Quotessence
Home / Books / Don't Be a Jerk: And Other Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan's Greatest Zen Master

Don't Be a Jerk: And Other Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan's Greatest Zen Master

Book by Brad Warner · 7 quotes · Zazen, Universe, Zen

Filter quotes by topic

AllZazenUniverseZenDogenIndividuals

Don't Be a Jerk: And Other Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan's Greatest Zen Master Quotes

“One funny thing about zazen is that, unlike most other forms of meditation, we keep our eyes open. This is a way of acknowledging the outside world as part of our practice and as a part of us. If we close our eyes and shut out the outside world, we get a little unbalanced. We can start to believe that what we are is limited to that which is enveloped in what Dōgen likes to call our “skin bag.” Or, conversely, the lack of visual input leads us deeper into the world of our own fantasies and abstractions. By opening our eyes, we are letting in that light that Dōgen says we should shine inward. So although we are shining our light inward, we also accept that there is no hard line that divides ourselves from the outside world, or the rest of the universe.”

Zazen
Book:Don't Be a Jerk: And Other Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan's Greatest Zen Master
Create image