One of the core concepts of Buddhism is the transience of existence. Many individuals struggle to accept that everything changes, as this entails recognizing that there is no consistent self. However, when people deny this truth, they suffer. Suzuki points out that when our lives are difficult, the concept of everything changing is welcome. Individuals who can adopt this attitude consistently will find contentment.

This chapter emphasizes the key takeaway Accept Impermanence and the Fluid Nature of Experience Instead of Resisting Change. For Suzuki, transiency is not a problem to solve but a reality to align with. Everything passes; therefore, nothing can be owned, secured, or finalized. Western readers who seek stability through concepts of identity and achievement may find this teaching particularly challenging.

Suzuki introduces the concept of “quality of being” to convey an integrity of presence that is expressed through one’s manner and actions. It is a way of being that is sincere, wholehearted, and undivided. Suzuki’s explanation reinforces his emphasis on fully inhabiting practice and finding meaning in everyday moments. The concept underscores how, in Zen, transformation is measured not by what you attain, but by the essence of one’s nature.

Suzuki asserts that many people associate naturalness with spontaneity, laziness or permissiveness. However, in Zen, the concept refers to actions that harmonize with one’s environment without self-conscious control.

Suzuki provides examples of naturalness, such as when a plant grows from a seed or when a person responds to thirst by drinking. He points out that humans often struggle to achieve naturalness because the ego interferes. Examples of non-naturalness include feeling dissatisfied with one’s situation compared to others or approaching lectures with preconceived ideas. In Zen practice, naturalness is embodied by approaching zazen with a beginner’s mind.

Suzuki’s warning against confusing naturalness with laziness or indulgence implicitly acknowledges that Western readers may mistakenly link Zen to self-expression and freedom from constraint. He reverses this assumption, emphasizing that naturalness requires discipline.

Suzuki explains “emptiness”: the Buddhist belief that nothing exists independently or permanently, and there is no fixed self. To accept the notion of emptiness, it is necessary to let go of “the idea of substantiality” (97). Anticipating the standard Western interpretation of emptiness, Suzuki emphasizes that it is not a negative state but encompasses non-attachment and beginner’s mind. When practitioners understand that nothing can be owned, their gaining ideas dissolve. Furthermore, the acceptance that identity is not solid increases responsiveness in the present.

Suzuki describes the closely related mental states of readiness and mindfulness, which are necessary in Zen practice. Practitioners should cultivate “imperturbable thinking” (103): a flexible, stable, and open state of mind able to perceive “things as they are” (102). In this way, wisdom is acquired.

Suzuki’s descriptions of readiness and mindfulness differ significantly from the Western understanding of these terms. His emphasis is not on heightened attention or managing inner states, but on being prepared to respond appropriately without self-conscious effort.