“Zen is not a particular state but the normal state: silent, peaceful, unagitated.”

—  Taisen Deshimaru

As quoted in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom (2000) by Gill Farrer Halls, p. 162
Context: Zen is not a particular state but the normal state: silent, peaceful, unagitated. In Zazen neither intention, analysis, specific effort nor imagination take place. It's enough just to be without hypocrisy, dogmatism, arrogance — embracing all opposites.

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Taisen Deshimaru photo
Taisen Deshimaru 18
Japanese Buddhist monk 1914–1982

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