A Teaching Story from To Shine One Corner of the World: Moments with Shunryu Suzuki edited by David Chadwick

David Chadwick has gathered together a sagacious collection of teaching stories from Zen master Shunryu Suzuki. Here's a wonderful teaching on the spiritual practice of you.

"Suzuki Roshi said during a talk that some of us wanted to be Zen masters, and that this was very foolish. He said that he wished he was like us, just starting out. 'Maybe you think you are green apples hanging on a tree, waiting to ripen so that you can be Buddhas,' he said, 'but I think you are already ripe, perfect Buddhas now, ready to be picked.' "

To Practice: Be happy with your beginner's mind.