black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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

If you want to see things just as they are, then you yourself must practice just as you are.
DOGEN

Just Practice See Thing Want
Coming, going, the waterbirds, don’t leave a trace, don’t follow a path.
DOGEN

Come Go Leave Path Trace Waterbird
In the stream, Rushing past To the dusty world, My fleeting form Casts no reflection.
DOGEN

Cast Past People Reflection Rush Stream World
When you paint Spring, do not paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots – just paint Spring.
DOGEN

Just Paint Peache Plum Spring
When you walk in the mist, you get wet.
DOGEN

Get Mist Walk Wet
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
A zen master’s life is one continuous mistake.
DOGEN

Continue Life Master Mistake People
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
An ancient buddha said, “Mountains are mountains; waters are waters.” These words do not mean mountains are mountains; they mean mountains are mountains.
DOGEN

Ancient Buddha Mean Mountain Water Word
In a mind clear as still water, even the waves, breaking, are reflecting its light.
DOGEN

Break Buddhist Clear Light Mind Reflect Wave
I haven’t got any Buddhism. I live by letting things happen.
DOGEN

Buddhism Letting Live Things Happen
Do not doubt that mountains walk simply because they may not appear to walk like humans.
DOGEN

Appear Doubt Human May Mountain Walk
That you carry yourself forward and experience the myriad things is delusion. That the myriad things come forward and experience themselves is awakening
DOGEN

Awakening Carry Delusion Forward Thing Yourself
You should stop searching for phrases and chasing after words. Take the backward step and turn the light inward. Your body-mind of itself will drop off and your original face will appear. If you want to attain just this, immediately practice just this.
DOGEN

Chase Light Mind Phrase Practice Stop Word
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
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

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.”

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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.”

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Dogen Quotes