Dogen was a Japanese Zen master born in January 1200 and died on September 22, 1253. He was the founder of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism in Japan and had a profound influence on the development of Zen Buddhism. Dogen advocated 'Zen is life,' emphasizing the close connection between Zen practice and everyday life, and his thoughts had a wide impact on Japanese culture.
Related Quotes
“In autumn even though I may see it again, how can I sleep with the moon this evening?”
“When you paint Spring, do not paint willows, plums, peaches, or apricots - just paint Spring.”
“When other sects speak well of Zen, the first thing that they praise is its poverty.”
“People who truly follow the Way would do well to conceal the fact that they are Buddhists.”
“Just study Buddhism. Don't follow the sentiments of the world.”
“Emptiness is bound to bloom, like hundreds of grasses blossoming.”
“To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self.”
Source: Dogen's Genjo Koan: Three Commentaries
“Look for Buddha outside your own mind, and Buddha becomes the devil.”
“If you want to see things just as they are, then you yourself must practice just as you are.”
“Clearly I know, the mind is mountains, rivers, and the great earth; sun, moon, and stars.”
“When one first seeks the truth, one separates oneself from it.”
“Do not practice buddha-dharma with the thought that it is to benefit others.”
“Every man possesses the Buddha-nature. Do not demean yourselves.”