For Zen students, a weed is a treasure.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Accepting change is essential for inner peace, yet it is often challenging to realize this truth.
This quote by Shunryu Suzuki emphasizes the importance of recognizing and accepting the ever-changing nature of life. By doing so, one can achieve a sense of calmness and composure, but the inherent difficulty in accepting this transient aspect of existence often leads to suffering, highlighting the human struggle with the concept of impermanence.
Themes
ChangeAcceptanceTransienceComposureSuffering
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation retreat, one might share this quote to illustrate the importance of accepting life's impermanence.
More from Shunryu Suzuki
All quotes →If you take pride in your attainment or become discouraged because of your idealistic effort, your practice will confine you by a thick wall.
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As long as you seek for something, you will get the shadow of reality and not reality itself.
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No teaching could be more direct than just to sit down.
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Everything is perfect, but there is a lot of room for improvement.
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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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