Summary

In the Epilogue, Suzuki quotes Dogen who said that some may attain enlightenment and some may not. Suzuki explains that even if you have no experience of enlightenment, the main point is to practice seriously, with confidence in big mind. He says that experience is not the right word. He describes enlightenment as beyond objective experience. Big Mind is always on our side, like our eyes are on our side, but it cannot be seen just like we cannot see our own eyes. He states that we cannot find Buddha nature by vivisection (129). He claims that it is heresy to get fixed on a particular experience or object and call that enlightenment. He emphasizes that the purpose of Zen practice is to express true nature, not to attain enlightenment. He says the practice is to be enlightenment (130).

Suzuki discusses the importance of...