Even when we practice zazen we are not in a state in which thoughts do not appear. Various thoughts float into our mind. However, if we chase after them, though we happen to be sitting in the zazen posture, we are just thinking. At such times you tell yourself, ‘I am practicing zazen, this is not the time to be thinking,’ correct your posture and return to zazen. This is called ‘waking up from absentmindedness.’

There are times when we become sleepy. During these times, return to zazen, telling yourself, ‘I am practicing zazen, this is not the time to be dozing,’ and correct your posture. This is called ‘waking up from darkness.’

Waking up from both absentmindedness and darkness, returning to your practice countless times is zazen. That is to say, shikantaza is arousing the mind of ‘practice-enlightenment’ over and over; it is the meaning of zazen, or the experience of raw life.
Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, in “Zazen That Amounts to Nothing” in the Spring 2011 issue of Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly. (via sharanam)
It’s as if when you were born and you heard that from now on throughout you whole life you will have to continue breathing every minute, you think ‘Why can’t I just have one big breath and be done with it?’ It is ridiculous.
Kosho Uchiyama Roshi, referring to practitioners who anticipate results or experiences à la sudden enlightenment. From “Zazen That Amounts to Nothing” in the Spring 2011 issue of Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly. (via sharanam)