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.
Shunryu SuzukiLife without zazen is like winding your clock without setting it. It runs perfectly well, but it dosen't tell time.
Shunryu SuzukiWhen you live completely in each moment, without expecting anything, you have no idea of time.
Shunryu SuzukiEven though you have pain in your legs, you can do it. Even though your practice is not good enough, you can do it.
Shunryu SuzukiWe should not be just a fan of dragons; we should always be the dragon himself. Then we will not be afraid of any dragon.
Shunryu SuzukiThe purpose of studying Buddhism is not to study Buddhism, but to study ourselves. That is why we have teaching. But the teaching is not ourselves. It is some explanation of ourselves. To study the teaching is to know yourselves. That is why we do not ever attach to the teaching, or to the teacher. The moment you meet a teacher you should leave the teacher, and you should be independent. You want a teacher so that you can be independent. So you study yourselves. You have the teacher for yourselves, not for the teacher.
Shunryu Suzuki