Shunmyo Masuno

Relax and find happiness amid the swirl of the modern world with this internationally bestselling guide to simplifying your life by a Japanese monk who embodies the wisdom of Zen. Drawing on centuries of wisdom, renowned Zen Buddhist priest Shunmyo Masuno applies the essence of Zen to modern life in clear, practical, easily adopted lessons--one a day for 100 days. Discover how: * lining up your shoes after you take them off can bring order to your life * putting down your fork after every bite can help you feel more grateful for what you have * spending time barefoot can strengthen your body * planting a flower and watching it grow can teach you to embrace change * going outside to watch the sunset can make every day feel celebratory. In Zen: The Art of Simple Living, you will learn to find happiness not by seeking out extraordinary experiences but by making small changes--to what you do, how you think, how you interact with others, and how you appreciate the present moment. With each task, you will open yourself up to a renewed sense of peace and inner calm.

Zen: the Art of Simple Living

“There is something more precious than a convenient life.” - Ando’s Architecture 

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Life requires time and effort. That is to say, when we eliminate time and effort, we eliminate life’s pleasures.

Every so often, experience the flip side of convenience.

What is gassho? The right hand represents anyone other than yourself. It might be the Buddha or God or perhaps someone around you. The left hand represents you. Gassho signifies bringing these two together to become one. It is a feeling of respect for those outside of yourself—an offering of humility.

By joining our hands together, we foster a sense of gratitude. It allows no room for conflict. You cannot attack someone when your hands are joined together, can you? An apology given with joined hands soothes anger or irritation. Herein lies the significance of gassho.

One hundred percent of us will die—that is our fate as human beings. We know this, and yet in the face of death, we still cling to life. When I greet my own end, I will strive for as little attachment as I can. I would like to depart this world thinking that my life has been a good one.

I hope to embody the Zen concept that the way we live should complement our understanding of life and that we should strive to achieve the things of which we are capable.

There is a teaching that a Rinzai Zen priest is said to have given his monks in training: “Be the master wherever you go. Then, wherever you find yourself, things will be as they truly are.”

Always make every effort, no matter the circumstances or situation, to bring out your true self—your inner protagonist—to deal with whatever you face.

If we face everything in this manner, all of us will be capable of encountering the truth. And therein will we discover bliss. That is the meaning of this teaching.

When we have something arduous to do, we often want to complain about it. We say, “Anyone could do this,” or “This is all they ever let me do.” But with this attitude, it is very difficult to find the joy in our work.

People who do their best to enjoy what is before them have the greatest chance to discover inner peace. Often, whatever it is they are enjoying—the thing before them—has the potential to turn into an opportunity.

When we work every day, we tend to become occupied with the tasks before us, and with the attendant gains. But I believe that the essence of work is to be found in Baizhang’s way of thinking.

In that sense, try to see your work as samu, or mindful work. Think of it as something that will nurture or educate you.

Only by thinking this way will you experience the true pleasure to be found in work.

But there is something to be said for perseverance.

Practicing Zen monks wake early, sweep and purify the garden,

perform religious services. . . . They repeat the same things every day, and the lesson is to be found in the repetition itself.

You can start something as long as you have the energy. 

If you tell yourself, day in and day out, that something is wrong for you, then how will it ever be right for you?

We say, “Every day is new, and new again tomorrow.”

It is the same for us as humans. The preoccupations of today will end today. Tomorrow there will be a new you. This is why there is no need to worry.

It is the same with our lives. Everything is constantly in flux. There are changes as we age and changes in our surroundings.

There is nothing to fear in these changes.

A supple mind accepts change and is not attached to the past. Rather than lament change, it finds new beauty and hope in it. That is a life to which to aspire.

But how you live your life is your own decision. And this is all the more reason to have wisdom—to help you decide how to go about your life once you’ve acquainted yourself with the various ways there are to live.

See as much as you can. Feel as much as you can. And make sure to think with your own head.

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