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When one first seeks the truth, one separates oneself from it.

Dogen

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

Cease Follow Intellectual Practice Speech Understanding Word
To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self.
DOGEN

Forget Self Study Way
Look for Buddha outside your own mind, and Buddha becomes the devil.
DOGEN

Become Buddha Devil Look Mind Outside
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
There is no beginning to practice nor end to enlightenment; There is no beginning to enlightenment nor end to practice.
DOGEN

Beginning End Enlightenment No Practice
When you paint Spring, do not paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots – just paint Spring.
DOGEN

Just Paint Peache Plum Spring
Do not travel to other dusty lands, forsaking your own sitting place; if you cannot find the truth where you are now, you will never find it.
DOGEN

Dusty Land never Place Sitting Travel Truth
Yet you must not cling to the words of the old sages either; they, too, may not be right. Even if you believe them, you should be alert so that, in the event that something superior comes along, you may follow that.
DOGEN

Alert Believe Either Events Right Sage Word
IF YOU WOULD BE FREE OF GREED, FIRST YOU HAVE TO LEAVE EGOTISM BEHIND. THE BEST MENTAL EXERCISE FOR RELINQUISHING EGOTISM IS CONTEMPLATING IMPERMANENCE.
DOGEN

Behind Egotism Excercise Exercise First Free Greed Relinquish
Do not doubt that mountains walk simply because they may not appear to walk like humans.
DOGEN

Appear Doubt Human May Mountain Walk
The recognition of the coming and going of things is a first step in training and practice.
DOGEN

Coem First Go Practice Recognition Step Training
Students, when you want to say something, think about it three times before you say it. Speak only if your words will benefit yourselves and others. Do not speak if it brings no benefit.
DOGEN

Before Responsibility Say Student Thinking Three Time Want
Why abandon a seat in your own home to wander in vain through dusty regions of another land? If you make one false step, you miss what is right before your eyes.
DOGEN

Abandon Another Eye Home Land Region Seat Wander
There are those who, attracted by grass, flowers, mountains, and waters, flow into the Buddha Way.
DOGEN

Attach Buddha Flower Mountain Water Way
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
There are mountains hidden in mountains. There are mountains hidden in hiddenness. This is complete understanding.
DOGEN

Complete Hiddenness Mountain Understanding

When one first seeks the truth, one separates oneself from it.

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When one first seeks the truth, one separates oneself from it.

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