For Zen students, a weed is a treasure.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Accepting change is essential for inner peace, yet it is often challenging to realize this truth.
This quote by Shunryu Suzuki emphasizes the importance of recognizing and accepting the ever-changing nature of life. By doing so, one can achieve a sense of calmness and composure, but the inherent difficulty in accepting this transient aspect of existence often leads to suffering, highlighting the human struggle with the concept of impermanence.
Themes
ChangeAcceptanceTransienceComposureSuffering
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation retreat, one might share this quote to illustrate the importance of accepting life's impermanence.
More from Shunryu Suzuki
All quotes →If you take pride in your attainment or become discouraged because of your idealistic effort, your practice will confine you by a thick wall.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
As long as you seek for something, you will get the shadow of reality and not reality itself.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
No teaching could be more direct than just to sit down.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
Everything is perfect, but there is a lot of room for improvement.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
When you do not realize that you are one with the river, or one with the universe, you have fear. Whether it is separated into drops or not, water is water. Our life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death anymore.
Shunryu SuzukiRead
Similar quotes
Ecology is often confused with environmentalism, while in fact, environmentalism often leaves out the fact that people, too, can be a legitimate part of an ecosystem.
Frank HerbertRead
Your "if" is the only peacemaker; much virtue in "if.
William ShakespeareRead
Repeal that [welfare] law, and you will soon see a change in their manners. ... Six days shalt thou labor, though one of the old commandments long treated as out of date, will again be looked upon as a respectable precept; industry will increase, and with it plenty among the lower people; their circumstances will mend, and more will be done for their happiness by inuring them to provide for themselves, than could be done by dividing all your estates among them.
Benjamin FranklinRead
Since man, fragment of the universe, is governed by the same laws that preside over the heavens, it is by no means absurd to search there above for the themes of our lives, for those frigid sympathies that participate in our achievements as well as our blunderings.
Marguerite YourcenarRead
NVC suggests behind every action, however ineffective, tragic, violent, or abhorrent to us, is an attempt to meet a need.
Marshall B. RosenbergRead
At this moment, is there anything lacking? Nirvana is right here now before our eyes. This place is the lotus land. This body now is the Buddha.
Hakuin EkakuRead