For Zen students, a weed is a treasure.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
What we call "I" is just a swinging door which moves when we inhale and when we exhale.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The 'I' is not a fixed entity but a transient experience shaped by our breath and presence.
In this quote, Shunryu Suzuki highlights the transient nature of the self, suggesting that our identity is fluid and ever-changing, much like the ebb and flow of our breath. The idea that 'I' is likened to a swinging door emphasizes that our sense of self is influenced by external and internal factors, and is not a permanent fixture but rather a dynamic experience that fluctuates with each moment.
Themes
SelfIdentityChangeBreathPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a meditation retreat, this quote can be used to encourage participants to reflect on the nature of their identity.
More from Shunryu Suzuki
All quotes βIf you take pride in your attainment or become discouraged because of your idealistic effort, your practice will confine you by a thick wall.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
As long as you seek for something, you will get the shadow of reality and not reality itself.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
No teaching could be more direct than just to sit down.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
Everything is perfect, but there is a lot of room for improvement.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
When you do not realize that you are one with the river, or one with the universe, you have fear. Whether it is separated into drops or not, water is water. Our life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death anymore.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
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