The Truth of This Life: Zen Teachings on Loving the World as It Is

“You are hearing my voice, but you are listening to the sound of your own consciousness.”

we’re always chasing after things, trying to catch them as they fly by.

The meaning of things is that they exist. Their existence is their meaning.

“I think of not-thinking” is a key teaching of our practice. Thoughts come. We do not try to exclude them. Our effort is to leave them alone as much as possible and let them go on their way.

We often don’t find our breath or our body interesting enough to bring our wholehearted attention to them—but wait until we are breathing our last breath!

Put yourself into a situation and commit yourself to stay with it. The situation will bring forth everything—your resistance, your confusion, your joy, your gratitude.

When we are not paying attention, we live outside of time.

who binds you? Don’t look outside; look into the mind, investigate the opinionated mind. Become familiar with its opinions and judgments; then you won’t be so vulnerable to them.

how completely Suzuki Roshi worked at things, how much care he took with the details. He took care of details I didn’t even notice. He put vastly more energy into things than I ever would have. He did not cut corners. He did not decide he didn’t have time.