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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

Learn the backward step that turns your light inward to illuminate your self. Body and mind of themselves will drop away, and your original face will be manifest.
DOGEN

Backward Inward Light Mind Self Turn
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

Always Badly Beautiful Enough Gain Goal Mean Soemrthing
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
When you paint Spring, do not paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots – just paint Spring.
DOGEN

Just Paint Peache Plum Spring
There are thousands upon thousands of students who have practiced meditation and obtained its fruits. Do not doubt its possibilities because of the simplicity of the method. If you can not find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?
DOGEN

Doubt Meditation Possibility Simplicity Student Thousand Truth
In the stream, Rushing past To the dusty world, My fleeting form Casts no reflection.
DOGEN

Cast Past People Reflection Rush Stream World
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
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
When both body and mind are at peace, all things appear as they are: perfect, complete, lacking nothing.
DOGEN

Appear Body Complete Mind Peace Perfect Thing
Enlightenment is intimacy with all things.
DOGEN

Buddhist Compassion Enlightenment Thing
Those who practice know whether realization is attained or not, just as those who drink water know whether it is hot or cold
DOGEN

Cold Drink Hot Practice Realization Water
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
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
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
Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. Your body and mind will become clear and you will realize the unity of all things.
DOGEN

Ideas Learn Listen Unity Voice Within Yourself

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.

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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.

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Popular Authors

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