Be moderate in eating and drinking. Mindful of the passing of time, engage yourself in zazen as though saving your head from fire.
Interpretation
Practice moderation and mindfulness, as life's time is fleeting and valuable.
This quote by Dogen emphasizes the importance of moderation in our daily habits, particularly in eating and drinking, suggesting that it reflects a deeper awareness of our existence. The metaphor of engaging in zazen as if saving one's head from fire highlights the urgency and seriousness with which we should approach our practice and the preciousness of our time, urging individuals to be present and mindful in their actions.
In practice
This quote can be shared during a mindfulness workshop to illustrate the importance of moderation.
In the assemblies of the enlightened ones there have been many cases of mastering the Way bringing forth the heart of plants and trees; this is what awakening the mind for enlightenment is like. The fifth patriarch of Zen was once a pine-planting wayfarer; Rinzai worked on planting cedars and pines on Mount Obaku. . . . Working with plants, trees, fences and walls, if they practice sincerely they will attain enlightenment.
To start from the self and try to understand all things is delusion. To let the self be awakened by all things is enlightenment.
A fool sees himself as another, but a wise man sees others as himself.
Do not travel to other dusty lands, forsaking your own sitting place; if you cannot find the truth where you are now, you will never find it.
Do no harmful actions, do not become attached to the cycle of death and rebirth, show kindness, respect the old and have compassion for the young, do not have a heart that rejects or a heart that covets and have no worry or sadness in your heart. This is what is called enlightenment. Do not seek it elsewhere.
You should stop searching for phrases and chasing after words. Take the backward step and turn the light inward. Your body-mind of itself will drop off and your original face will appear. If you want to attain just this, immediately practice just this.
Sometimes you donβt just want to risk making mistakes; you actually want to make them - if only to give you something clear and detailed to fix.
No man was ever so completely skilled in the conduct of life, as not to receive new information from age and experience.
By our pontifical assertions, our superior impatience, and our casual brushing aside of their curiosity, we do not encourage their inquiry, for we are rather apprehensive of what may be asked of us; we do not foster their discontent, for we ourselves have ceased to question.
Compassion for ourselves gives rise to the power to transform resentment into forgiveness, hatred into friendliness, and fear into respect for all beings.
God will never reveal more truth about himself until you have obeyed what you know already
Stupid β well, there are so many kinds of stupidity, and cleverness is one of the worst.
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