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Emphasize the process over the goal from "summary" of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki
When we sit in the cross-legged posture, we usually think the goal is to achieve enlightenment. But if you think the goal is something that you will achieve in the future, you will not be getting anywhere. You will be only creating some progress of your ego. It is not so interesting to just be aware of what you are doing. It is more interesting to understand why you do something in the present moment. We should do something because we are doing it, not because we are going to get some result. This is the secret of practice. This is the definition of practice. If you do something in the spirit of non-achievement, there is a good quality in it. So just to practice zazen, or to keep your posture, is enough. You may think that when you do not try to attain anything, you will not attain anything. But if you think you will get something, you are already involved in gaining something. When you do not try to gain anything, you have some chance of actually attaining something. When you are not thinking about anything...
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