Questions to Master Deshimaru: You often say that practicing zazen solves the problem of life and death. But how can it solve the suffering of other people?

Questions to Master Deshimaru

Maitre Deshimaru en mondo

Question

You often say that practicing zazen solves the problem of life and death. But how can it solve the suffering of other people?

Answer

First you must solve your own suffering, because if your own brain is not in a normal condition you cannot help other people. You would make them even more complicated than they already are. One day you yourself told me that samu (physical labor) helped you to solve your sufferings. "Before I used to suffer a great deal. The poison in my body and mind is now gone." If you practice zazen you can help other people. There's no need to think about it consciously. Practice zazen. Don't complicate things. Then you will be able to solve the sufferings of others. It takes wisdom to be able to help.