The perfection of zeal is a pure [mind] that exists in the profound depths of the Way. Advancing without ever slacking off—lying down, sitting, standing, and walking—even if you are gasping for breath, never abandon it.
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From The Chan Whip Anthology: A Companion to Zen Practice, translated by Jeffrey L. Broughton with Elise Yoko Watanabe. © 2015 Oxford University Press. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. From the Six Perfections Collection Sutra, a Chinese jataka collection that arranges tales of the Buddha’s former lives in accordance with the six perfections (paramitas): giving, morality, patience, effort (zeal), concentration, and wisdom.