In Japan, once a year, we have general housecleaning. On that day, we take everything out [laughs]. We expel everything, even Buddha shrines or Shinto shrines. We take them out, and we clean completely our house. In the same way, I think, this kind of cleaning is necessary. Without this kind of effort, you pile up things one after another. Then you will be easily caught by the same old way of life, and you cannot practice zazen in its true sense. When you have this kind of spirit, you can practice shikantaza.
—cuke.com/ig for links to the source of the photo. Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 68-10-12-A as found on shunryusuzuki.com, edited by PF. Go to instagram.com/cuke_archives for the Instagram version.
