Quotes About Zen

Intimacy is at the heart of the teaching contained in this book. In the thirteenth century, Zen Master Eihei Dogen taught that enlightenment is just intimacy with all things.

When a scientist works in his laboratory, he does not smoke, he does not eat sweets, and does not listen to the radio. He abstains not because he thinks that these things are sins, but because he knows that they impede the perfect concentration of his mind on the object of his study. It is much the same in Zen Discipline : the observance of this discipline must help the practitioner to live in Awareness of Being; it does not lead to moral objectives.

Zen certainly derives from Buddhism, but a form of Buddhism that belongs to a geographical zone influenced by the Chinese culture. The Chinese Zen tree, transplanted in Japan, in Vietnam, and in Korea, has grown well and greatly. Zen Buddhism, in each of these countries, differs with certain nuances from that practiced in China. One can, however, easily recognize its identity.

Zen Wisdom cannot be obtained by the intellect: study, hypothesis, analysis, synthesis. The practitioner of Zen must use all of his entire being as an instrument of realization; the intellect is only one part of his being, and a part that often pulls him away from living reality, the very object of Zen.

Though Zen is a Chinese form of Buddhism, it reflects entirely the spirit and splendor of Indian Buddhism, from its inception to its full development. For this reason one can say that Zen brings us the authentic spirit of Buddhism.

Although different from Indian Buddhism from the standpoint of form and practice, in the end Zen seems to be more authentic than many other Buddhist schools. In particular, Zen emphasizes the necessity of practice aiming at enlightenment which is the very foundation of Buddhism.

Zen is none other than Buddhism.

Practice the non-practice practice.

It is through the close interaction of the laity and the monks that the essence of Zen penetrates social life.

Zen is a living tradition which can help to make sober, healthy, well-balanced, and stable people.

Without the qualities of solidity, freedom, peace, and joy, fine manners are not really fine manners. They are just a camouflage called false Zen (a false sign of meditation practice).

The development of Japanese economy has made Japan into a Western-like nation, in which many of the spiritual values have given place to materialism. The temples and monasteries must also participate in the present economic way of life and be based upon the present social needs of producing and consuming in order to exist. They can no longer play their role of spiritual leadership, as in the past. Zen is threatened on the very ground on which it was born and developed.

The West has begun to learn about Zen when it is already on the way to disintegration.

If Bodhidharma is the ideal man, it is because his image is that of a hero who has broken the chains of illusion that enclose man in the world of emotions. The hammer that is used to break these chains is the practice of Zen.

The essence of Zen is Awakening. This is why one does not talk about Zen, one experiences it .

A Zen Master uses concepts and words like everyone else; but he is neither conditioned nor captivated by these concepts and these words. The language of Zen always aims at destroying the habits of those who only know how to think by concepts. It tends to provoke crises, whose function it is to bring to fruition the precious moment of Awakening.

The Zen practitioner must . . . strive to liberate himself from his attachment to knowledge and to open the door of his being in order that truth might enter.

Zen Master Lin Chi once said: If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha. If you meet the Patriarch, kill the Patriarch. For the one who only has devotion, this declaration is terrible; it confuses him completely. But its effect depends on the mentality and capacity of the one who hears. If the man is strong, he truly will have the capacity to liberate himself from all authority, whatever it might be, and to accomplish in himself ultimate truth.

Kung-an [koans] were in vogue during the Tang Dynasty. Each Zen practitioner had a kung-an to work on. But before this period, Zen Masters did not need kung-an. The kung-an is, therefore, not something absolutely indispensable to the practice of Zen. It is, more or less, a skillful means created by Zen Masters in order to help people who work under their direction.

Whenever the heat's on, my whole life, I've just kind of learned to focus a little more.

O, ah! The awareness of emptiness brings forth a heart of compassion!

Los budistas suelen decir: «No hay que empujar el agua del río. Hagamos lo que hagamos, acabará fluyendo a su ritmo.»

Practice focused apathy.

The highest form of discipline is living in the moment.