When we say “something special” that may be jewels and gold. When we say “something common,” that is also jewels and gold which usually people attach to. When we attach to them, they are not true jewels and gold. What we are practicing is not compared with anything else. If you start to compare gold with iron, jewels with charcoal, you will not understand what jewels or gold are. Something common is valuable because it is common. Something special is valuable because it is special. People may say to sit on top of a mountain is special, and what we do in our everyday life is common. But in its true sense, or in its absolute sense, there is no difference.
—Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 68-04-23-B - as found on
shunryusuzuki.com
edited by PF. Go to
instagram.com/cuke_archives or cuke.com/ig
for links to the full Shunryu Suzuki lecture and the source of the photo.
Painting by Lucille Harris