black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

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

When one first seeks the truth, one separates oneself from it.
DOGEN

First Oneself Path Seek Separate Truth
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
In doing zazen it is desirable to have a quiet room. You should be temperate in eating and drinking, forsaking all delusive relationships. Setting everything aside, think of neither good nor evil, right nor wrong. Thus having stopped the various functions of your mind, five up even the idea of becoming a Buddha.
DOGEN

Delusive Drink Eat Forsake Idea Quite Relationship Room Temepearte Thing
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
IF YOU WOULD BE FREE OF GREED, FIRST YOU HAVE TO LEAVE EGOTISM BEHIND. THE BEST MENTAL EXERCISE FOR RELINQUISHING EGOTISM IS CONTEMPLATING IMPERMANENCE.
DOGEN

Behind Egotism Excercise Exercise First Free Greed Relinquish
In the stream, Rushing past To the dusty world, My fleeting form Casts no reflection.
DOGEN

Cast Past People Reflection Rush Stream World
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
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
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
Sitting is the gateway of truth to total liberation.
DOGEN

Gateway Liberation Sit Sitting Truth
To be in harmony with the wholeness of things is not to have anxiety over imperfections.
DOGEN

Anxiety Harmony Imperfection Wholeness
Enlightenment is intimacy with all things.
DOGEN

Buddhist Compassion Enlightenment Thing
Since it is the practice of enlightenment, that practice has no beginning and since it is enlightenment within the practice, that realization has no end.
DOGEN

Beginning End Enlightenment Practice Realization Since
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
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
Nothing in the entire universe is hidden.
DOGEN

Entire Hide Universe
Coming, going, the waterbirds, don’t leave a trace, don’t follow a path.
DOGEN

Come Go Leave Path Trace Waterbird
To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by the ten thousand things.
DOGEN

Earth Enlight Religion Self Sell Study Thing
The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.
DOGEN

Dewdrop Moon Reflect Relaxation Sky
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
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
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
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
If he cannot stop the mind that seeks after fame and profit, he will spend his life without finding peace.
DOGEN

Discipline Finding Life Mind Peace Profit Seek Stop
Do not doubt that mountains walk simply because they may not appear to walk like humans.
DOGEN

Appear Doubt Human May Mountain Walk
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

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Dogen Quotes