101 powerful zen sayings

1. "The obstacle is the path."

2. "Let go or be dragged."

3. "The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear."

4. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few."

5. "When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you."

6. "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

7. "The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance."

8. "The more you know, the less you understand."

9. "You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself."

10. "Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind."

11. "The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method?"

12. "Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

13. "To follow the path, look to the master, follow the master, walk with the master, see through the master, become the master."

14. "Let things come and go. The rising and falling is the natural way of things."

15. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

16. "Do not seek the truth, only cease to cherish opinions."

17. "The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences."

18. "When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."

19. "The snow falls, each flake in its appropriate place."

20. "To understand everything is to forgive everything."

21. "If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are."

22. "The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe."

23. "The great way is not difficult for those who have no preferences."

24. "Do not be concerned with the faults of other persons. Do not see others' faults with a hateful mind. There is an old saying that if you stop seeing others' faults, then naturally seniors and venerated and juniors are revered."

25. "Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future."

26. "The true purpose of Zen is to see things as they are, to observe things as they are, and to let everything go as it goes."

27. "The best way is not to fight it, just go. Don't be trying all the time to fix things. What you run from only stays with you longer. When you fight something, you only make it stronger."

28. "The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there."

29. "In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true."

30. "The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet."

31. "A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it."

32. "When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself."

33. "The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That's all there ever is."

34. "When you get to the top of the mountain, keep climbing."

35. "The mind is everything. What you think you become."

36. "To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself."

37. "Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine."

38. "You should study not only that you become a mother when your child is born, but also that you become a child."

39. "A cup is useful only when it is empty; and a mind that is filled with beliefs, with dogmas, with assertions, with quotations is really an uncreative mind."

40. "The greatest effort is not concerned with results."

41. "Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment."

42. "If you want to understand the truth, to know what you should do, what is right and what is wrong, then be still, be quiet, and listen to the voice that is within you."

43. "The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart."

44. "The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there."

45. "When you reach the top of the mountain, keep climbing."

46. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few."

47. "To follow the path, look to the master, follow the master, walk with the master, see through the master, become the master."

48. "The mind is everything. What you think you become."

49. "The obstacle is the path."

50. "The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear."

51. "Let go or be dragged."

52. "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

53. "The more you know, the less you understand."

54. "You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself."

55. "Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind."

56. "The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method?"

57. "Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

58. "To understand everything is to forgive everything."

59. "The great way is not difficult for those who have no preferences."

60. "The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe."

61. "The snow falls, each flake in its appropriate place."

62. "The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences."

63. "When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."

64. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

65. "Do not seek the truth, only cease to cherish opinions."

66. "If you understand, things are just as they are; if you do not understand, things are just as they are."

67. "The best way is not to fight it, just go. Don't be trying all the time to fix things. What you run from only stays with you longer. When you fight something, you only make it stronger."

68. "The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there."

69. "In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true."

70. "The most important point is to accept yourself and stand on your two feet."

71. "A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it."

72. "When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself."

73. "The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That's all there ever is."

74. "When you get to the top of the mountain, keep climbing."

75. "The mind is everything. What you think you become."

76. "To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself."

77. "Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine."

78. "You should study not only that you become a mother when your child is born, but also that you become a child."

79. "A cup is useful only when it is empty; and a mind that is filled with beliefs, with dogmas, with assertions, with quotations is really an uncreative mind."

80. "The greatest effort is not concerned with results."

81. "Do not think you will necessarily be aware of your own enlightenment."

82. "If you want to understand the truth, to know what you should do, what is right and what is wrong, then be still, be quiet, and listen to the voice that is within you."

83. "The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart."

84. "The only Zen you find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there."

85. "When you reach the top of the mountain, keep climbing."

86. "In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few."

87. "To follow the path, look to the master, follow the master, walk with the master, see through the master, become the master."

88. "The mind is everything. What you think you become."

89. "The obstacle is the path."

90. "The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear."

91. "Let go or be dragged."

92. "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

93. "The more you know, the less you understand."

94. "You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself."

95. "Be master of mind rather than mastered by mind."

96. "The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this method?"

97. "Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."

98. "To understand everything is to forgive everything."

99. "The great way is not difficult for those who have no preferences."

100. "The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe."

101. "The snow falls, each flake in its appropriate place."

Above is 101 powerful zen sayings.