Zen Master Quotes

• Children are natural Zen masters; their world is brand new in each and every moment.

  John Bradshaw

  Relationship, Children, Reality

  John Bradshaw (2013). “Homecoming: Reclaiming and Healing Your Inner Child”, p.55, Bantam

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• If you want to travel the Way of Buddhas and Zen masters, then expect nothing, seek nothing, and grasp nothing.

  Dogen

  Want, Way, Expect Nothing

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• The Zen master walks in his garden, alone. There is no traffic there. There is no shopping there. There are only the flowers.

  Frederick Lenz

  Flower, Garden, Shopping

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• I have lived with several Zen masters -- all of them cats.

  Eckhart Tolle

  Spiritual, Cat, Meditation

  Eckhart Tolle (2010). “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment”, p.190, New World Library

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• A zen master's life is one continuous mistake.

  Dogen

  Mistake, Life Is, Masters

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• In deep self acceptance, grows a compassionate understanding.

  Jack Kornfield

  Acceptance, Self, Understanding

  Jack Kornfield (2012). “Bringing Home the Dharma: Awakening Right Where You Are”, p.136, Shambhala Publications

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• How many Zen masters does it take to screw in a light bulb? The plum tree in the garden!

  Brad Warner

  Garden, Light, Tree

  Brad Warner (2015). “Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality”, p.206, Simon and Schuster

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• In Zen we have no gurus.

  Frederick Lenz

  Guru, Masters

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• There is really only one Zen Master ... and that's yourself.

  Frederick Lenz

  Masters

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• Zen is not a religion. There is no room for a cult. There is no dependence on a teacher. There is only learning how to use your own mind and making it strong.

  Frederick Lenz

  Teacher, Strong, Mind

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• Sitting quietly, doing nothing, Spring comes, and the grass grows, by itself.

  Matsuo Basho

  Inspirational, Positive, Spring

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• The Zen masters have the right idea-no pain no gain: thwack a silly nebbish and he'll remember it far longer and more indelibly than any words you muster at him. Not absolutely everything can or should have to be explained, and particularly not to everybody. But a concussion is a value-judgment anyone gets the point of.

  Kenny Smith

  Pain, Memories, Philosophy

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• Someone once inquired of a Far Eastern Zen master, who had a great serenity and peace about him no matter what pressures he faced, "How do you maintain that serenity and peace?" He replied, "I never leave my place of meditation." He meditated early in the morning and for the rest of the day, he carried the peace of those moments with him in his mind and heart.

  Stephen Covey

  Morning, Heart, Meditation

  Stephen R. Covey (2015). “The Stephen R. Covey Interactive Reader - 4 Books in 1: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, First Things First, and the Best of the Most Renowned Leadership Teacher of our Time”, p.419, Mango Media Inc.

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• Before I had studied Zen for thirty years,
  I saw mountains as mountains,
  and waters as waters.
  When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains,
  and waters are not waters.
  But now that I have got its very substance
  I am at rest.
  For it's just that
  I see mountains once again as mountains,
  and waters once again as waters.

  Li Ching-Yuen

  Knowledge, Years, Water

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• I vow to live fully in each moment.

  Nhat Hanh

  Good Morning, Good Day, Morning Inspirational

  Thich Nhat Hanh (2008). “Present Moment Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living: Easyread Large Bold Edition”, p.4, ReadHowYouWant.com

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• As the Japanese Zen masters say, “Don't seek the truth; just drop your opinions”. Drop your theories; don't seek the truth.

  Anthony de Mello

  Opinion, Masters, Theory

  Anthony De Mello (2011). “Awareness: Conversations with the Masters”, p.73, Image

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• Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.

  Nhat Hanh

  Anchors, Walking Meditation, Sky

  Twitter post from Jan 05, 2016

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• Zen masters say you cannot see your reflection in running water, only in still water.

  Elizabeth Gilbert

  Running, Reflection, Water

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• The story of the Zen Master whose only response was always "Is that so?" shows the good that comes through inner nonresistance to events, that is to say, being at one with what happens. The story of the man whose comment was invariably a laconic "Maybe" illustrates the wisdom of nonjudgment, and the story of the ring points to the fact of impermanence which, when recognized, leads to nonattachment. Nonresistance, nonjudgement, and nonattachment are the three aspects of true freedom and enlightened living.

  Eckhart Tolle

  Spiritual, Men, Facts

  Eckhart Tolle (2009). “A New Earth: Create a Better Life”, p.160, Penguin UK

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• It’s interesting to look at your children as line-in Zen masters who can put their finger on places where you’re resistant, or thinking narrowly, in ways noone else can. You can either lose your mind and your authenticity in the process of reacting to all that stuff, or you can use it as the perfect opportunity to grow and nourish your children by attending to what is deepest and best in them and in yourself.

  Jon Kabat-Zinn

  Children, Opportunity, Thinking

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• Zen Master Dogen has pointed out that anxiety, when accepted, is the driving force to enlightenment in that it lays bare the human dilemma at the same time that it ignites our desire to break out of it.

  Philip Kapleau

  Anxiety, Desire, Enlightenment

  Philip Kapleau (1997). “Awakening to Zen: The Teachings of Roshi Philip Kapleau”, Scribner Book Company

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• I was talking to a Zen master the other day and he said, "You shall be my disciple."I looked at him and said, "Who was Buddha's teacher?" He looked at me in a very odd way for a moment and then he burst into laughter and handed me a piece of clover.

  Alan Watts

  Spiritual, Teacher, Laughter

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• Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.

  Nhat Hanh

  Life, Buddhist, Morning

  FaceBook post by Thich Nhat Hanh from Dec 18, 2015

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• Fish sense, applied in the field, is what the old Zen masters would call enlightenment: simply the ability to see what's right there in front of you without having to sift through a lot of thoughts and theories and, yes, expensive fishing tackle.

  John Gierach

  Lakes, Sea, Fishing

  John Gierach (2013). “Trout Bum”, p.24, Graphic Arts Books

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• The samurais were very interested in Zen because they admired the tremendous precision that the Zen Masters had, their lack of fear and pain and their absolute lack of fear of death.

  Frederick Lenz

  Pain, Health, Buddhism

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