"...  But if you think that God created man, and that you are separate from God, you are liable to think you have the ability to create something separate, something not given by Him.   For instance, we create airplanes and highways.   And when we repeat, "I create, I create, I create," soon we forget who is actually the "I" which creates various things;  we soon forget about God.  This is the danger of human culture.   Actually, to create with the "big I" is to give;  we cannot create and own what we create for ourselves since everything is created by God.  This point should not be forgotten.  But because we do forget who is doing the creating and the reason for the creation, we become attached to the material or the exchange value.  This has no value in comparison to the absolute value of something as God's creation.  Even though something has no material or relative value to any "small I," it has absolute value in itself.  Not to be attached to something is to be aware of its absolute value. Everything you do should be based on such an awareness, and not on material or self-centered ideas of value.  Then whatever you do is true giving, is dana prajna paramita."

page 52
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Shunryu Suzuki

Shambala
Boston & London
40th anniversary edition


"So the practice we stress thus cannot become too idealistic.  If an artist becomes too idealistic, he will commit suicide, because between his ideal and his actual ability there is a great gap.  Because there is no bridge long enough, he will begin to despair.  That is the usual spiritual way.  But our spiritual way is not so idealistic.  In some sense we should be idealistic;  at least we should be in interested in making bread which looks and tastes good!  Actual practice is repeating over and over again until you find out how to become bread.  There is no secret in our way.  Just to practice zazen and put ourselves into the oven is our way."

page 41
see above