If we try and direct our lives with only our limited rationalistic thoughts and our sense perceptions, then our actions and our activities will not be prefect.
In Zen we do everything perfectly. We feel that our outer actions are a reflection of our inner state. We call it mindfulness.
It is necessary to go through all the daily tasks and bring perfection to them.
When you do something half-heartedly, you don’t get much of a result. When you do it fully, you get a great result.
You are moving in and out of different advanced states of mind through your practice of meditation and mindfulness. It’s that level of excellence that gives you joy in life, not the fact that you won or lost.
Any area you slough off in your life will reflect in your meditation. Be happy when you could be depressed. Push jealous, fear, and anger out of your mind. Don’t feel sorry for yourself.
We are trying to do our best to bring perfection into whatever we turn our attention to.
Why do everything perfectly? Isn’t perfection just an illusion? Tell me if it’s an illusion if they don’t fix your car perfectly next time you bring it in.
You can just sweep the floor generally and gain nothing from it. Or you can figure out the best way to sweep the floor, put your power into it, use it as a concentration exercise, and be meditative.
If you are just spaced out and you have no purpose in life, you pick everything up. Everybody else’s thoughts will come into your mind, everyone else’s desires.
It doesn’t matter what your work really is. It is exciting to do well at something. It empowers you.
Personal power, knowledge and fun come from how you approach something, not what you approach.
Sitting around idly contemplating doesn’t produce much. In work you can discipline your attention, forget about your misery.
If President Bush does a lousy job, then he’ll lose power. If the guy at McDonalds who’s selling burgers does a great job, then he’ll be much more powerful than President Bush.
There comes a time in life when you just buckle down and have a good time with what you’re doing. It doesn’t matter much what you’re doing. What matters is how you do it.
What we do outwardly will only interrupt the flow of our perfect attention is it is not in harmony with the dharma.
Stop trying to be different. Just do what you are good at, and work really hard. You have to work hard to be chaos.
The best form of meditation is the sitting meditation. But work is next. Work is a great way to meditate.
It is necessary to have a strong focus. Work will give you that focus.
Thought control is the ability to direct mind and attention anywhere.