black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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

The true person is Not anyone in particular; But like the deep blue color Of the limitless sky, It is everyone, Everywhere in the world.
DOGEN

Anyone Blue Color Everything Limitless Person Sky World
Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken. Take heed, do not squander your life.
DOGEN

Buddhist Importance Life Opportunity Passes Supreme
To be in harmony with the wholeness of things is not to have anxiety over imperfections.
DOGEN

Anxiety Harmony Imperfection Wholeness
Coming, going, the waterbirds, don’t leave a trace, don’t follow a path.
DOGEN

Come Go Leave Path Trace Waterbird
When one first seeks the truth, one separates oneself from it.
DOGEN

First Oneself Path Seek Separate Truth
If you want to do a certain thing, you first have to be a certain person. Once you become that certain person, you will not care anymore about doing that certain thing.
DOGEN

Care Certain Person Something Spiritual Thing Want
When we discover that the truth is already in us, we are all at once our original selves.
DOGEN

Discover Inspirational Life Original Selves War
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
In the mundane, nothing is sacred. In sacredness, nothing is mundane.
DOGEN

Mundane Nothing Sacred Sacredness
What is reality? An icicle forming in fire.
DOGEN

Fire Form Reality
Refraining from all evil, not clinging to birth and death, working in deep compassion for all sentient beings, respecting those over you and pitying those below you, without any detesting or desiring, worrying or lamentation – this is what is called Buddha. Do not search beyond it.
DOGEN

Begin Birth Cling Compassion Death Deep Evil Over Refrain Respect Sentiment Work Worry
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.
DOGEN

Activity Breathing Epron Extension Individual People Universe
Realization doesn’t destroy the individual any more than the reflection of the moon breaks a drop of water. A drop of water can reflect the whole sky.
DOGEN

Destroy Drop Individual Moon Realization Reflection Sky Water
To escape from the world means that one’s mind is not concerned with the opinions of the world.
DOGEN

Concentrate Mean Mind Opinion World
In a mind clear as still water, even the waves, breaking, are reflecting its light.
DOGEN

Break Buddhist Clear Light Mind Reflect Wave
No matter how bad a state of mind you may get into, if you keep strong and hold out, eventually the floating clouds must vanish and the withering wind must cease.
DOGEN

Clouds Hold Into Keep Out Strong Wind

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Dogen Quotes