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Cease from practice based on intellectual understanding, pursuing words, and following after speech.

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
Sitting is the gateway of truth to total liberation.
DOGEN

Gateway Liberation Sit Sitting Truth
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
Meditation is not a way to enlightenment, Nor is it a method of achieving anything at all. It is peace itself. It is the actualization of wisdom, The ultimate truth of the oneness of all things.
DOGEN

All Anything Archive Enlightenment Meditation Method Oneness
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
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 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
Look for Buddha outside your own mind, and Buddha becomes the devil.
DOGEN

Become Buddha Devil Look Mind Outside
Coming, going, the waterbirds, don’t leave a trace, don’t follow a path.
DOGEN

Come Go Leave Path Trace Waterbird
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
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
That the self advances and confirms the ten thousand things is called delusion; that the ten thousand things advance and confirm the self is called enlightenment.
DOGEN

Advance Call Confirm Delusion Enlightenment Self Ten Thousand
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

Cease from practice based on intellectual understanding, pursuing words, and following after speech.

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Cease from practice based on intellectual understanding, pursuing words, and following after speech.

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