Takuan Soho Quotes

• Preoccupied with a single leaf, you won't see the tree.
  Preoccupied with a single tree, you'll miss the entire forest.

  Takuan Soho

  Tree, Missing, Forests

  76 Copy quote

• It is the very mind itself that leads the mind astray - of the mind, do not be mindless

  Takuan Soho

  Mind, Samurai, Mindless

  Takuan Sōhō (1986). “The unfettered mind: writings of the Zen master to the sword master”, Kodansha Amer Inc

  55 Copy quote

• Sever the edge between before and after.

  Takuan Soho

  Before And After, Edges

  Takuan Sōhō (1986). “The unfettered mind: writings of the Zen master to the sword master”, Kodansha Amer Inc

  46 Copy quote

• One is not likely to achieve understanding from the explanation of another.

  Takuan Soho

  Achievement, Understanding, Achieve

  Takuan Sōhō (1986). “The unfettered mind: writings of the Zen master to the sword master”, Kodansha Amer Inc

  58 Copy quote

• When one practices discipline and moves from the beginner's territory to immovable wisdom, one makes a return and falls back to the level of the beginner.

  Takuan Soho

  Moving, Fall, Practice

  Takuan Sōhō (1986). “The unfettered mind: writings of the Zen master to the sword master”, Kodansha Amer Inc

  51 Copy quote

• Consider the core of the mind to be a wagon, with willpower to be carried about in it. Push it to a place where there can be failure, and there will be failure. Push it to a place where there can be success, and there will be success. But whether there is success or failure, if one entrusts himself to the straightness of this wagon of the core of the mind, he will attain right-mindedness in either case. Severing oneself from desire and being like a rock or tree, nothing will ever be achieved. Not departing from desire, but realizing a desireless right-mindedness - "this is the Way".

  Takuan Soho

  Failure, Rocks, Tree

  "The Unfettered Mind: Writings from a Zen Master to a Master Swordsman".

  50 Copy quote

• When a person does not think, "Where shall I put it?" the mind will extend throughout the entire body and move to any place at all. . . . The effort not to stop the mind in just one place - this is discipline. Not stopping the mind is object and essence. Put it nowhere and it will be everywhere. Even in moving the mind outside the body, if it is sent in one direction, it will be lacking in nine others. If the mind is not restricted to just one direction, it will be in all ten.

  Takuan Soho

  Moving, Thinking, One Direction

  53 Copy quote

• Zen is to have the heart and soul of a little child.

  Takuan Soho

  Children, Heart, Soul

  39 Copy quote

• Presumably, as a Martial artist, I do not fight for gain or loss, am not concerned with strength or weakness, and neither advance a step nor retreat a step. The enemy does not see me. I do not see the enemy. Penetrating to a place where heaven and earth have not yet divided, where yin and yang have not yet arrived, I quickly and necessarily gain effect.

  Takuan Soho

  Fighting, Loss, Artist

  Takuan Sōhō (1986). “The unfettered mind: writings of the Zen master to the sword master”, Kodansha Amer Inc

  63 Copy quote

• When this No-Mind has been well developed, the mind does not stop with one thing nor does it lack any one thing. It appears appropriately when facing a time of need.

  Takuan Soho

  Time, Mind, Doe

  Takuan Sōhō (1986). “The unfettered mind: writings of the Zen master to the sword master”, Kodansha Amer Inc

  40 Copy quote

• One does not divine this by impressions or knowledge. What this means is that no matter how much you try to figure or calculate by means of impressions or knowledge, it will not prove the least bit useful. Therefore, separate yourself from the discrimination of figuring things out.

  Takuan Soho

  Mean, Trying, Doe

  Takuan Sōhō (1986). “The unfettered mind: writings of the Zen master to the sword master”, Kodansha Amer Inc

  19 Copy quote

• The Buddha and all sentient beings are not two.

  Takuan Soho

  Two, Sentient Beings

  Takuan Sōhō (1986). “The unfettered mind: writings of the Zen master to the sword master”, Kodansha Amer Inc

  13 Copy quote

• Shonin: I have composed a poem. Kokushi: Let's hear it. Shonin: When I chant, Both Buddha and self Cease to exist. There is only the voice that says, Namu Amida Butsu. Kokushi: Something's wrong with the last couple of lines, don't you think? (after a lapse of time) Shonin: This is how I've written it: When I chant, Both Buddha and self Cease to exist. Namu Amida Butsu. Kokushi: There! You got it!

  Takuan Soho

  Time, Couple, Thinking

  19 Copy quote

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