It is not after we understand the truth that we attain enlightenment. To realize the truth is to live - to exist here and now.
Shunryu SuzukiPeople say that practicing Zen is difficult, but there is a misunderstanding as to why. It is not difficult because it is hard to sit in the cross- legged position, or to attain enlightenment. It is difficult because it is hard to keep our mind pure and our practice pure in its fundamental sense.
Shunryu SuzukiWhen you say, "Wait a moment," you are bound by your karma; when you say "Yes I will," you are free.
Shunryu SuzukiIn Japan we have the phrase, "Shoshin," which means "beginner's mind." Our "original mind" includes everything within itself. It is always rich and sufficient within itself. This does not mean a closed mind, but actually an empty mind and a ready mind. If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything. It is open to everything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.
Shunryu Suzuki