The purpose of practice is to accept ourselves.
Knowing that, all our effort is to accept ourselves. Whether we become a great person or not is not the point. When we can accept ourselves, we are already one with all the existence. When spring comes, we can enjoy spring flowers. When the summer comes, we can enjoy the cool moonlight. When autumn comes, we can appreciate the beauty of the foliage. In winter we will appreciate snow. When we can accept ourselves, we can accept anything else. There is no self in our mind. What we have is big mind, big self. We can treat our body as we treat others'. We will treat our own things as we treat others' property. This is the way of Buddhist life.
Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com - Edited by DC
Knowing that, all our effort is to accept ourselves. Whether we become a great person or not is not the point. When we can accept ourselves, we are already one with all the existence. When spring comes, we can enjoy spring flowers. When the summer comes, we can enjoy the cool moonlight. When autumn comes, we can appreciate the beauty of the foliage. In winter we will appreciate snow. When we can accept ourselves, we can accept anything else. There is no self in our mind. What we have is big mind, big self. We can treat our body as we treat others'. We will treat our own things as we treat others' property. This is the way of Buddhist life.
Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture 65-08-28-B as found on shunryusuzuki.com - Edited by DC