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Dogen

Dogen Quotes

Philosopher

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.

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All Mind Ifs Practice Enlightenment Way Body Self Mountain World Study Water Buddhist All Things Grass Should Forget Mind And Body Moon Spirituality Dharma

Famous Dogen Quotes

“Learn the backward step that turns your light inward to illuminate your self. Body and mind of themselves will drop away, and your original face will be manifest.”

Mind Self Body Light Faces Turns Steps Originals Manifest Inward Mind And Body

Author:Dogen

“Students of the Way must not study Buddhism for the sake of themselves. They must study Buddhism only for the sake of Buddhism. The key to this is to renounce both body and mind without holding anything back and to offer them to the great sea of Buddhism.”

Way Mind Body Study Sea Students Buddhism Keys Offers Sake Mind And Body Renounce

Author:Dogen

“Look for Buddha outside your own mind, and Buddha becomes the devil.”

Mind Looks Devil

Author:Dogen

“In doing zazen it is desirable to have a quiet room. You should be temperate in eating and drinking, forsaking all delusive relationships. Setting everything aside, think of neither good nor evil, right nor wrong. Thus having stopped the various functions of your mind, five up even the idea of becoming a Buddha.”

Thinking Should Mind Ideas Evil Rooms Five Becoming Quiet Eating Function Drinking Various Setting Settings Desirable Eating And Drinking Quiet Room

Author:Dogen

“The one and only thing required is to free oneself from the bondage of mind and body alike, putting the Buddha's own seal upon yourself. If you do this as you sit in ecstatic meditation, the whole universe itself scattered through the infinity of space turns into enlightenment. This is what I mean by the Buddha's seal.”

Ifs Mind Mean Whole Body Turns Universe Space Meditation Enlightenment Oneself Infinity Bondage Mind And Body Seals Ecstatic

Author:Dogen

“Clearly I know, the mind is mountains, rivers, and the great earth; sun, moon, and stars.”

Knows Mind Earth Stars Sun Moon Mountain Rivers Moon And Stars Sun Moon Sun Moon And Stars

Author:Dogen

“When both body and mind are at peace, all things appear as they are: perfect, complete, lacking nothing.”

Mind Body Perfect All Things Lacking Mind And Body

Author:Dogen

“What you think in your own mind to be good, or what people of the world think is good, is not necessarily good.”

People Thinking World Mind Be Good

Author:Dogen

“Just as parents care for their children, you should bear in mind the whole universe.”

Should Mind Children Whole Care Universe Parent Bears Stewardship

Author:Dogen

“Since we are provided with both a body and a mind, we grasp onto the physical forms we see. Since we are provided with both a body and a mind, we cling to the sounds we hear. As a consequence, we make ourselves inseparable from all things, yet we are not like some shadowy figure 'lodging' in a mirror or like the moon in water. Whenever we witness what is on the one side, its opposite side will be in darkness.”

Mind Body Form Sound Sides Water Darkness Figures Moon Consequence All Things Opposites Mirrors Buddhist Witness Inseparable

Author:Dogen

“In a mind clear as still water, even the waves, breaking, are reflecting its light.”

Mind Stills Light Water Clear Wave Buddhist Reflecting Still Waters Waves Breaking

Author:Dogen

“If he cannot stop the mind that seeks after fame and profit, he will spend his life without finding peace.”

Ifs Mind Discipline Fame Findings Profit Self Discipline Finding Peace

Author:Dogen

“In the assemblies of the enlightened ones there have been many cases of mastering the Way bringing forth the heart of plants and trees; this is what awakening the mind for enlightenment is like. The fifth patriarch of Zen was once a pine-planting wayfarer; Rinzai worked on planting cedars and pines on Mount Obaku. . . . Working with plants, trees, fences and walls, if they practice sincerely they will attain enlightenment.”

Ifs Way Mind Heart Has Beens Spirituality Practice Cases Tree Wall Enlightenment Plant Awakening Enlightened Gardening Fence Fifth Sincerely Assembly Plant A Tree Cedars Plants And Trees Patriarch

Author:Dogen

“When you ride in a boat and watch the shore, you might assume that the shore is moving. But when you keep your eyes closely on the boat, you can see that the boat moves. Similarly, if you examine myriad things with a confused body and mind you might suppose that your mind and nature are permanent. But when you practice intimately and return to where you are, it will be clear that there is nothing that has unchanging self.”

