The Mind's Mirror
One verse a day. Insights that crossed 2,500 years, reflecting today's self.
A Clear Mind, a Following Shadow
🪞 All Verses
Mind Precedes All
Mind precedes all things; mind is their chief, they are all mind-made.
A Clear Mind, a Following Shadow
If one speaks or acts with a clear mind, happiness follows — like a shadow that never leaves.
For Those Who Cling, Resentment Never Ends
"He abused me, struck me, defeated me, robbed me." For those who hold this thought, resentment never ends.
Hatred Is Never Quenched by Hatred
In this world, hatred is never quenched by hatred. It is quenched only by non-hatred. This is an eternal law.
Vigilance Is the Path to the Deathless
Vigilance is the path to the deathless; heedlessness is the path to death. The vigilant do not die; the heedless are as if already dead.
The Wise Delight in Awareness
Knowing this, the wise extol vigilance; they delight in awareness, at home in the realm of the noble.
The Wise Straighten the Mind
The mind quivers and flits, hard to guard, hard to restrain. The wise make it straight, as a fletcher straightens an arrow.
A Mind That Flutters Like a Fish on Dry Land
Like a fish pulled from water and cast on dry land, the mind thrashes. When we are not swept along by that thrashing, we are freed from being swept.
The Fool Who Knows His Folly
A fool who knows his folly is, in that, wise. But a fool who thinks himself wise — he is the true fool.
Treasure the One Who Shows Your Faults
Regard one who points out your faults as one who reveals hidden treasure. Keep close to such a wise person.
One Line That Brings Peace
Better than a thousand meaningless verses is one line that, heard, brings peace.
Oneself Is One's Own Master
Oneself is one's own master; who else could be? When one masters oneself well, one gains a master hard to find.
Purify Your Own Mind
Do no evil, cultivate good, purify your own mind — this is what the awakened ones taught.
Walk Alone Like a Rhinoceros Horn
Like a lion unstartled by sounds, like the wind uncaught in a net, like a lotus unstained by mud — walk alone, like a rhinoceros horn.
As a Mother Guards Her Only Child
As a mother would guard her only child with her life, cultivate a boundless warm heart toward all living things.
In All Directions, Without Bound
Above, below, across — cultivate a boundless heart of kindness toward the whole world, unobstructed, without resentment, without enmity.
The Truest Treasure Is Not Far
Whatever treasure exists in this world or beyond, none compares to the state of one whose mind is fully awake.
Neither Strike Nor Strike Back
Do not strike one who cultivates peace; nor should he strike back in anger. Shame on the one who strikes, and shame on the one who retaliates.
All Forms Are Fleeting
All forms we take to be real are fleeting. If you can see that a form is not a fixed substance, then you see the truth.
Dwell Nowhere, Let the Mind Arise
Let the mind arise without dwelling anywhere. The mind blooms where it clings to nothing.
Like a Dream, a Bubble, a Shadow
All conditioned things are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow — like dew, like lightning. Thus should you see them.
The Mind Cannot Be Grasped
The past mind cannot be grasped, the present mind cannot be grasped, the future mind cannot be grasped. The mind dwells nowhere.
Form and Emptiness Are One
Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form is not other than emptiness, nor emptiness other than form. Being and non-being are not two.
Nothing to Attain, Nothing to Fear
No wisdom to gain, nothing to attain. Because there is nothing to attain, the mind is unobstructed. Unobstructed, it knows no fear.
Gone, Gone Beyond
Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone wholly beyond — awakening, so be it.
Originally, Not a Single Thing
Awakening is no tree; the clear mirror has no stand. Originally there is not a single thing — where could dust ever cling?
The Fool Speaks, the Wise Act
The deluded speak with the mouth; the wise act with the heart.
The Original Self Is Pure
Who knew the original self is pure by itself? Who knew it neither arises nor ceases, yet can give rise to all things?
All Things Flow
All things change — this is the law of arising and passing. Where arising and passing come to rest, that stillness is true joy.
Be a Lamp Unto Yourself
Be a lamp unto yourself; rely on yourself. Be a lamp by the truth; rely on the truth. Do not lean on anything else.
In Knowing "We All Die," Quarrels Cease
People forget that we all must perish here. For those who clearly know it, all quarrels cease.
As Wind Cannot Shake a Rock
One who lives well-guarded at the senses is not overthrown by temptation — as wind cannot shake a rock.
Only One Who Casts Off the Stain
One who has cast off the stain, steadied in conduct, settled in self-mastery and truth — only such a one deserves the robe.
Build an Island No Flood Can Drown
By effort, vigilance, restraint, and self-mastery, let the wise build an island no flood can overwhelm.
Awake Among the Sleeping
Vigilant among the heedless, wide awake among the sleeping, the wise advance like a swift horse outpacing a weak one.
Guard the Mind Like a Fortress
Knowing this body to be fragile as a clay pot, make the mind firm as a fortress, and meet temptation with the weapon of wisdom.
No Foe Harms More Than an Ill-Set Mind
Whatever harm a foe may do to a foe, an ill-directed mind does worse to oneself.
As a Bee Takes Only the Nectar
As a bee gathers nectar and departs without harming the flower's color or scent, so let the wise move through the world.
Look Not at Others' Faults but Your Own Undone
Look not at others' faults, nor at what others have done or left undone; look only at what you yourself have done and left undone.
The Fragrance of Virtue Travels Against the Wind
The scent of flowers cannot go against the wind, but the fragrance of the good travels against it, spreading in every direction.
Long Is the Night to the Sleepless
Long is the night to the wakeful; long the mile to the weary. Long is the wandering of life to those who do not know the way.
The Spoon Does Not Taste the Soup
As a spoon never tastes the soup though it sits in it for life, so a fool, though long beside the wise, never knows the truth.
The Unripe Deed Tastes Sweet Until It Ripens
While the wrong has not yet ripened, the fool thinks it sweet as honey. But when it ripens, then he tastes the bitterness.
