Shundo David Haye – Zen Priest

‘You may say Zen is very difficult, but actually Zen is soft, because there is no limit to our practice, as there is no limit to our desire. If there is no limit to our desire, our practice has no limit. But even though there is no limit to our attainment, from the first step of our practice there is real complication. Real practice will help to keep you from suffering and keep suffering from arising. Again, Zen practice is not so hard. Our practice is everywhere. If you don’t attain enlightenment, it is okay, as long as you do not lose these points – how to be kind to others and how to be one with others. When you have good practice, then without trying, without making so much effort, you can help others quite easily. At that time, someone who receives help will not realize that he was helped.

He is actually helping others. That is real alms-giving, and that is real teaching; to give some real teaching, not by words, but by just giving.’ (from the Suzuki Roshi Archive)

The more I read of Suzuki Roshi’s talks, the more I realise how he was nudging his students to forget their grandiose ideas about enlightenment and to understand that the practice is about helping and generosity. I guess my own practice journey has run along similar lines.