Zen quotes

Page 1

◆ Death. We view death, as influenced by our upbringing. Death. The end. Game over. If we were to take Death in a different angle of perspective, such as an idea...as they say 'Ideas can never die'. And if we were apply this idea to ourselves, the world would be significantly different. An idea can be represented by various embodiment's and forms of it, however, these are just representation, and not the essence of the idea itself. These representations of an idea can be destroyed, but the idea can never perish. If we view our bodies, thoughts; our entire world to be a representation of our 'idea', then life is far different. The idea being that, we are energy, we are an idea. If destroyed, the idea remains - Energy cannot be destroyed. An idea, an energy is not defined or segregated into different segments...everything is one. All connected. All the same. Unity. So in this perspective, Death isn't so bad, now is it?

- A D Kruk100

◆ Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.

- Thích Nh?t H?nh100

◆ When composing a verse let there not be a hair's breath separating your mind from what you write; composition of a poem must be done in an instant, like a woodcutter felling a huge tree or a swordsman leaping at a dangerous enemy.

- Matsuo Bashō99

◆ The more you know, the less you need.

- Yvon Chouinard99

◆ Haiku is not a shriek, a howl, a sigh, or a yawn; rather, it is the deep breath of life.

- Santōka Taneda99

◆ I discovered that it is necessary, absolutely necessary, to believe in nothing. That is, we have to believe in something which has no form and no color--something which exists before all forms and colors appear... No matter what god or doctrine you believe in, if you become attached to it, your belief will be based more or less on a self-centered idea.

- Shunryu Suzuki99

◆ I see no comparison between the past and future, both constants share the same ideology. For me the present is the truth.

- Jeremy Limn99

◆ Take a minute. Pause. Stop doing, and simply be...This moment. Think, here, now. This moment will never occur again. This moment is unlike any other, and you are of its essence. You are not a river, but a pond. A still, relaxed pond. You are not late for anything, nor due to anyone...You are perfect. Look to your right, what do you see? Look to your left. Close your eyes, and breathe through your nose...count each breath, for nothing else matters but now, here, you. This is life, and you need not worry, for you are exactly where you need to be.

- A D Kruk99

◆ Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.

- Alan Watts99

◆ We could say that meditation doesn't have a reason or doesn't have a purpose. In this respect it's unlike almost all other things we do except perhaps making music and dancing. When we make music we don't do it in order to reach a certain point, such as the end of the composition. If that were the purpose of music then obviously the fastest players would be the best. Also, when we are dancing we are not aiming to arrive at a particular place on the floor as in a journey. When we dance, the journey itself is the point, as when we play music the playing itself is the point. And exactly the same thing is true in meditation. Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment.

- Alan Watts99

◆ The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there.

- Robert M Pirsig99

◆ Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.

- Shunryu Suzuki99

◆ In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few

- Shunryu Suzuki99

◆ I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.

- Billie Jean King99

◆ Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.

- Zhuangzi99