Stop your wandering, look penetratingly into your inherent nature, concentrate your spiritual energy, sit in zazen, and break through.
—Bassui
With everyone born human, a poet - an artist - is born, who dies young and who is survived by an adult.
—Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve
From the evening breeze to this hand on my shoulder, everything has its truth.
—Albert Camus
Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.
(via all-is-0ne)
Shui-lao was a student of the great master Ma-tsu when he asked the classic question of Zen students: “What is the meaning of Boddhidharma coming from the West?”
Ma-tsu immediately kicked him in the chest, knocking him down.
The kick enlightened Shui-lao instantly, and he got to his feet, clapping his hands and unable to stop laughing. Later, when Shui-lao was asked about his enlightenment, he answered: “Ever since the Master kicked me I’ve not been able to stop laughing.”
Having penetrated through the cloud-barrier once and for all,
The way is open in all directions;
Day in, day out, I am free from the distinction of host or guest,
With a fresh breeze rising at each of my steps.
—Daito Kokushi, enlightenment poem
A young monk came to study with Sho Zenji.
“Where shall I enter the novitiate?” the monk asked.
“Do you hear the mountain stream?” Sho Zenji asked.
“Yes,” answered the monk.
“Then enter there.”
It is just as is and ain’t no is-er.
—Country Zen
Just this. Just this, this room where we are. Pay attention to that. Pay attention to who’s there. Pay attention to what isn’t known there. Pay attention to what is known there. Pay attention to what everyone is thinking or feeling; what you’re doing there. Pay attention. Pay attention.
—W.S. Merwin on Nirvana and the Buddha’s revelation (via whenthewhiterabbitpeaks)
(via zenhumanism)
