black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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.”

Dogen

An ancient buddha said, “Mountains are mountains; waters are waters.” These words do not mean mountains are mountains; they mean mountains are mountains.
DOGEN

Ancient Buddha Mean Mountain Water Word
One must be deeply aware of the impermanence of the world.
DOGEN

Aware Deeply Impermanence World
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.
DOGEN

Dew Discipline Every Fully Life Moment Short Student Time
Practice and enlightenment are not two.
DOGEN

Enlightenment Happen Practice Two
There are mountains hidden in mountains. There are mountains hidden in hiddenness. This is complete understanding.
DOGEN

Complete Hiddenness Mountain Understanding
Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment.
DOGEN

Aware Enlightenment Necessary Thinking War
If you want to travel the Way of Buddhas and Zen masters, then expect nothing, seek nothing, and grasp nothing.
DOGEN

Buddha Expect Nothing Grasp Want Way
The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.
DOGEN

Dewdrop Moon Reflect Relaxation Sky
If he cannot stop the mind that seeks after fame and profit, he will spend his life without finding peace.
DOGEN

Discipline Finding Life Mind Peace Profit Seek Stop
There are those who, attracted by grass, flowers, mountains, and waters, flow into the Buddha Way.
DOGEN

Attach Buddha Flower Mountain Water Way
Let your heart go out and abide in things. Let things return and abide in your heart.
DOGEN

Abide Heart Return Speech Thing
If you do not get it from yourself, where will you go for it?
DOGEN

Buddhist Go Yourself Zen Proverb
To start from the self and try to understand all things is delusion. To let the self be awakened by all things is enlightenment.
DOGEN

Awakened Enlightenment Self Set Spiritual Start Thing Understand
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.
DOGEN

Birth Come Enlightenment Go Painting Sky Unsurpassed
If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?
DOGEN

Art Expect Spiritual Truth
Those who seek the easy way do not seek the true way.
DOGEN

Easy Seek True Way

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.”

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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.”

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Dogen Quotes