observe.

# When you do things in the right way, at

the right time, everything else will be organized. You are the "boss." When the boss is sleeping, everyone is sleeping.

When the boss does something right, everyone will do

everything right, and at the right time. That is the secret of

Buddhism.

# It is the same

with taking care of your everyday life. Even though you try

to put people under some control, it is impossible. You

cannot do it. The best way to control people is to encourage

them to be mischievous. Then they will be in control in its

wider sense. To give your sheep or cow a large, spacious

meadow is the way to control him. So it is with people:

first let them do what they want, and watch them. This is

the best policy. To ignore them is not good; that is the worst

policy. The second worst is trying to control them. The

best one is to watch them, just to watch them, without

trying to control them.

 #”Perfect freedom is not found without some rules.

People, especially young people, think that freedom is to

do just what they want. But it is absolutely necessary for us to have some rules ,this does not mean always to be under control. As long as you have rules, you have a chance for freedom. To try to obtain freedom without being aware of the rules means nothing.”

 #As long as you think, "I am doing this," or "I have

to do this," or "I must attain something special," you are

actually not doing anything. When you give up, when you no

longer want something, or when you do not try to do anything

special, then you do something. When there is no gaining

idea in what you do, then you do something

#When you do something, you

should burn yourself completely, like a good

bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself!!!

#"People who know the state of

emptiness will always be able to dissolve their

problems by constancy."

#"To realize

pure mind in your delusion is practice, If you try to

expel the delusion it will only persist the more. Just say,

'Oh, this is just delusion,' and do not be bothered by it."

And at the end……

“If my words are not good

enough, I'll hit you! Then you will understand what I mean.

And if you do not understand me just now, someday you will.”