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The western mind attaches the idea of "self" more closely to what he or she has done or was than who they currently are
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Must learn how to combine peripheral with linear thinking. The hunch with rationality, trusting our gut and the feel of the situation as much as what we rationally know about it
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The minute nirvana becomes a desire, it becomes Sankara (suffering). Real nirvana cannot be conceived.
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One has to know in one's bones that there is nothing to be grasped. There is no way to enlightenment that requires any force. Must surrender completely
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Everything is relative, non dual. Things can only exist in relation to others. Only when we begin classifying things does duality arise
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All beings are endowed with a Buddha nature. We simply forget it. There is nothing to achieve, we just need to go back to our original state. To seek Buddhahood is to deny you already have it
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The contemplation and distinction between right and wrong is a common sickness of the mind
What I got out of it
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A thorough and informative history of zen and a good overview of the main themes, terms, and characters
