@zenwords.bsky.social
Quotes from Zen masters (and from a sleepy sloth)
"If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything.
In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few."
Shunryu Suzuki - "Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind"
In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few."
Shunryu Suzuki - "Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind"
March 19, 2025 at 6:35 PM
"If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything.
In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few."
Shunryu Suzuki - "Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind"
In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind there are few."
Shunryu Suzuki - "Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind"
In learning - every day something is added.
In Tao - every day something is dropped.
In Tao - every day something is dropped.
March 16, 2025 at 4:45 PM
In learning - every day something is added.
In Tao - every day something is dropped.
In Tao - every day something is dropped.
Why does our little self - our ego - analyse itself?
To be wiser?
Is it the ego that's wise?
To be wiser?
Is it the ego that's wise?
February 7, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Why does our little self - our ego - analyse itself?
To be wiser?
Is it the ego that's wise?
To be wiser?
Is it the ego that's wise?
not
dark
yet
firefly
J. S. O'Connor
dark
yet
firefly
J. S. O'Connor
January 25, 2025 at 11:22 PM
not
dark
yet
firefly
J. S. O'Connor
dark
yet
firefly
J. S. O'Connor
The philosopher/writer Albert Camus seems to be right when he says:
"To think is first of all to create a world (or to limit one’s own world, which comes to the same thing)."
A. Camus – "The Myth of Sisyphus"
"To think is first of all to create a world (or to limit one’s own world, which comes to the same thing)."
A. Camus – "The Myth of Sisyphus"
December 23, 2024 at 8:30 AM
The philosopher/writer Albert Camus seems to be right when he says:
"To think is first of all to create a world (or to limit one’s own world, which comes to the same thing)."
A. Camus – "The Myth of Sisyphus"
"To think is first of all to create a world (or to limit one’s own world, which comes to the same thing)."
A. Camus – "The Myth of Sisyphus"
"Such awareness is a lively attention to one’s direct experience,
to the world as immediately sensed,
so as not to be misled by names and labels."
Alan Watts - "The Way of Zen" 😃
to the world as immediately sensed,
so as not to be misled by names and labels."
Alan Watts - "The Way of Zen" 😃
December 11, 2024 at 4:25 PM
"Such awareness is a lively attention to one’s direct experience,
to the world as immediately sensed,
so as not to be misled by names and labels."
Alan Watts - "The Way of Zen" 😃
to the world as immediately sensed,
so as not to be misled by names and labels."
Alan Watts - "The Way of Zen" 😃
Our little mind can’t examine our little mind.
Our mind uses thoughts and feelings to create an ego.
The ego builds a fantasy-reality to feel safe and satisfied.
Let's smile with compassion at our little mind and ego.
To love is spontaneously being without the ego's and thought's calculations.
Our mind uses thoughts and feelings to create an ego.
The ego builds a fantasy-reality to feel safe and satisfied.
Let's smile with compassion at our little mind and ego.
To love is spontaneously being without the ego's and thought's calculations.
December 10, 2024 at 6:15 PM
Our little mind can’t examine our little mind.
Our mind uses thoughts and feelings to create an ego.
The ego builds a fantasy-reality to feel safe and satisfied.
Let's smile with compassion at our little mind and ego.
To love is spontaneously being without the ego's and thought's calculations.
Our mind uses thoughts and feelings to create an ego.
The ego builds a fantasy-reality to feel safe and satisfied.
Let's smile with compassion at our little mind and ego.
To love is spontaneously being without the ego's and thought's calculations.
Love cannot be enforced or mastered,
so it seems that love and freedom
are words for essentially the same thing.
so it seems that love and freedom
are words for essentially the same thing.
December 2, 2024 at 6:35 PM
Love cannot be enforced or mastered,
so it seems that love and freedom
are words for essentially the same thing.
so it seems that love and freedom
are words for essentially the same thing.
"You must be true to your own way until at last you actually come to the point
where you see it is necessary to forget all about yourself."
Shunryu Suzuki - "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind"
where you see it is necessary to forget all about yourself."
Shunryu Suzuki - "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind"
December 1, 2024 at 5:39 PM
"You must be true to your own way until at last you actually come to the point
where you see it is necessary to forget all about yourself."
Shunryu Suzuki - "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind"
where you see it is necessary to forget all about yourself."
Shunryu Suzuki - "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind"
"A monk sips morning tea,
it's quiet,
the chrysanthemum's flowering."
Basho
it's quiet,
the chrysanthemum's flowering."
Basho
November 28, 2024 at 4:42 PM
"A monk sips morning tea,
it's quiet,
the chrysanthemum's flowering."
Basho
it's quiet,
the chrysanthemum's flowering."
Basho
"The barking of a dog
is a very good teacher,
better than Zen masters."
Seung Sahn - "Wanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake"
is a very good teacher,
better than Zen masters."
Seung Sahn - "Wanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake"
November 27, 2024 at 5:32 PM
"The barking of a dog
is a very good teacher,
better than Zen masters."
Seung Sahn - "Wanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake"
is a very good teacher,
better than Zen masters."
Seung Sahn - "Wanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake"
"At dusk
Come to my hut—
The crickets will
Serenade you, and I will
Introduce you to the moonlit woods."
Ryōkan
Come to my hut—
The crickets will
Serenade you, and I will
Introduce you to the moonlit woods."
Ryōkan
November 25, 2024 at 5:40 PM
"At dusk
Come to my hut—
The crickets will
Serenade you, and I will
Introduce you to the moonlit woods."
