If you are
stopping now, then stop.
If you are seeking a time when
you finish, then you will
never finish.
If you are
stopping now, then stop.
If you are seeking a time when
you finish, then you will
never finish.
Whether you are going
or staying or sitting or lying down,
the whole world is your own self. You must find
out whether the mountains, rivers, grass,
and forests exist in your own mind
or exist outside it.
Analyze the ten thousand things,
dissect them minutely, and when you take this
to the limit you will come to the limitless, when you search
into it you come to the end of search, where thinking goes
no further and distinctions vanish. When you smash
the citadel of doubt, then the Buddha
is simply yourself.
If you forget your
feelings about things of the world,
they become enlightening teachings.
If you get emotional about enlightening
teaching, it becomes a worldly
thing.
“teacher to seven emperors”
grass and trees have buddha nature
Other than the birds,
Who watches over you?
Lordly peaks, your neighbors.
White head held pillowed on a stone.
Grey robe ragged, but not soiled
Chestnuts pile up on your path.
Monkeys circle where you sit.
If you ever set up another zendo,
I swear I’ll be the one who
sweeps the floors.
When you are deluded
and full of doubt, even a thousand
books of scripture are still not enough.
When you have realized understanding,
even one word is already too much.
Zen is communicated personally,
through mental recognition.
It is not handed on directly
by written words.