“The coming and going of birth and death is a painting. Unsurpassed enlightenment is a painting. The entire phenomenal universe and the empty sky are nothing but a painting.”

Students today should live fully every moment of time. This dew-like life fades away; time speeds swiftly. In this short life of ours, avoid involvement in superfluous things and just study the Way.

In the mundane, nothing is sacred. In sacredness, nothing is mundane.

There are those who, attracted by grass, flowers, mountains, and waters, flow into the Buddha Way.

To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self.

Truth is not far away. It is nearer than near. There is no need to attain it, since not one of your steps leads away from it.

Just as parents care for their children, you should bear in mind the whole universe.

People who truly follow the Way would do well to conceal the fact that they are Buddhists.

What is reality? An icicle forming in fire.

Cease from practice based on intellectual understanding, pursuing words, and following after speech.

Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment.

Since it is the practice of enlightenment, that practice has no beginning and since it is enlightenment within the practice, that realization has no end.

People like what is not true and they don’t like what is true.

I asked, “What are words?” The tenzo said, “One, two, three, four, five.” I asked again, “What is practice?” “Nothing in the entire universe is hidden.”

Forgetting oneself is opening oneself

Zazen is an activity that is an extension of the universe. Zazen is not the life of an individual, it’s the universe that’s breathing.

When both body and mind are at peace, all things appear as they are: perfect, complete, lacking nothing.

I had seven brothers and four sisters. I told my mama, ‘One of these days I’m going to be big and strong and buy you a beautiful house.’ That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do with my life, is to take care of my mother.

Son, we’d like to keep you around this season but we’re going to try and win a pennant.

If we’re going to win the pennant, we’ve got to start thinking we’re not as good as we think we are.

We are not going to be able to operate our Spaceship Earth successfully nor for much longer unless we see it as a whole spaceship and our fate as common. It has to be everybody or nobody.

There is no secret, once we go to qualifying, we all seem to enjoy it. Qualifying is all about putting everything that you have and that the car has in one lap. It’s like a rush, I really enjoy that.

The river is constantly turning and bending and you never know where it’s going to go and where you’ll wind up. Following the bend in the river and staying on your own path means that you are on the right track. Don’t let anyone deter you from that.

I always told myself I am never going to set foot there unless I am playing and a participant.

If humanity does not opt for integrity we are through completely. It is absolutely touch and go.