“Many sensations come, many thoughts or images arise, but they are just waves of your own mind. Nothing comes from outside your mind. The true understanding is that the mind includes everything; when you think something comes from outside it means only that something appears in your mind. Nothing outside yourself can cause any trouble. You yourself make the waves in your mind. If you leave your mind as it is, it will become calm. This mind is called Big Mind.

If your mind is related to something outside itself, that mind is a small mind, a limited mind. If your mind is not related to anything else, then there is no dualistic understanding in the activity of your mind. You understand activity as just waves of your mind. Big mind experiences everything within itself.”

“Do you understand the difference between the two minds: the mind which includes everything, and the mind which is related to something? Actually, they are the same thing but the understanding is different, and your attitude towards your life will be different according to which understanding you have.”

Passages from “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind,” by Shunryu Suzuki