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To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves.

Dogen

One must be deeply aware of the impermanence of the world.
DOGEN

Aware Deeply Impermanence World
Although its light is wide and great, the Moon is reflected in a puddle one inch wide. The whole Moon and the entire sky is reflected in one dew drop on the grass.
DOGEN

Inch Life Light Moon Puddle Reflect Wide
To be in harmony with the wholeness of things is not to have anxiety over imperfections.
DOGEN

Anxiety Harmony Imperfection Wholeness
Just as parents care for their children, you should bear in mind the whole universe.
DOGEN

Bear Children Mind Parents Universe Whole
If you cannot find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?
DOGEN

Art Expect Spiritual Truth
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
A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.
DOGEN

Buddhist Flower Grow Love War Weed
Do not doubt that mountains walk simply because they may not appear to walk like humans.
DOGEN

Appear Doubt Human May Mountain Walk
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
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
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
Cease from practice based on intellectual understanding, pursuing words, and following after speech.
DOGEN

Cease Follow Intellectual Practice Speech Understanding Word
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.
DOGEN

Away Nearer Need Since Step Truth
What you think in your own mind to be good, or what people of the world think is good, is not necessarily good.
DOGEN

Good Mind Necessary People Thinking

To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves.

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To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves.

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