On Han-Shan — image of pure renunciation
The purest kind of monk, a man like Han-Shan, is like a raindrop falling on the desert. Before it reaches the ground, it goes back to the sky.
On Listening in Zazen
The way to listen is to listen to others as to your own voice. There is being listened to and being just heard. We do not stop our whole functioning -- our sensing, thinking, feeling, wishing, and our watching memories -- in this listening to ourselves in which others are present. This listening without some standard for measuring others from your side is how we are practicing in zazen.
On Slowing Down — courage to be still
If we are slowing down, before we get to know the contents of that slow speed, social evaluation appears, like, "He is lazy." We have to be very brave at this point, even if many people do not understand what we are doing. You mustn't give up your belief in being still.
On Slowing Down — trust increases
We increase speed because of a lack of intuition, because of a very weak impulse to the object, and it is weak because layers of ideas hinder that good spirit and intuitiveness. We slow down to sharpen our sense, to see and feel the situation, clearly and exactly. So, it's a natural thing. When you slow down, your trust increases, because you see the familiarity of things.