Quotes from Okakura Kakuzo

Tea is more than an idealization of the form of drinking; it is a religion of the art of life.

Tea...is a religion of the art of life.

It is not the accumulation of extraneous knowledge, but the realization of the self within, that constitutes true progress.

Those who cannot feel the littleness of great things in themselves are apt to overlook the greatness of little things in others.

Friends are flowers in life's garden.

A garden is a friend you can visit any time.

We take refuge in pride, because we are afraid to tell the truth to ourselves.

The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.

In our common parlance we speak of the man "with no tea" in him, when he is insusceptible to the serio-comic interests of the personal drama.

The art of today is that which really belongs to us: it is our own reflection. In condemning it we but condemn ourselves.

Tea is a work of art and needs a master hand to bring out its noblest qualities. We have good and bad teas, as we have good and bad paintings - generally the latter.

Translation is always a treason, and as a Ming author observes, can at its best be only the reverse side of a brocade- all the threads are there, but not the subtlety of colour or design.

A master has always something to offer, while we go hungry solely because of our own lack of appreciation.

In the worship of Bacchus, we have sacrificed too freely; and we have even transfigured the gory image of Mars. Why not consecrate ourselves to the queen of the Camelias

Cómo se puede tomar al mundo en serio, siendo el mundo tan ridículo?

One altar forever is preserved, that whereon we burn incense to the supreme idol,--ourselves, our god is great, and money is his Prophet! We devastate nature in order to make sacrifice to him; we boast that we have conquered Matter and forget that it is matter that has forever enslaved us.

Nothing is real to us but hunger, nothing sacred except our own desires. Shrine after shrine has crumbled before our eyes; but one altar is forever preserved, that whereon we burn incense to the supreme idol, - ourselves. Our God is great, and money is his Prophet!

Tea with us became more than an idealization of the form of drinking; it is a religion of the art of life

Oameni nu sunt invatati sa fie virtuosi, ci sa se comporte cum trebuie. Suntem rai pentru ca suntem prea constienti de propriul sine. Nu iertam niciodata pentru ca stim ca si noi gresim. Ne facem probleme de constiinta tocmai pentru ca ne e frica sa spunem adevarul in fata altora; ne refugiem in mandrie pentru ca ne temem sa recunoastem adevarul in fata propriei constiinte. Cum ar putea cineva sa ia lumea in serios, cand lumea in sine este un lucru ridicol?!

Oamenii nu sunt invatati sa fie virtuosi, ci sa se comporte cum trebuie. Suntem rai pentru ca suntem prea constienti de propriul sine. Nu iertam niciodata pentru ca stim ca si noi gresim. Ne facem probleme de constiinta tocmai pentru ca ne e frica sa spunem adevarul in fata altora; ne refugiem in mandrie pentru ca ne temem sa recunoastem adevarul in fata propriei constiinte. Cum ar putea cineva sa ia lumea in serios, cand lumea in sine este un lucru ridicol?!

At birth he enters the realm of dreams only to awaken to reality at death.

A cluster of summer trees, A bit of the sea, A pale evening moon. It is not difficult to gather his meaning. He wished to create the attitude of a newly-awakened soul still lingering amid shadowy dreams of the past, yet bathing in the sweet unconsciousness of a mellow spiritual light, and yearning for the freedom that lay in the expanse beyond.

Uniformity of design was considered as fatal to the freshness of imagination.

He catches a glimpse of Infinity, but words cannot voice his delight, for the eye has no tongue.