A Rock Unmoved by Praise and Blame
As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not moved by blame or praise.
Engineers Guide Water; the Wise Shape Themselves
Irrigators guide water, fletchers straighten arrows, carpenters shape wood — the good shape themselves.
No Fever in One Who Has Arrived
For one whose journey is done, free of sorrow, released from every bond, no fever of the heart remains.
A Mind That Resents Nothing, Like the Earth
Like the earth that resents nothing, like a firm gatepost, like a clear pool free of mud — such a one is freed from wandering.
Conquer Yourself, Not a Thousand Foes
Though one conquer a thousand times a thousand in battle, the one who conquers oneself is the greatest victor.
One Awake Day Outweighs a Hundred Years
Better one day lived seeing the highest truth than a hundred years lived without seeing it.
Hasten Toward the Good
Hasten to do good and hold the mind back from evil; for if one is slow to do good, the mind delights in evil.
Drop by Drop the Jar Is Filled
Do not make light of a small wrong, thinking "it won't come to me." As a water jar fills drop by drop, so the small accumulates.
All Tremble at the Rod
All tremble at the rod, all fear death. Measuring others by yourself, neither kill nor cause to kill.
Be Like a Broken Gong
If, like a broken gong, you make no sound when struck, you have reached stillness; there is no quarrel in you.
This Body, a Nest That Will Fall
This body grows old, a nest of illness, and breaks apart. Life ends in death.
The Housebuilder Is Found Out
O housebuilder, you are seen! You shall not build this house again. All your rafters are broken, the ridgepole shattered.
Keep Watch Over Yourself in Every Season
If you hold yourself dear, guard yourself well-guarded; in at least one of life's watches, let the wise stay awake and tend to themselves.
Set Yourself Right First
Do to yourself as you would teach others; one well-tamed may tame others. Hard indeed is the taming of oneself.
Like the Moon Freed from Clouds
One who was once heedless but later grows heedful lights up this world, like the moon freed from clouds.
Live Without Hatred Among the Hostile
Happily indeed we live, without hatred among the hateful; among hostile people, we dwell without hostility.
Health the Greatest Gain, Contentment the Greatest Wealth
Health is the greatest gain, contentment the greatest wealth, a trusted friend the greatest kin, and peace of mind the greatest happiness.
From the Beloved Springs Grief
From the beloved springs grief, from the beloved springs fear. For one freed from clinging, there is no grief — whence then fear?
Give Up Anger, Give Up Pride
Give up anger, abandon pride, transcend every fetter. Suffering does not follow one who clings to nothing.
Conquer Anger with Calm
Conquer anger with calm, evil with good, meanness with giving, and falsehood with truth.
Guard the Anger of the Tongue
Guard against anger of speech; be restrained in word. Give up wrong speech, and walk in right speech.
No Fire Like Passion, No Snare Like Greed
There is no fire like passion, no grip like hatred, no net like delusion, no river like craving.
Not Gray Hair but Truth Makes an Elder
One does not become an elder merely by a gray head. Ripe in years but empty within — such a one is called "grown old in vain."
The Path Can Be Shown, Not Walked for You
The effort is yours to make; the teachers only point the way. Those who walk it free themselves from bondage.
When You See That All Flows
When one sees with wisdom that "all conditioned things are impermanent," one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purity.
Give Up a Small Joy for a Greater One
If by giving up a small pleasure one sees a greater happiness, the wise let go of the small, looking toward the great.
Endure Like an Elephant in Battle
As an elephant in battle endures the arrows flying from all sides, so will I bear harsh words; for many in the world speak ill.
Better Alone Than with a Fool
Better to walk alone than with a fool. Like an elephant in the forest, want little, walk alone, and do no wrong.
A Friend in Time of Need Is Joy
A friend in time of need is a joy; contentment with what one has is a joy; and at life's end, the good one has done is a joy.
Craving Grows Like a Creeping Vine
In one who lives heedlessly, craving grows rampant like a vine; he leaps from branch to branch, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.
Cut Down the Forest, Not Just a Tree
Cut down the forest, not just one tree; from the forest fear is born. Clear both the forest of craving and its underbrush.
Guard the Six Gates of the Senses
Good is restraint of the eye, good of the ear, good of the nose, good of the tongue.
Bail Out the Boat, and It Sails Light
Bail out the water from this boat; emptied, it will move lightly. Cut away craving and anger, and you draw nearer to peace.
Not Birth but Conduct Makes the Noble
Not by matted hair, by clan, or by birth does one become noble. One in whom there is truth and right — that one is pure and noble.
Patience Is the Highest Discipline
One who, without anger, endures abuse, blows, and bonds — whose strength of patience is like an army — that one I call noble.
Who Masters the Far-Wandering Mind
The mind wanders far, alone, formless, dwelling in the cave of the heart. Those who restrain it are freed from bondage.
"My Sons, My Wealth" — Source of Worry
"I have sons, I have wealth" — so the fool torments himself. Yet even oneself is not truly one's own; how then sons, how then wealth?
The Wise Seek No Success by Wrong Means
Neither for oneself nor for another would the wise seek son, wealth, or power by wrong means. Not desiring one's own success unjustly — such a one is virtuous and wise.
Rare It Is to Be Born and to Live
Hard it is to be born human, hard to live this mortal life; hard to hear the true teaching, hard to meet an awakened one.
Victory Breeds Enmity
Victory breeds enmity; the defeated lie in pain. The peaceful, having set down both victory and defeat, sleep at ease.
As a Smith Removes the Dross, Bit by Bit
As a smith removes the dross from silver, little by little, moment by moment, the wise clear away their own impurities.
Much Talk Does Not Make One Wise
Not by much talking does one become wise. The serene, the free of hatred, the fearless — such a one is called wise.
Seeing the Face of Suffering Opens the Way
When one sees with wisdom that "all conditioned things carry suffering," one turns away from being swept by it. This is the path to purity.
