Shunryu Suzuki

In the zazen posture, your mind and body have, great power to accept things as they are, whether agreeable or disagreeable.

When we do not expect anything we can be ourselves. That is our way, to live fully in each moment of time.

The way that helps will not be the same; it changes according to the situation.

So the secret is just to say 'Yes!' and jump off from here. Then there is no problem. It means to be yourself, always yourself, without sticking to an old self.

There are, strictly speaking, no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity.

The person who can freely acknowledge that life is full of difficulties can be free, because they are acknowledging the nature of life - that it can't be much else.

There should not be any particular teaching. Teaching is in each moment.

It is only by practicing through a continual succession of agreeable and disagreeable situations that we acquire true strengths. To accept that pain is inherent and to live our lives from this understanding is to create the causes and conditions for happiness.

The true practice to meditation is to sit as if you where drinking water when you are thirsty.

Don't move. Just die over and over. Don't anticipate. Nothing can save you now because you have only this moment. Not even enlightenment will help you now because there are no other moments. With no future, be true to yourself and express yourself fully. Don't move.

We do not exist for the sake of something else. We exist for the sake of ourselves.

Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement.