calmness & activity are not different

suzuki roshi

 

Dogen Zen-ji says,

“Even though it is midnight, dawn is here.

Even though dawn comes, it is nighttime.” This kind

of statement conveys the understanding transmitted from

Buddha to the Patriarchs, and from the Patriarchs to Dogen,

and to us. Nighttime and daytime are not different.

The same thing is sometimes called nighttime,

sometimes called daytime. Nighttime

and daytime are one thing.

 

Zazen practice and

everyday activity are one thing.

We call zazen everyday life, and everyday life zazen.

But usually we think, “Now zazen is over, and now we

will go about our everyday activity.” But this is not the

right understanding.  They are the same thing. We

have nowhere to escape. So in activity there

should be calmness, and in calmness

there should be activity. So

calmness and activity

are not different.

 

Shunryu Suzuki

 

every breath, each movement

“our greatest blessings come when we are able to improve the lives of others”

 

Every breath, 

each movement, all activity 

is completely, inseparably interwoven 

with enlightenment. Complete realization 

is bound into every petty difficulty, and

wholly liberated and illuminated

through quiet awareness 

of that fact. 

 

Wei wu Wei Ching, Chapter 21

Paperback / Kindle here

iPad/iPhone

iBooks

 

You

can now buy

Wei wu Wei Ching as part of a

five-app bundle of Taoist classics 

for iPhone or iPad for less than

the cost of one hardcover

book.

 

brian browne walker taoist app bundle ios ipad iphone

 

decide now to be free

Perry Bible Fellowship

 

You

have to decide

right now to be free

once and for all. Everyone who

has found freedom in this lifetime has

had to make this decision. Now is the time

to have a direct introduction to this moment.

This moment is free of time, of mind, of any notions.

When one abides as the Self, some divine power

takes charge of one’s life. All actions then take

place spontaneously, and are performed

very efficiently, without any

mental effort or

activity.

 

Papaji

and more papaji

 

any activity can be your practice

tim fishlock / tristan tzara

 

Any activity or

occupation can be your practice.

As you go about what you do, simply detach

your mind from its objects. Opening

to emptiness in an alert state,

you become One

with what

is.

 

Wei wu Wei Ching, Chapter 45

Paperback / Kindle here

iPad/iPhone

iBooks

 

brian browne walker taoist app bundle ios ipad iphone

You

can now buy

Wei wu Wei Ching as part of a

five-app bundle of Taoist classics 

for iPhone or iPad for less than

the cost of one hardcover

book.