Like Water on a Lotus Leaf
One who subdues anger as it rises, as medicine quells the spreading venom of a snake, sheds this shore and the far shore — as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
No Fire Hotter Than Craving
As ripe fruit ever risks its early fall, so all that is born lives in the shadow of its passing. So first pull out the dart of clinging.
Do Not Take the Second Dart
No grieving, no lamenting brings the dead back to life. That sorrow does not help the one who left; it only harms the one who stays.
As a Bee Takes Only Nectar
As a bee gathers nectar and flies off without harming the flower's color or scent, so the wise move through the world without doing it harm.
Not Birth but Deed Makes the Person
Not by birth is one an outcast, not by birth a noble. By deed one becomes an outcast; by deed one becomes noble.
The Highest Blessing Is Right Living
Those who live thus are undefeated everywhere, and everywhere come to safety. This is their highest blessing.
Caring for Parents Is a Blessing
To tend mother and father, to care for family, to work without entanglement — this is the highest blessing.
A Mind Unshaken by the World's Winds
When touched by the world's winds, the mind does not waver — sorrowless, stainless, at peace. This is the highest blessing.
From Craving, Sorrow Is Born
From craving comes sorrow, from craving comes fear. For one free of craving there is no sorrow — and where then would fear come from?
Speak Words That Do Not Burn
When a person is born, an axe is born in the mouth. The fool, speaking harsh words, cuts himself with that very axe.
As Rain Pierces an Ill-Roofed House
As rain pierces an ill-roofed house, so craving pierces an uncultivated mind.
Let Go of Front, Back, and Middle
Dry up what is past, let nothing of the future be yours; if you grasp not even the middle, you will walk in peace.
One Who Clings to Views Quarrels
How can one transgress one's own view, settled in it by preference? Drawing one's own conclusions, one speaks only as one already knows — and there the quarrel begins.
The Sage Does Not Measure Self by Others
One does not say of oneself "equal," "inferior," or "superior." Touched by events, one does not conceit, neither delighting nor pushing away.
A Deep Lake Is Clear and Still
As a deep lake is clear, unclouded, and still, so the wise, hearing good teachings, grow serene.
Uncaught, Like Wind Through a Net
Unstained by the world, unstained even by himself, wherever he turns, in any direction, he is one set free.
Crossing the Flood
"By neither standing still nor struggling did I cross the flood. When I stood, I sank; when I struggled, I was swept away."
A Farmer Who Plants Faith
Faith is my seed, effort my rain, wisdom my yoke and plough. A sense of shame is my pole, mindfulness my ploughshare.
Look Neither Down Nor Up
The wise wander not to grow worldly fame, nor speak with flattery or guile. Unstained by what is seen and heard, they have no contention.
No Knots, No Bonds
One who has no thought "this is mine," nor "that is another's," finding no sense of "mine," does not grieve over "it is not mine."
Desires Tempt in Many Colors
One who chases a desire, on gaining it, rejoices for a moment. But that joy soon turns to another desire, and is never, in the end, filled.
Time Devours All as It Flows
Days and nights pass without rest, and life dwindles with them. The span of mortals runs out like water in a shrinking stream.
Guard the Six Gates of the Senses
Eye and ear and nose, tongue and body — one who guards these gates well is truly called wise.
Silent Amid Praise and Blame
Trembling not at blame, not lifted up by praise, subduing greed, stinginess, anger, and slander — such a one is at peace.
Wear Out the Old, Make No New
Do not pine after the old, do not fashion new attachments. Do not grieve what fades, do not cling to anything.
Shallow Brooks Babble, Deep Pools Are Still
What is lacking makes noise; what is full is silent. The fool is like a half-filled pot; the wise, like a brimming pool.
Walk With Good Friends
If you find a wise and good companion, fit to walk with, then, overcoming all dangers, walk with him gladly and mindfully.
Nothing to Bind One Who Has Nothing
Beholding the state of having nothing, the mindful one keeps equanimity; there the mind cools to peace, and is shaken by nothing.
Make of Yourself an Island
Dwell making of yourself an island, yourself your refuge, seeking no other. Let truth be your lamp, your refuge, seeking no other.
This Arising, That Arises
This being, that is; this arising, that arises. This not being, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases.
The Middle Way Between Two Extremes
Neither drowning in pleasure nor tormenting oneself — leaving these two extremes, walk the unbiased middle way.
What Gathers Must Disperse
All formed things lack permanence. What conditions gather will, in the end, disperse; what arises must pass away.
Guard the Mind Like a Gatekeeper
As a gatekeeper guards the city gate, guard your own mind. Watch the thoughts that enter, and let no harmful one pass freely.
Once Across, Leave the Raft
A raft is for crossing the river. To shoulder it after crossing makes it a burden. Even a helpful teaching must be set down in time — how much more so a vain attachment.
Pull Out the Poisoned Arrow First
One struck by a poisoned arrow must first pull it out and treat the wound — before asking who shot it or what it was made of.
Come and See for Yourself
Come and see this teaching for yourself. Do not believe merely on another's word — experience it directly, know it for yourself.
Only a Handful of Leaves
What I know is as many as the leaves of that forest, but what I teach is only the few leaves in my hand — for I chose only what serves to ease your suffering.
The Heart You Send Returns as an Echo
Met with a warm heart, resentment and enmity subside of themselves. The grain of heart I send into the world returns, in the end, to me.
Even This "I" Is Only a Gathering
Body, feeling, perception, will, and consciousness — what we call "I" is only these five briefly gathered; not one of them is a fixed, true "self."
Feeling Arises, Feeling Passes
Watch a feeling arise; watch it pass. Neither chasing the pleasant nor pushing away the unpleasant — simply observe what comes and goes.
Aware of the Breath Coming and Going
When the breath comes in, know it coming in; when it goes out, know it going out. Simply be aware — long breath as long, short breath as short.
Chase Not the Past, Abide in Now
Chase not the past, yearn not for the future. The past has already vanished, the future has not yet come — only see clearly this present thing.
