Zen mind, beginner's mind

is an excellent book by Shunryu Suzuki (isbn 0-8348-0079-9). As usual I'm going to quote from a few pages:

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.

Usually when you listen to some statement, you hear it as a kind of echo of yourself. You are actually listening to your own opinion. If it agrees with your opinion you may accept it, but if it does not, you will reject it or you may not even really hear it.

Wisdom is not something you learn. Wisdom is something which will come out of your mindfulness.

Right practice, right attitude, right understanding.

The flow of his consciousness is not the fixed repetitive patterns of our usual self-centred consciousness, but rather arises spontaneously and naturally from the actual circumstances that are present.

To give your sheep or cow a large, spacious meadow is the way to control him.

The best way to control people is to encourage them to be mischievous.

The true purpose is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes.

Bowing helps to eliminate our self-centred ideas.

Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.

To give is non-attachment, that is, just not to attach to anything is to give.

It is when your practice is greedy that you become discouraged with it. So you should be grateful that you have a sign or warning signal to show you the weak point of your practice.

We should begin with enlightenment and proceed to practice, and then to thinking.