You think that you can only establish true practice after you attain enlightenment, but it is not so. True practice is established in delusion, in frustration. If you make some mistake, that is where to establish your practice. There is no other place for you to establish your practice.

We talk about enlightenment, but in its true sense perfect enlightenment is beyond our understanding, beyond our experience. Even in our imperfect practice enlightenment is there. We just don’t know it. So the point is to find the true meaning of practice before we attain enlightenment. Wherever you are, enlightenment is there. If you stand up right where you are, that is enlightenment.

Shunryu Suzuki

from the book Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen

source: http://www.lionsroar.com/wherever-you-are-enlightenment-is-there/


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Further quotes from the book Not Always So:

• That is why we practice zazen
• Our scales
• Existing in each instant of time
• Going beyond the realm of good and bad
• Right there is enlightenment