To Conquer Oneself Is the Greatest Victory
Greater than conquering a million on the battlefield is to conquer oneself. One who conquers oneself is the wisest of all.
The Rust Devours the Iron It Came From
As rust born of iron devours that very iron, so evil born in the mind, in the end, destroys its own owner.
Patience Is the Foremost Strength
The strength to endure is a virtue greater than any austerity. The single held breath in a moment of rising anger deepens a person more than a thousand words.
A Good Fragrance Travels Against the Wind
A flower's scent cannot travel against the wind, but the fragrance of a good person spreads in all directions, even against it.
One Lamp Dispels a Thousand Years of Dark
A room dark for a thousand years grows bright the instant one small lamp enters. However long the darkness, light does not reckon its length.
Do Not Despise a Small Good
Do not despise a small good as "what merit could this bring?" A drop of water is tiny, yet falling and falling, it fills a great vessel at last.
A Heart That Remembers Kindness Received
One who knows kindness received and seeks to repay it does not forget, however small the kindness was. To take what one receives for granted is the driest of hearts.
Some Friends Are Medicine, Some Are Poison
To keep a good friend is like standing near one who carries fragrance; to keep a bad one is like standing near something rank. Unawares, the scent settles on you.
As You Sow, So You Reap
As a field yields according to the seed sown, a good seed of the heart returns as good fruit, a bad seed as bad.
Live With a Mind That Is Not Sick
Though the body may fall ill, do not let the mind fall ill with it. Aging and sickness are the body's affair; whether to collapse along with them is the mind's to decide.
Like a Lute String — Neither Too Tight Nor Too Loose
A lute string snaps if strung too tight and gives no sound if too loose. Only tuned just right does it sound clear. So it is with cultivating the mind.
Do Not Fix the Self, Do Not Fix the Other
Neither over-praise a person nor tear them down. Speak only, calmly, of what is right and wrong in the matter. That is the way to live without dispute.
All Beings Tremble at Harm
All beings fear the rod; all hold their life dear. If you measure another's heart by your own, you cannot harm or treat them cruelly.
No Fixed Truth to Teach
There is no fixed thing that can be called awakening, and no fixed truth a teacher can hand over.
Leave the Raft at the Shore
My teaching is like a raft for crossing a river. Even the right teaching must be set down once you have crossed — how much more the wrong.
Give Without a Trace
When you give, give without dwelling on it anywhere. Only when you are not bound to what you gave is the giving whole.
Neither Grasp Nor Reject
It cannot be grasped, nor fully spoken. It is neither a fixed thing nor a nothing. The truth lies between the two extremes.
A Mind With No Home Is the Greatest Home
Do not anchor the mind to sights, nor to sounds, scents, tastes, touches, or thoughts. A mind caught by no single sense is free.
No Mark of Self, No Mark of Other
No fixed mark of self, of other, of the many, of long-living. When the bordering mind is set down, conflict too dissolves.
Great Because It Is Not Called Great
Even "a great body" is no fixed great body; it is merely named great. Free of the name, it becomes truly great.
You Cannot See It by Form
If you seek it by appearance or by sound, you walk a hollow path and cannot see what is true.
Nowhere to Come From, Nowhere to Go
Coming from nowhere, going nowhere — thus called "the one who is just so." A mind whole in the now, without coming or going.
Waking, We Do Not Blame the Dream
When one departs from all fixed marks, that one is called awakened. It is not adding something, but shedding what was overlaid.
No Resentment Even When Cut
Even as the body was cut, no anger or resentment arose — because there was no clinging to a mark of self. The thinner the hard self, the thinner the anger.
A Handful of Dust Is a Whole World
Countless specks gather to form a world; split the world and it returns to specks. The one and the whole cannot, in the end, be spoken of as two.
Where a Clear Mind Rests Is the Pure Land
Adorning a land is not piling earth and stone. Clearing the mind — that is the true adornment.
The Greatest Merit Is the Uncounted
If merit were a countable substance, it could not be called great merit. Because it is not counted, that blessing has no end.
Words Are a Finger Pointing at the Moon
Though one speaks the truth, there is no truth that words can fully hold. We only call it so. Words point; they are not the truth itself.
To Help Without the Thought of Having Helped
Though one helps countless beings, there is no thought that "I" saved anyone. In that absence, the help becomes purest.
All These Minds Are Not the Mind
All the minds that come and go are no fixed mind; we only name them mind. The mind does not stay — it flows.
A Heart That Gives Without Clinging Is Wide as Space
Give without clinging to appearances, and the blessing is wide as empty space, beyond measure. Nothing is as vast as a heart that wants nothing back.
The Deepest Trust Is Not Doubting Oneself
If, on hearing this one line, even a single thought of clear trust arises, that place of mind is already precious. One unshaken thought opens the way.
The Highest Truth Has No High or Low
The truth is inherently level, with no high or low. That is why it is called supreme awakening. The same ground lies beneath everyone's feet.
Beholding the Five Aggregates as Empty
Behold that the five aggregates that make up "me" — body, feeling, thought, will, awareness — are all flowing, not fixed; and you cross beyond all suffering.
Neither Born Nor Perishing
Inherently neither arising nor ceasing, neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing. This is the place where the scales of judgment are set down.
No Eye, No Ear to Cling To
Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind — sight, sound, scent, taste, touch, idea — none is a fixed substance to grasp. Open the gates of sense, yet be not trapped in them.
No Darkness, No End of Darkness
No ignorance, no end of ignorance; no aging and death, no end of them. The chain of fear was never a fixed thing.
An Unobstructed Mind Knows No Fear
No obstruction in the mind; and with no obstruction, no fear. Far removed from upside-down dreaming, the mind at last grows still.
Crossing on the Boat of Wisdom
Wisdom that reaches the far shore can relieve all suffering. This is true, not empty. Wisdom is the boat that crosses suffering.
Neither Suffering Nor Its Cause Is Fixed
Neither suffering, nor its accumulation, nor its ceasing, nor the path to it can be nailed down as fixed substance. All arise and pass according to conditions.
