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Something you want badly enough can always be gained. No matter how fierce the enemy, how remote the beautiful lady, or how carefully guarded the treasure, there is always a means to the goal for the earnest seeker. The unseen help of the guardian gods of heaven and earth assure fulfillment.

Dogen

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
Do not doubt that mountains walk simply because they may not appear to walk like humans.
DOGEN

Appear Doubt Human May Mountain Walk
A fool sees himself as another, but a wise man sees others as himself.
DOGEN

Fool Himself Men Other Wise
In the mundane, nothing is sacred. In sacredness, nothing is mundane.
DOGEN

Mundane Nothing Sacred Sacredness
Just as parents care for their children, you should bear in mind the whole universe.
DOGEN

Bear Children Mind Parents Universe Whole
But do not ask me where I am going, As I travel in this limitless world, Where every step I take is my home.
DOGEN

Ask Go Home Travel World
In the stream, Rushing past To the dusty world, My fleeting form Casts no reflection.
DOGEN

Cast Past People Reflection Rush Stream World
Be moderate in eating and drinking. Mindful of the passing of time, engage yourself in zazen as though saving your head from fire.
DOGEN

Eat Engage Fire Head Moderate Pass People Save Saving
In a mind clear as still water, even the waves, breaking, are reflecting its light.
DOGEN

Break Buddhist Clear Light Mind Reflect Wave
To be in harmony with the wholeness of things is not to have anxiety over imperfections.
DOGEN

Anxiety Harmony Imperfection Wholeness
If you do not get it from yourself, where will you go for it?
DOGEN

Buddhist Go Yourself Zen Proverb
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

Ask Cooking Entire Hidden Nothing Practice Said Two Universe Word
Time is three eyes and eight elbows.
DOGEN

Eight Elbow Eye Three
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
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
To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves.
DOGEN

Buddhism Buddhist Life Ourselves Space Study

Something you want badly enough can always be gained. No matter how fierce the enemy, how remote the beautiful lady, or how carefully guarded the treasure, there is always a means to the goal for the earnest seeker. The unseen help of the guardian gods of heaven and earth assure fulfillment.

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Popular Authors

Something you want badly enough can always be gained. No matter how fierce the enemy, how remote the beautiful lady, or how carefully guarded the treasure, there is always a means to the goal for the earnest seeker. The unseen help of the guardian gods of heaven and earth assure fulfillment.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Dogen Quotes