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Quote by Dainin Katagiri

Work

Each Moment Is the Universe: Zen and the Way of Being Time

Each Moment Is the Universe: Zen and the Way of Being Time is a philosophical work that examines the Zen Buddhist perspective on time and existence. The book discusses the idea that each moment is an integral part of the universe, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness and living fully in the present. It offers insights into the practice of Zen and its implications for daily life, encouraging readers to embrace the interconnectedness of all things and to find peace and clarity through the practice of mindfulness. more

Author

Dainin Katagiri
Dainin Katagiri

Dainin Katagiri was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher and author, born in January 19, 1928, and passing away on March 1, 1990. His teachings focused on the significance of direct experience and mindfulness in everyday life. Katagiri was renowned for his clear and direct approach to Zen practice, which had a profound impact on students worldwide. more

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“I turn sentences around. That’s my life. I write a sentence and then I turn it around. Then I look at it and I turn it around again. Then I have lunch. Then I come back in and write another sentence. Then I have tea and turn the new sentence around. Then I read the two sentences over and turn them both around. Then I lie down on my sofa and think. Then I get up and throw them out and start from the beginning. And if I knock off from this routine for as long as a day, I’m frantic with boredom and a sense of waste.”

“To deny temporal succession, to deny the self, to deny the astronomical universe, are measures of apparent despair and of secret consolation. Our destiny (in contrast to Swedenborg's hell and the hell of Tibetan mythology) is not frightful because it is unreal; it is frightful because it is irreversible and ironbound. Time is the substance of which I am made. Time is a river which sweeps me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger which mangles me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire which consumes me, but I am the fire. The world, unfortunately, is real; I, unfortunately, am Borges.”