Feeling and Thought Are Passing Guests
Feeling, thought, will, and awareness, like form, arise and pass without fixity. All are merely guests passing through the mind.
The Great Bright Light of Mind
This wisdom is a great power, a great bright light, unsurpassed and beyond compare. It is the act of lighting a lamp rather than cursing the dark.
Nothing to Attain, Because Already Whole
Because there is nothing to attain, the awakened lean only on wisdom. This is the place where the rush to fill oneself with more is set down.
The Heart of Wisdom in One Breath
The "heart" in "Heart Sutra" means the core — the kernel. This sutra's name marks vast wisdom condensed enough to hold in a single breath.
Not Even Wisdom Is Held in Hand
Even wisdom is not an object to hold in hand, nothing to attain and possess. Only when even the pride of knowing is set down does clarity come.
A Straight Mind Is the Sacred Ground
A straight mind is itself the sacred ground, for in it there is no falsehood, no pretense. The sacred place is not elsewhere — wherever an honest mind rests is the sacred ground.
A Wordless Word, a Thunderous Silence
Asked about the truth of nonduality, the layman Vimalakirti fell silent and said nothing. That silence was deeper than a thousand words of explanation.
Self and Other Are Not Two
"I" and "mine" split into two. Because there is the thought of an "I," the contention of "mine" arises. As that border thins, conflict thins.
I Am Ill Because the World Is Ill
Because all beings are ill, I too am ill. When their illness heals, mine heals too. To a connected heart, another's pain is not another's affair.
Afflictions Are the Seeds of Awakening
The lotus blooms not in dry ground but in muddy water. Only in the mud of affliction does the flower of awakening bloom. Suffering is the fertilizer of wisdom.
Flowers Will Not Cling to an Unattached Mind
When the goddess scattered petals, they clung to those whose minds still held attachment, and slid right off those whose attachment had ended.
A Small Room Holds the Vast
A great mountain is placed inside a tiny mustard seed. When the mind opens, even one small room holds the whole universe. Size depends not on space but on mind.
The Heart That Gives the Right Medicine
Give the medicine that fits the illness, so it may heal. Not forcing the same answer on all, but reaching out to meet each where they stand — that is true wisdom.
Savor the Taste Without Being Bound by It
Eat, but not out of greed — eat with a still and empty mind. To enjoy a thing and to be bound by it are not the same.
True Renunciation Is of the Mind
Sitting still is not the only quiet meditation. To stay unshaken in the middle of a noisy marketplace — that is true stillness.
For a Pure World, First a Pure Mind
If you wish for a pure world, first purify your mind. As the mind grows clear, the world appears clear. The first step in changing the world is the mind.
Neither Stained by the World, Nor Turning From It
In the midst of life, yet unstained by it; resting in stillness, yet not turning from the world. Standing in the mud, yet not becoming the mud.
This Body Is a Brief Gathering of Conditions
This body is like foam briefly gathered on water — it cannot be grasped in the hand. Knowing its fleetingness, we can cherish today's body all the more.
When the Seeking Stops, the Way Appears
One who seeks the truth must, in fact, set down the seeking itself. Nothing settles into a hand clenched to grab.
The Same Sunlight, Even to the Disliked
True warmth does not distinguish between those we like and those we dislike. As empty space holds all alike, a mind without partiality is the widest.
To Love Without Clinging
True compassion does not tire or weary. Seeking no return, it does not run dry; clinging to nothing, it is not heavy.
No One Is Frozen in a Single Form
To see a person is like seeing the moon on water, a face in a mirror — only a moment's image, not the whole of who they are.
A Joy That Leans on No Condition
Take the joy that comes from truth as a companion, and keep a warm heart at your side. Joy that wells from within, not from outer conditions, cannot be taken away.
In Truth There Is No Coming or Going
Coming without the form of coming, seeing without the form of seeing. A true meeting happens not in form but in the heart. Though absent in body, if present in heart, we are together.
Wisdom and Compassion Are Two Wings
Wisdom is the mother, warm skillful means the father. Neither cold wisdom alone nor hot feeling alone can let a whole life take flight.
Defilement Is in the Grasping, Not the Thing
When the mind is murky, the world looks murky; when the mind is clear, the world looks clear. Defilement lies not in the thing but in the mind that sees it.
Words That Heal Rather Than Win
Always use gentle words, and ask after others by sensing their heart first. Words are not a sword to win, but a bridge to join hearts.
Give Your All, Yet Stay Empty
Knowing all is empty and unfixed, one still tends the world with steady care. Unbound by the outcome, yet giving full effort to the task at hand.
Truth Lived, Not Merely Heard
To live exactly as one has heard — that is the greatest offering to truth. However fine the words, unlived, they remain another's treasure.
No-Thought as the Foundation
No-thought as the chief, no-form as the substance, no-dwelling as the root.
Stillness and Wisdom Are Not Two
Stillness is the body of wisdom; wisdom is the working of stillness. In the very moment of stillness, wisdom is already within it.
Not Sitting, but the Unshaken Within
When no thought arises amid all outer circumstances, that is "sitting"; when the original self within stays unmoved, that is meditation.
The Moment You Think Neither Good Nor Evil
Not thinking of good, not thinking of evil — in that very moment, what is your original face?
It Is Your Mind That Moves
It is not the wind that moves, nor the flag that moves — it is your mind that moves.
Awakening Lies in a Single Thought
When the prior thought is deluded, you are an ordinary person; when the next thought awakens, that very place is enlightenment.
The Pure Land Is Where You Stand
If only the mind has no impurity, the pure land is not far from here.
True Emptiness Is Not a Blank
Do not, on hearing me speak of emptiness, cling at once to a blank emptiness.
The Lamp and Its Light Are Not Two
Where there is a lamp there is light; without the lamp, darkness. The lamp is the body of light; the light is the lamp's working.
Apart from This Ordinary Mind, Nothing
When the original self ferries itself across — that is the true crossing.
