Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice

by Shunryu Suzuki

the book will be an example of how a Zen master talks and teaches.

Zen mind is one of those enigmatic phrases used by Zen teachers to make you notice yourself,

The practice of Zen mind is beginner’s mind.

the student should teach himself.

write in the most straightforward, simple way as if you were a beginner, not trying to make something skillful or beautiful, but simply writing with full attention as if you were discovering what you were writing for the first time;

Suzuki-roshi is very fond of the frog, which sits so still it might be asleep, but is alert enough to notice every insect that comes by. Maybe the fly is waiting for the frog.

Blue Cliff Records—and

I am interested in helping you keep your practice from becoming impure.

The goal of practice is always to keep our beginner’s mind.

the most important thing is not to be dualistic. Our “original mind” includes everything within itself.

an empty mind and a ready mind.

In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few.

In the beginner’s mind there is no thought, “I have attained something.”

There is no need to have a deep understanding of Zen.

This is the most important teaching: not two, and not one.

We usually think that if something is not one, it is more than one; if it is not singular, it is plural. But in actual experience, our life is not only plural, but also singular.

After some years we will die. If we just think that it is the end of our life, this will be the wrong understanding. But, on the other hand, if we think that we do not die, this is also wrong. We die, and we do not die. This is the right understanding.

The most important thing in taking the zazen posture is to keep your spine straight. Your ears and your shoulders should be on one line. Relax your shoulders, and push up towards the ceiling with the back of your head. And you should pull your chin in. When your chin is tilted up, you have no strength in your posture; you are probably dreaming. Also to gain strength in your posture, press your diaphragm down towards your hara, or lower abdomen.

To take this posture itself is the purpose of our practice.

When you have this posture, you have the right state of mind, so there is no need to try to attain some special state. When you try to attain something, your mind starts to wander about somewhere else. When you do not try to attain anything, you have your own body and mind right here.

The state of mind that exists when you sit in the right posture is, itself, enlightenment.

We say “inner world” or “outer world,” but actually there is just one whole world.

If you think, “I breathe,” the “I” is extra. There is no you to say “I.” What we call “I” is just a swinging door which moves when we inhale and when we exhale. It just moves; that is all. When your mind is pure and calm enough to follow this movement, there is nothing: no “I,” no world, no mind nor body; just a swinging door.

to be aware of the movement does not mean to be aware of your small self, but rather of your universal nature, or Buddha nature.

Here there is no idea of time or space. Time and space are one. You may say, “I must do something this afternoon,” but actually there is no “this afternoon.” We do things one after the other. That is all. There is no such time as “this afternoon” or “one o’clock” or “two o’clock.” At one o’clock you will eat your lunch. To eat lunch is itself one o’clock.

Not-to-do something is doing something.

Good and bad are only in your mind. So we should not say, “This is good,” or “This is bad.” Instead of saying bad, you should say, “not-to-do”! If you think, “This is bad,” it will create some confusion for you.

when you practice zazen, your mind should be concentrated on your breathing.

CONTROL “To give your sheep or cow a large, spacious meadow is the way to control him.”

So it is with people: first let them do what they want, and watch them. This is the best policy. To ignore them is not good; that is the worst policy. The second worst is trying to control them. The best one is to watch them, just to watch them, without trying to control them.

you should not be bothered by the various images you find in your mind. Let them come, and let them go. Then they will be under control.

The only effort that will help you is to count your breathing, or to concentrate on your inhaling and exhaling.

do not try to stop your thinking. Let it stop by itself. If something comes into your mind, let it come in, and let it go out. It will not stay long.

Do not be bothered by anything. It appears as if something comes from outside your mind, but actually it is only the waves of your mind, and if you are not bothered by the waves, gradually they will become calmer and calmer.

Nothing comes from outside your mind.

Usually we think of our mind as receiving impressions and experiences from outside, but that is not a true understanding of our mind. The true understanding is that the mind includes everything;

Nothing outside yourself can cause any trouble. You yourself make the waves in your mind. If you leave your mind as it is, it will beco...

If your mind is related to something outside itself, that mind is a small...

That everything is included within your mind is the essence of mind. To experience this is to have religious feeling.

it is just like clear water with a few waves. Actually water always has waves. Waves are the practice of the water. To speak of waves apart from water or water apart from waves is a delusion. Water and waves are one. Big mind and small mind are one.

A mind with waves in it is not a disturbed mind, but actually an amplified one. Whatever you experience is an expression of big mind.

There is nowhere to come or to go; there is no fear of death, no suffering from old age or sickness. Because we enjoy all aspects of life as an unfolding

we do not care for any excessive joy. So we have imperturbable composure, and it is with this imperturbable composure of big mind that we practice zazen.

keep your mind on your breathing until you are not aware of your breathing.

the way of practice is just to be concentrated on your breathing with the right posture and with great, pure effort.

accept things as they are, whether agreeable or disagreeable.”

One who thinks he is one of the worst husbands may be a good one if he is always trying to be a good husband with a single-hearted effort.

When you feel disagreeable it is better for you to sit.

Prajna Paramita Sutra.

“Sun-faced Buddha and moon-faced Buddha.” That is the life of “form is form and emptiness is emptiness.”