8 Quotes Tagged: zazen

A frog is very interesting. He sits like us, too, you know. But he does not think that he is doing anything so special. When you go to a zendo and sit, you may think you are doing some special thing. While your husband or wife is sleeping, you are practicing zazen! You are doing some special thing, and your spouse is lazy! That may be your understanding of zazen. But look at the frog. A frog also sits like us, but he has no idea of zazen. Watch him. If something annoys him, he will make a face. If something comes along to eat, he will snap it up and eat, and he eats sitting. Actually that is our zazen — not any special thing.

Although Buddhism is unattainable, we vow to attain it.If it is unattainable, how can we attain it? But we should! That is Buddhism.

In zazen, leave your front door and your back door open. Let thoughts come and go. Just don't serve them tea.

To be aware of the meaning of your life, you practice zazen.

Zazen is not learning to do concentration. It is the dharma gate of great ease and joy. It is undivided practice-realization.

Try always to keep the right posture, not only when you practice zazen, but in all your activities.

"[Question:] Should zazen be practiced by laymen and lay-women, or should it be practiced by home leavers alone?

[Dogen's answer:] The ancestors say, "In understanding buddha dharma, men and women, noble and common people are not distinguished.

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. The most important thing is to forget all gain
ing ideas, all dualistic ideas. In other words, just practice zazen in a certain posture. Do not think about anything. Just remain on your cushion without expecting anything. Then eventually you will resume your own true nature. That is to say, your own true nature resumes itself.