This Very Mind Is It
This very mind, just as it is, is the awakened place.
Not Mind, Not Buddha
Not mind, not buddha — neither one.
Nothing to Cultivate — Just Don't Defile It
The Way needs no special cultivation — only do not defile it.
One Shout That Wakes You
One thunderous shout, and his ears rang for three days.
Pick It Up and Use It Anywhere
Be the master wherever you stand, and the place you stand on is all true.
A Day Without Work, a Day Without Food
A day without work — a day without food.
Not Blind to Cause and Effect
Do not be blind to cause and effect.
Sitting Alone on the Great Peak
I sit alone upon the great peak.
When Hungry, Eat; When Tired, Sleep
When hunger comes, eat rice; when weariness comes, sleep.
There Is Only One Mind
There is only this one mind; apart from it, there is no separate truth.
Do Not Seek Mind with Mind
If you use the mind to search for the mind, you will never find it.
Mind Itself Is No-Mind
This very mind, just as it is, is the unmoved mind.
Neither Grasp Nor Reject
Neither grasp nor reject.
How Can You Nail Down Empty Space?
This mind is the mind bound to nothing — free of all forms.
Leap Through in a Single Bound
Right here, just as it is, is it; the moment a thought stirs, you miss it.
Without the Cold That Pierces the Bone
Without one bout of cold that pierces to the bone, how could the plum blossom's fragrance ever pierce the nose?
The Mind Is Not Cut into Pieces
The mind has no large or small, no square or round.
Be Master Wherever You Stand
Be master wherever you stand, and the very place you stand becomes true.
The True Person of No Rank
On this mass of red flesh there is a true person of no rank, ever going in and out through your face.
Seek Nothing Outside
Racing outward in search, you lose the very mind that was yours from the start.
Nothing Is Lacking in You
You are no different from the old masters; you simply refuse to trust yourself.
The One with the True Eye
Let old karma dissolve as conditions come, and simply put on your clothes, trusting the flow.
If the Buddha You Meet Is an Idol, Pass Beyond It
If you meet the Buddha, go beyond the Buddha; if you meet a patriarch, go beyond him too.
The True Person Has Nothing to Do
The one who fabricates nothing extra — that is the noble person.
The Light That Shines Alone
Right upon this single thought, there shines a clear and steady light.
Follow Conditions, Yet Be Unstained
Respond to each thing and take its shape, yet leave no trace behind in the mind.
Do Not Be Deceived by Others
Above all, do not let yourself be deceived and swayed by others.
When Hungry, Eat; When Tired, Rest
When weary, lie down at once; when hungry, eat at once — that is all.
Discern the Host from the Guest
When host and guest are clearly told apart, no situation can sway you.
Do Not Set a Head Above Your Head
Setting another head atop the head you already have — that is the wasted labor.
One Shout That Cuts Through
Linji's single shout cuts the net of discrimination faster than a thousand words of explanation.
The Ground Beneath You Is the Temple
Right now, what is before your eyes — there is no other teaching to be found apart from this.
Hold a True and Right View
Above all, you must gain one true and right view. Only then are you free, unswayed by the world.
Go and Drink Your Tea
To the one who had come before and the one who had not, Zhaozhou said the same: "Go and drink your tea."
The Ordinary Mind Is the Way
Asked what the Way is, the answer came: the ordinary mind — your plain everyday mind — is itself the Way.
Does a Dog Have It? — "No"
"Does even a dog have buddha-nature?" Zhaozhou answered with a single word: "No (Mu)."
The Cypress in the Garden
"What is the great truth?" Zhaozhou pointed: "The cypress tree there, in the garden."
Put Down Even That
To one who said he carried nothing, Zhaozhou replied: "Then lay down even that — the thought of having nothing."
The Stone Bridge of Zhaozhou
To one let down after only hearing its fame, Zhaozhou said: "This bridge carries donkeys across, and carries horses across."
The Seven-Pound Robe
Asked where the "one" returns to when all things return to one, Zhaozhou said: "When I was in Qingzhou I made a hemp robe; it weighed seven pounds."
The Buddha Is in the Hall
"What is the Buddha?" "That, in the hall." "The clay figure?" "Yes." "Then it is not the Buddha." Zhaozhou: "It is that, in the hall."
At Eighty, Still on the Road
If a seven-year-old surpasses me, I will ask him; if a hundred-year-old falls short of me, I will teach him.
Wash Your Bowl
"I am newly arrived; please teach me." "Have you eaten?" "I have." "Then go and wash your bowl."
The Great Way Is Not Hard
The utmost Way is not difficult; it only dislikes picking and choosing.
The True Person Need Not Display
A gold buddha cannot pass through the furnace; a wooden buddha cannot pass through fire. What is true is not confined to its form.
A Clay Buddha Cannot Cross Water
A clay buddha cannot cross water. The living buddha sits within you.
Carrying Fire to Seek Fire
Riding the ox, one searches for the ox — seeking outside what one already rides.
Every Day Is a Good Day
I will not ask of the fifteen days gone by. Say in a word what comes after — "Every day is a good day."
When You Walk, Just Walk
When walking, just walk; when sitting, just sit. Do not insert any wavering between.
The One-Word Barrier
Yunmen often answered not with long explanation but a single word. "What is the Buddha?" — "Exposed." One word severs a thousand.
Sickness and Medicine Heal Each Other
Medicine and sickness heal each other. The whole earth is medicine — then what are you yourself?
Mountains, Rivers, and the Earth Are All Teaching
The mountains, rivers, and earth lie fully exposed. The teaching is not hidden away but spread plainly before your eyes.
The Whole World in a Single Grain
Within heaven and earth, throughout the cosmos, there is one treasure — and it lies hidden within this very body.
Do Not Defer Awakening to Tomorrow
Time is to be cherished; it cannot be let slip by a misstep. This very moment is the place.
The Power of Sitting Quietly
Rest, and let it cease. Only in the place where you know how to stop does everything come clear.
