Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

People 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.

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

Suppose you recite the Prajnaparamita Sutra only once.

It might be a very good recitation.

But what would happen to you if you recited it twice, three times, four times or more?

You might easily lose your original attitude towards it.

The same thing will happen in your other Zen practices.

For a while, you will keep your beginner's mind, but if you continue to practice one, two, three years or more, although you may improve some, you are liable to lose the limitless meaning of original mind.

For Zen students, the most important thing is not to be dualistic.

Our original mind includes everything within itself.

It is always rich and sufficient within itself.

You should not lose your self-sufficient state of mind

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.

If you discriminate too much, you limit yourself.