Ifs Mind Self Might Eye Moving Watches Practice Clear Return Assuming Boat Permanent Confused Where You Are Shore Unchanging Confused Mind

Author:Dogen

“To study the buddha way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things. When actualized by myriad things, your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of realization remains, and this no trace continues endlessly.”

Way Mind Wells Self Body Forget Study Remains Your Body Realization Mind And Body

Author:Dogen

“No matter how bad a state of mind you may get into, if you keep strong and hold out, eventually the floating clouds must vanish and the withering wind must cease.”

Ifs Mind May Matter States Strong Wind Clouds Cease State Of Mind Floating Withering

Author:Dogen

“To escape from the world means that one's mind is not concerned with the opinions of the world.”

World Mind Mean Opinion Concerned

Author:Dogen

“To study the Way is to study the Self. To study the Self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things of the universe. To be enlightened by all things of the universe is to cast off the body and mind of the self as well as those of others. Even the traces of enlightenment are wiped out, and life with traceless enlightenment goes on forever and ever”

Way Mind Wells Self Body Universe Forget Forever Study Goes On Enlightenment All Things Casts Enlightened Mind And Body

Author:Dogen

“Do not arouse disdainful mind when you prepare a broth of wild grasses; do not arouse joyful mind when you prepare a fine cream soup.”

Mind Fine Grass Joyful Cream Soup

Author:Dogen

“Whenever learners or those beyond learning awaken the mind, for the first time they plant one buddha-nature. Working with the four elements and five clusters, if they practice sincerely they attain enlightenment. Working with plants, trees, fences and walls, if they practice sincerely they will attain enlightenment. This is because the four elements and five clusters and plants, trees, fences and walls are fellow students; because they are of the same essence, because they are the same mind and the same life, because they are the same body and the same mechanism.”

“Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. Your body and mind will become clear and you will realize the unity of all things.”

Mind Ideas Body Voice Realizing Clear All Things Unity Your Body Self Discovery Mind And Body

Author:Dogen

“If we look at the world with a deluded body and mind, we will think that our self is permanent. But if we practice correctly and return to our true self, we will realize that nothing is permanent”

Ifs Thinking World Mind Looks Self Body Realizing Practice Return Permanent True Self Mind And Body Deluded

Author:Dogen

“You should stop searching for phrases and chasing after words. Take the backward step and turn the light inward. Your body-mind of itself will drop off and your original face will appear. If you want to attain just this, immediately practice just this.”

Ifs Want Should Mind Body Light Faces Turns Steps Practice Originals Your Body Phrases Inward Chasing

Book:Beyond Thinking: A Guide to Zen Meditation

Source: Beyond Thinking: A Guide to Zen Meditation

“If we seek the Buddha outside the mind, the Buddha changes into a devil.”

Ifs Mind Awareness Devil

Author:Dogen

“Life and death are nothing but the mind. Years, months, days, and hours are nothing but the mind. Dreams, illusions, and mirages are nothing but the mind. The bubbles of water and the flames of fire are nothing but the mind. The flowers of the spring and the moon of the autumn are nothing but the mind. Confusions and dangers are nothing but the mind.”

Years Mind Dream Reality Water Hours Fire Danger Flower Months Moon Spring Illusion Confusion Flames Life And Death Autumn Bubbles Mirages

Author:Dogen

“Studying the Buddha way is studying oneself. Studying oneself is forgetting oneself. Forgetting oneself is being enlightened by all things. Being enlightened by all things is to shed the body-mind of oneself, and those of others. No trace of enlightenment remains, and this traceless enlightenment continues endlessly.”

Way Mind Self Body Forget Study Enlightenment All Things Remains Oneself Enlightened Shed

Author:Dogen

About the Author

Born: January 19, 1200
Died: September 22, 1253
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 140

Related Topics

Mind Ifs Practice Enlightenment Way Body Self Mountain World Study Water Buddhist All Things Grass Should Forget Mind And Body Moon Spirituality Dharma

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Beyond Thinking: A Guide to Zen MeditationRelated source material

Dogen's Genjo Koan: Three CommentariesRelated source material

How to Cook Your Life: From the Zen Kitchen to EnlightenmentRelated source material

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