One Arrow Through Three Barriers
Cover heaven and earth in one vessel; cut off all the streams at once; ride the waves and become one with the flow.
Ride the Wave with Your Mind
Ride the waves, follow the flow — neither resisting nor being swept away, moving as one with the current.
The Gate of Clouds
"What is the word that transcends even Buddha and patriarchs?" Yunmen answered: "A cake." To a question of grandeur, the humblest reply.
The Body Bared to the Autumn Wind
"What happens when the tree withers and the leaves all fall?" Yunmen answered: "The whole body stands bared to the golden autumn wind."
Three Pounds of Hemp
"What is the Buddha?" The master, weighing hemp on a scale just then, answered: "Three pounds of hemp."
Awakening Has No Fixed Shape
Spring has its hundred flowers, autumn its moon; summer a cool breeze, winter white snow. If no idle care hangs in the mind, this is the good season of the human world.
First, Empty the Cup
Not a drop more fits into a cup already full. To receive new tea, you must first empty the cup.
Who Drags This Body Around?
The one who drags this body around all day long — who, exactly, is that?
The Sound of One Hand
Two hands clapping make a sound. Then the sound of one hand — what sound is that?
Your Original Face
Before weighing good and evil, before your parents bore you — what was your original face?
Not the Flag, Not the Wind
One said "the flag moves," another "the wind moves." The master said: "It is neither the flag nor the wind that moves — it is your mind that moves."
The Finger Pointing at the Moon
The finger only points at the moon; the finger is not the moon. Mistake the pointer for the moon, and you miss the moon itself.
The Ox Through the Window
A great ox has passed through the window-lattice. Its head, horns, and four legs all got through — why does the tail alone fail to pass?
Kick Over the Water Jug
"You may not call this a water jug, nor may you call it not a water jug. What do you call it?" One disciple, without a word, kicked the jug over and walked out.
Nine Years Facing the Wall
Bodhidharma sat facing a wall for nine years. In that place where nothing happened, the greatest thing was ripening.
A Transmission Beyond Words
When a flower was held up, only one disciple smiled. The deepest things pass not through words but from mind to mind.
Great Doubt, Great Awakening
Beneath great doubt there is surely great awakening. The deeper the doubt, the deeper the realization.
Snow in a Silver Bowl
Snow is heaped in a silver bowl. Both are white, scarcely told apart — neither the same nor different, yet so they rest together.
One Is All, All Is One
One is all, and all is one.
The Mind Is Like a Skilled Painter
The mind is like a skilled painter; it can paint every kind of world.
The First Resolve Is Already the Arrival
At the moment the first resolve arises, right awakening is already accomplished.
All Realms Arise from the Mind
Look into the nature of all realms: everything is fashioned by mind alone.
A Single Lamp Dispels a Thousand Years of Dark
A single lamp can remove a thousand years of darkness.
The Jeweled Net That Reflects All
In the layered net of jewels, one bead reflects all the others.
A Great Vow, Inexhaustible as the Sea
Only when empty space itself is exhausted will my vow at last be exhausted.
There Is No Fixed Place to Dwell
Abiding in nothing, yet from there the mind arises.
A Single Speck Holds the Whole World
Within a single mote of dust, all ten directions are held.
Mutual, Unobstructed Interpenetration
Each thing meets every other without obstruction, blending roundly and without end.
The Good Friend Met Along the Way
Drawing near to a good teacher is the root of all attainment.
Knowing Is Proven by Doing
One who only talks of food can never be filled by it.
Flowers Adorn the Fruit
All good acts are like flowers that, in the end, adorn the fruit of awakening.
Mind, the Awakened, and Beings Are Not Three
Mind, the awakened one, and all living beings — these three are in essence without distinction.
One Water Takes the Shape of Each Vessel
One and the same water appears differently according to the vessel and the eye.
Never Losing the First Mind
One who does not forget the first mind — such a one is called awake.
Cause and Condition Weave Everything
Because this exists, that exists; because this arises, that arises.
A Mountain Reveals Its Depth Only from Within
Without entering it, one cannot know its depth.
All Conditioned Things Are Bound to Pass
All formed things are impermanent; arising and ceasing is their nature.
When Rising and Ceasing Still, Calm Comes
When even arising and ceasing come to rest, that quiet stillness is joy.
Every Life Holds the Same Seed
Every living being, without exception, holds within the seed of awakening.
Rely on the Meaning, Not the Words
Rely on the meaning, not on the mere words.
The Blind Men and the Elephant
Many touched the elephant blindfolded, each grasping one part and quarreling over it.
Mistaking a Rope for a Snake
Mistaking a rope for a snake, one conjures groundless fear from nothing.
From Milk to Cream, in Its Own Time
From milk comes curd, and from there, step by step, the clearest essence is formed.
A Good Physician Fits the Medicine to the Illness
A good physician examines the illness and gives the medicine that fits it.
The Treasure Buried in the Poor Man's House
Though treasure lies buried in one's own house, not knowing it, one stays poor.
Make Yourself an Island
Make yourself the lamp; lean on yourself and stand.
Press On Diligently, Without Slackening
Do not let the mind run loose; press on, cultivating with diligence.
Once Across, Set Down the Raft
To cross the river you need the raft; once on the far bank, there is no need to carry the boat.
Clouds Pass, the Sky Remains
When clouds race, the moon seems to move; when the boat advances, the shore seems to drift.
Do Not Add Flowers to Empty Sky
One with an ailing eye sees flowers in empty sky, and insists they truly exist.
The Host Stays, the Guest Passes
The host does not leave but stays; only the guests come and go.
The Sound Goes, the Capacity to Hear Does Not
The bell's sound ends, yet the capacity that hears it does not cease.
The Rich Father's Wandering Son
A rich man's son, forgetting his own origin, wandered and scraped by as a hired hand.
The Jewel Sewn into the Robe
A jewel is sewn into the lining, yet not knowing it, one wanders in poverty.
