happiness without sorrow

free from concerns

 

Just let your

mind be free; don’t

do contemplative exercises,

and don’t think of sorrow or worry.

Clear and unobstructed, free as you will,

not contriving virtues, not perpetrating evils,

walking, standing still, sitting, lying down, whatever

meets the eye, in any circumstance, is all the subtle

function of Buddha. It is called Buddahood

because of happiness without

sorrow.

 

Dayi Daoxin

treasury of the eye of true teaching

 

everything has the same value

the shaggy dog

 

There is no distinction

between heaven and earth, man and woman,

teacher and disciple. Sometimes a man bows to a woman;

sometimes a woman bows to a man. Sometimes the disciple bows

to the master; sometimes the master bows to the disciple. A master

who cannot bow to his disciple cannot bow to Buddha.

Sometimes the master and disciple bow together

to Buddha. Sometimes we may bow

to cats and dogs.

 

In your big mind,

everything has the same value.

Everything is Buddha himself. You see something

or hear a sound, and there you have everything just as it is.

In your practice you should accept everything as it is, giving to

each thing the same respect given to a Buddha. Here there

is Buddhahood. Then Buddha bows to Buddha,

and you bow to yourself. This is

the true bow.

 

Shunryu Suzuki

zen mind, beginner’s mind