‘We live by our effort, but this is a narrow understanding, so we have to live our lives with the understanding that we are allowed to live. This means we should appreciate our life. Then, if we appreciate our life, we can make our life come alive. To do this, we must be not only passive, but also active. Someone may say, “The universe takes care of me, so I don’t have to do anything.” Of course, it is true, but this does not mean we can take a nap in the universe. The universe is always working with us, so if we become lazy, the universe appears as laziness. Then very naturally we are confused. So, constantly we have to take the initiative. When we do gassho, we have to practice gassho with the forgiving universe, with appreciation for our lives, making gassho come alive. This practice is not a matter of discussion.

Buddha’s world is completely pure and serene, quiet and also dynamic; it is dynamism in motion beyond our thoughts and ideas. So very naturally, in order to accept it, we have to put aside our understanding, our thoughts, and put our body and mind right in the middle of that dynamism in motion. This is samadhi or actualizing Buddha’s compassion. When we do zazen it is a very simple opportunity to be present there, to put aside our thoughts and preconceptions.’ (Returning to Silence)

‘For zazen, we arrange the circumstances in the zendo so that it is not too bright or too dark, not too cold or too hot, not dry or wet. We also arrange the external physical conditions, such as our posture and the amount of food we eat. If we eat too much we may fall asleep pretty easily, so we have to fill just sixty or seventy percent of our stomach. Also, we keep our eyes open, because if we close our eyes we might fall asleep, or we are more likely to enjoy ourselves with lots of imaginings and daydreams. Next we arrange our internal physical condition, that is our heart, our intestines, our stomach and our blood. But these things are beyond our control, so how can we take care of them? The only way is to take care of the breath. If we take care of the breath, very naturally, internal physical conditions will work pretty well. This is important. If we arrange the circumstances around our body, our mind, and all internal and external conditions, then, very naturally, the mind is also engaged in our activities. Then we are not bothered by the workings of our mind; the mind does not touch the core of our existence; it is just with us, that is all. When all circumstances are completely peaceful, just the center of ourselves blooms. This is our zazen; this is shikan taza.’ (Returning to Silence)

This is a passage I have used in teaching before.

‘As a cultural form, Zen is growing pretty fast, which is called Zen “boom”, Zen bubble, and young people, specifically, are liable to be attracted. But I wonder if their understanding of Zen has anything to do with their daily lives, no matter how hard they study. It is because for them Zen is merely booming Zen, nothing more, that they cannot get at the heart of Zen itself. 

Recently I have felt very strongly that students have to understand more clearly how to make Zen concrete in their daily lives. Our practice is not just to sit in meditation in the zendo. The important point is how Zen meditation should be used in daily life, outside of Zen Center. Shakyamuni Buddha’s way is to live our life truthfully, which means to put Zen to practical use vividly and fully according to the time and circumstances.’ (from Wind Bell)

‘Why sit in meditation? In order to get quietness for yourself alone? If so, the practice of zazen is something like using a drug. Take a drug instead of zazen and you could have more quietness, which is called a big hallucination – fantastic. After the drug has worn off, I think your troubles will come back. Then you take the drug again. Same thing. If people want quietness through the practice of zazen, they have to realize that their daily lives must be arranged for tasting quietness because other people also want the same thing.’ (from Wind Bell)

Both Katagiri and Suzuki Roshi often refered to drugs in their talks, as no doubt they were to the forefront of the students’ minds at the time.

‘This life is not a matter for discussion from your own viewpoint. You live in the midst of life and death and suffering because they exist, really. That’s why Buddhism says accept your life and understand how the world is with imperturbable composure. To be imperturbable is to walk step by step by step. This is a hard thing, but you can accept it. Even though you suffer from your daily life so much, just accept it, just listen to the silence, the voice of your steps, with imperturbable composure. This is Buddhism.’ (from Wind Bell)

‘Before your individual thoughts, feelings, or perceptions arise and you reflect on yourself, wondering who or what you are, something is already there. Something is already alive. What is it? We call it big self, real self, or true self, but actually it is just the vastness of existence. In Buddhist philosophy we say emptiness. When you hear the word “emptiness,” it seems to be someting fascinating, kind of a puzzle. But emptiness is not a puzzle; it is something true.’ (The Light That Shines Through Infinity)