One Rain Falls on Every Plant Alike
From one cloud falls the same rain, and each plant and tree takes it in to its own measure.
The Children Playing in the Burning House
This restless worldly life is like a house already on fire.
The Rest-Town Conjured on a Long Road
For the weary, the guide conjured a city where they might rest awhile.
Never Despising Anyone
I deeply respect you and dare not look down on you.
Many Doors, One Destination
The skillful gates of entry are many, but the road back to the source is not two.
Looking Back, the Source Was Always Clear
The original ground is clear from the start; there is nothing to manufacture or repair.
Turn the Light Back upon Itself
Turn the light that faced outward back, and look into your own mind.
When the Water Is Still, the Bottom Shows
As still water mirrors clearly, a settled mind at last sees brightly.
As the Bee Takes Only Nectar
As the bee gathers nectar and flies off without harming the flower's color or scent — so move through the world.
Drop by Drop, the Jar Is Filled
Drop by falling drop, even a great jar is filled. So too do small goods and small wrongs accumulate.
As the Fletcher Straightens the Arrow
Irrigators guide the water, fletchers straighten the arrow; the wise shape themselves.
As a Rock Unshaken by the Wind
As a solid rock is unshaken by the wind, the wise are not swayed by blame or praise.
Guard the Mind Like a Fortress
Knowing this body to be fragile as a clay pot, establish the mind firm as a fortress.
The Traveler with Less Goes Farther
Only the traveler who carries little can go far down the road.
Watch Your Own Steps, Not Others' Faults
Do not weigh what others did or left undone; look to what you yourself have done and left undone.
Better One Awakened Day Than a Hundred Years Asleep
Better one day lived with wisdom and awareness than a hundred years lived foolishly and unsettled.
A Mirror, Once Wiped, Reflects Again
The mind is like a clear mirror: wipe away the dust, and it reflects brightly again.
Only a Buddha and a Buddha Know the True Mark of Things
Only a buddha together with a buddha can fully fathom the true mark of all things.
Three Carts Were Always One Great Vehicle
In all the buddha-lands of the ten directions there is only one path; there is no second, no third.
Never Truly Gone, Only Seeming to Depart
For the sake of saving beings he shows, as a skillful means, the appearance of passing away; yet in truth he never perishes, but abides here always.
The Jewel a Friend Sewed into the Robe
He did not know that within the lining of his own garment lay a priceless jewel.
The Rain Is One, the Plants Grow Each in Their Own Way
Though one cloud sends down one rain, each grows according to its own nature.
Make a Gentle, Patient Heart Your Home
Make great compassion your room, gentle patience your robe, and the emptiness of all things your seat.
One Great Purpose Behind All the Teaching
The awakened ones appear in the world for the sake of one great matter alone.
A Voice That Meets Each Where They Stand
In whatever form a being can be reached, in that very form it appears and speaks to them.
Know the Illusion, and You Are Already Free
The moment you know it is illusion, you are already free of it — no method needed; free of illusion, you are already awake — not even by stages.
When the Wood Is Spent, the Fire Dies Too
As fire arises from wood, awareness burns away illusion; and when the wood is spent, the fire too dies of itself.
This Body of Illusion, Borrowed for a While
When the illusory body fades, the illusory mind fades too; and when that mind fades, even the illusory objects fade.
No Steps, Only This Clear Seeing
It is like polishing a mirror: when the grime is fully gone, the original brightness shows of itself.
Do Not Add a Second Judgment to the Thought
Dwelling amid deluded thoughts, add no further judgment upon them; and upon that non-judging, do not weigh whether it is true or false.
The Mind Was Found in None of the Seven Places
The mind is not within, nor without, nor in between; it dwells in no single place.
What Can Be Returned Is Not You
What can be returned is by nature not you; and that which cannot be returned to anything — if that is not you, then who?
Turn the Hearing Inward to Hear Your Own Nature
Turn the hearing that chased outer sounds back to hear your own nature; that nature becomes the highest path.
Enter the Stream, and the Object Falls Away
At first, within the hearing, I entered the stream — and the object that was heard gradually fell away.
Mistaking the Thief for Your Own Son
Taking the thief for your own son, you thereby lose the true, constant thing you always had.
The Seeing Does Not Age with the Eyes
Though your face has wrinkled, the nature of the seeing that beholds it has never once wrinkled.
Do Not Chase Shadows and Call Them Real
The guest departs, but the host remains; the dust dances, but the space stays still.
A Mind Clear by Nature, Only Dusted for a While
The mind is pure by nature, yet appears defiled — defiled only by passing, guest-like dust of affliction.
Facing the Fault Is the First Step of Renewal
All the wrongs I have done arose from greed, anger, and folly; now I bring them into the light and sincerely repent.
Vows Aimed at the Good of Others
May all living beings obtain whatever good they truly seek.
The Mind Is the Painter of Every World
If you would truly know the nature of all things, see that everything is painted by the mind.
All Things Change, Yet the Ground Is at Peace
All things are impermanent, arising and passing away; when even that rising and falling settles, deep stillness itself is peace.
The One and the Many Hold Each Other Up
Within the one, know the countless; within the countless, know again the one.
The Trembling, Restless Mind Is Hard to Guard
The mind, trembling and restless, hard to guard and hard to check, the wise straighten as a fletcher straightens an arrow.
Shed Both Shores as a Snake Sheds Its Old Skin
As a snake sheds its worn-out skin, so the seeker casts off both this shore and the far shore.
As a Mother Shields Her Only Child
As a mother would guard her only child with her very life, so cultivate a boundless heart toward all living beings.
Crossing the Flood, Neither Standing Nor Straining
Neither halting nor straining, just so I crossed the flood.
Guarding the Tongue Is the Gate That Stops Grief
Let go of anger, cast off pride; one who guards the harsh word at the gate of the mouth is not pursued by grief.
A Fool Who Knows His Folly Is Already Wise
A fool who knows his folly is, in that, already wise; but the fool who thinks himself wise is the fool indeed.