Ryōkan
Come to my hut—
The crickets will
Serenade you, and I will
Introduce you to the moonlit woods."
Ryōkan
"Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded.
It’s a relationship between equals.
Only when we know our own darkness well
can we be present with the darkness of others."
Pema Chödrön - "The Places That Scare You"
It’s a relationship between equals.
Only when we know our own darkness well
can we be present with the darkness of others."
Pema Chödrön - "The Places That Scare You"
November 25, 2024 at 4:25 PM
"Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded.
It’s a relationship between equals.
Only when we know our own darkness well
can we be present with the darkness of others."
Pema Chödrön - "The Places That Scare You"
It’s a relationship between equals.
Only when we know our own darkness well
can we be present with the darkness of others."
Pema Chödrön - "The Places That Scare You"
And of course the guru is also thinking and judging🙂
November 24, 2024 at 4:43 PM
And of course the guru is also thinking and judging🙂
"There are two ways to wash the dishes.
The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes
and the second is to wash the dishes in order
to wash the dishes.”
T. Nhat Hanh - "The Miracle of Mindfulness"
The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes
and the second is to wash the dishes in order
to wash the dishes.”
T. Nhat Hanh - "The Miracle of Mindfulness"
November 24, 2024 at 3:45 PM
"There are two ways to wash the dishes.
The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes
and the second is to wash the dishes in order
to wash the dishes.”
T. Nhat Hanh - "The Miracle of Mindfulness"
The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes
and the second is to wash the dishes in order
to wash the dishes.”
T. Nhat Hanh - "The Miracle of Mindfulness"
"Nibbãna is here and now.
It’s not an attainment in the future.
The reality is here and now.
It is so very simple..."
A. Pasanno / A. Amaro - "The Island"
It’s not an attainment in the future.
The reality is here and now.
It is so very simple..."
A. Pasanno / A. Amaro - "The Island"
November 23, 2024 at 5:52 PM
"Nibbãna is here and now.
It’s not an attainment in the future.
The reality is here and now.
It is so very simple..."
A. Pasanno / A. Amaro - "The Island"
It’s not an attainment in the future.
The reality is here and now.
It is so very simple..."
A. Pasanno / A. Amaro - "The Island"
"If someone should ask me what this is all about,
Smiling, I’d point to the pure breeze and bright
moon."
Zhenru - (Beata Grant. "Daughters of Emptiness: Poems of Chinese Buddhist Nuns")
Smiling, I’d point to the pure breeze and bright
moon."
Zhenru - (Beata Grant. "Daughters of Emptiness: Poems of Chinese Buddhist Nuns")
November 22, 2024 at 4:43 PM
"If someone should ask me what this is all about,
Smiling, I’d point to the pure breeze and bright
moon."
Zhenru - (Beata Grant. "Daughters of Emptiness: Poems of Chinese Buddhist Nuns")
Smiling, I’d point to the pure breeze and bright
moon."
Zhenru - (Beata Grant. "Daughters of Emptiness: Poems of Chinese Buddhist Nuns")
"The object of meditation isn’t to change ourselves,
to throw out the old and bring in the new.
It’s about making friends with ourselves,
meeting each and every part of our lives
with curiosity and compassion."
Frank Ostaseski - "The Five Invitations"
to throw out the old and bring in the new.
It’s about making friends with ourselves,
meeting each and every part of our lives
with curiosity and compassion."
Frank Ostaseski - "The Five Invitations"
November 21, 2024 at 6:32 PM
"The object of meditation isn’t to change ourselves,
to throw out the old and bring in the new.
It’s about making friends with ourselves,
meeting each and every part of our lives
with curiosity and compassion."
Frank Ostaseski - "The Five Invitations"
to throw out the old and bring in the new.
It’s about making friends with ourselves,
meeting each and every part of our lives
with curiosity and compassion."
Frank Ostaseski - "The Five Invitations"
Being too ambitious is an aggression towards ourselves and other people.
When we're thinking about big "future" goals, our mind is trying to escape from the present moment.
It’s futile and often creates conflicts and hostility.
Just love what you're doing
now.
See what happens...
When we're thinking about big "future" goals, our mind is trying to escape from the present moment.
It’s futile and often creates conflicts and hostility.
Just love what you're doing
now.
See what happens...
November 21, 2024 at 11:22 AM
Being too ambitious is an aggression towards ourselves and other people.
When we're thinking about big "future" goals, our mind is trying to escape from the present moment.
It’s futile and often creates conflicts and hostility.
Just love what you're doing
now.
See what happens...
When we're thinking about big "future" goals, our mind is trying to escape from the present moment.
It’s futile and often creates conflicts and hostility.
Just love what you're doing
now.
See what happens...
snow falls on snow
silence
Santōka
silence
Santōka
November 21, 2024 at 10:55 AM
snow falls on snow
silence
Santōka
silence
Santōka
"So they were called 'Sages who, abandoning learning, have come to rest in spontaneity'."
Huang Po - "The Zen Teaching of Huang Po on the Transmission of Mind" (translator John Blofeld)
Huang Po - "The Zen Teaching of Huang Po on the Transmission of Mind" (translator John Blofeld)
November 21, 2024 at 10:53 AM
"So they were called 'Sages who, abandoning learning, have come to rest in spontaneity'."
Huang Po - "The Zen Teaching of Huang Po on the Transmission of Mind" (translator John Blofeld)
Huang Po - "The Zen Teaching of Huang Po on the Transmission of Mind" (translator John Blofeld)