not always so

subtitled Practicing the true spirit of Zen, is an excellent book by Shunryu Suzuki (isbn 0-06-095754-9). As usual I'm going to quote from a few pages:

What is most difficult for any teacher, especially a Zen teacher, is to teach without teaching anything. "If I tell you something," Suzuki Roshi said, "you will stick to it, and limit your own capacity to find out for yourself." But, as Katagiri Roshi said, "You have to say something," because if the teacher says nothing, the students wander about sticking to their habitual ways of being.

Most of the happiness you have is the kind you later regret losing.

You may think it was sudden, but actually it was the result of many years of practice and of failing many times.

Be yourself in the present moment, always yourself, without sticking to an old self.

When you understand how practice goes back and forth, you will enjoy your practice.

A baby has the same basic attitude of interest towards all things. If you watch her, she will always be enjoying her life. We adults mostly are caught by our preconceived ideas.

We attach to the descriptions and think they are reality. That is a mistake.

Usually when we deny something, we want to replace it with something else.

The Buddha's teaching is not about the food itself but about how it is grown, and how to take care of it.

Staying silent will open your intuition… Not to talk does not mean to be deaf and dumb, but to listen to your intuition.

If the left is wisdom, the right is practice.

Rituals are more than just training. Through rituals we communicate and transmit the training in a true sense. We put emphasis on selflessness. When we practice together, we forget our own practice… When you practice your own practice together with others, the true ego-lessness happens.

Everyone has character, but if you don't train yourself, your character is covered by ego.

Practice first, then apply the teaching.

If you want to appreciate good art the most important thing is to see good work.

Practice and enlightenment are one. Practice is something you do consciously, something you do with effort. There! Right there is enlightenment.