When you have selfish practice, you stick to something, you know, which you can see, which you can understand. And when you stick to something which you can understand, you will forget all about what is supporting the understanding, the color you see or the beautiful shape it has. So instead of being one with the flower, your friend, or your teacher, you will stick to, you will be caught by your teacher, the flower you see, the friend you have, without having a direct intimate relationship. You will make some barrier between you and what you will see is dead flower or wooden teacher. --------------------------- Excerpt from Shunryu Suzuki lecture - 69-03-16 - as found on shunryusuzuki.com. Edited by DC - Going through Suzuki lectures and posting anything that can stand on its own. Not looking for zingers or "the best of." I find that following these excerpts daily provides another way to experience Suzuki's teaching.
