The important thing in our understanding is to have a smooth, free-thinking way of observation. We have to think and to observe things without stagnation. We should accept things as they are without difficulty. Ou mind should be soft and open enough ...
In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few
When the restrictions you have do not limit you, this is what we mean by practice.
If you think you will get something from practicing zazen, already you are involved in impure practice.
While you are continuing this practice, week after week, year after year, your experience will become deeper and deeper, and your experience will cover everything you do in your everyday life.
Actually we do not have any particular name for our practice; when we practice zazen we just practice it, and whether we find joy in our practice or not, we just do it.
You do not say, “This is enlightenment,” or “That is not right practice.” Even in wrong practice, when you realize it and continue, there is right practice.
Waves are the practice of the water.
To take this posture itself is the purpose of our practice.
You should rather be grateful for the weeds, because eventually they will enrich your practice.
But if you make your best effort just to continue your practice with your whole mind and body, without gaining ideas, then whatever you do will be true practice.
In Hinayana Buddhism, practice is classified in four ways. The best way is just to do it without having any joy in it, not even spiritual joy. This way is just to do it, forgetting your physical and mental feeling, forgetting all about yourself in yo...
Zen practice is to open up our small mind.
But do not give up your practice; continue it, knowing your weakness.
But the way of practice is just to be concentrated on your breathing with the right posture and with great, pure effort.
There is no particular way in true practice. You should find your own way, and you should know what kind of practice you have right now.
It is when your practice is rather greedy that you become discouraged with it.
So even though you have some difficulty in your practice, even though you have some waves while you are sitting, those waves themselves will help you.
Even when you practice zazen alone, without a teacher, I think you will find some way to tell whether your practice is adequate or not.
Just continue in your calm, ordinary practice and your character will be built up.
Our effort in our practice should be directed from achievement to non-achievement.
