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Inscription-Hui-neng’s tombstone

According to his doctrine,
Non-doing is reality,
Emptiness is the truth,
And the ultimate meaning
Of things is vast and
Immovable.
He taught that human nature
In its beginning
As well as in the end
Is thoroughly good…
For it has its root
In that which is serene.

- Liu Tsung-yuan

In former times people's minds were sharp.
Upon hearing a single sentence, they abandoned study and so came to be called "the sages who, abandoning learning, rest in spontaneity."
In these days, people only seek to stuff themselves with knowledge and deductions, placing great reliance on written explanations and calling all this the practice.

- Huang-po (d. 850)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

even this is distraction

Why do I talk here?
Only because you
Followers of the Tao
Go galloping around in
Search of the mind,
And are unable to stop it.
On the other hand,
The ancients acted in a leisurely
Way, appropriate to
Circumstances as they arose.

- Lin-chi (d.867)

There are no precepts to follow,
No practices to engage in.
From the outset
There are no passions;
From the beginning we are
Enlightened.
We eat when we are hungry,
Rest when we are tired.

- Nonin (d.1196)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

some days i grow weary of the repetition
and hunger for new flavors

this will be today's meditation

To know what you know
And to know
What you don’t know,
That is real wisdom.

- Confucius
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i am unsure of this attribution and cannot be bothered to do any sort of research
-rookie

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I shall never be ashamed of citing a bad author if the line is good.
-- Seneca
Roman dramatist, philosopher, & politician (5 BC - 65 AD)

master, how will i know when i am making progress?
you will know it when, what once made you angry, now makes you laugh

internet meme

Too many steps have been
Taken returning to the root
And the source.
Better to have been blind
And deaf from the beginning!
Dwelling in one’s true abode,
Unconcerned with that without-
The river flows tranquilly
On, and the flowers are red.

- Kakuan (1100-1200)

Ever desireless,
One can see the mystery.
Ever desiring,
One can see the manifestations.
These two spring
From the same source
But differ in name.

- Lao Tzu

@rookie54 said
Ever desireless,
One can see the mystery.
Ever desiring,
One can see the manifestations.
These two spring
From the same source
But differ in name.

- Lao Tzu

I think Lao Tzu deserves bonus points for that one. 😍

“I am empty of everything and there is nothing left in my mind,” said the monk to Joshu. “What do you say to that?”
Joshu said, “Cast that away.”
But the monk persisted. “I have told you, there is nothing left in me. I am completely empty. What can I cast away?”
“In that case,” replied Joshu,”keep on carrying it.”

- Joshu

The sound
of water
says
what I think.

- Chuang Tzu

The non-action of the wise person
Is not inaction.
It is not studied.
It is not shaken by anything.
The sage is quiet
Because she is not moved,
Not because she wills to be quiet.
Her quietness is the mirror
Of heaven and earth
The glass of everything.
Emptiness, stillness, tranquility,
Traceless,
Silence, non-action:
This is the level of
Heaven and earth.
This is the perfect Tao.

- Chuang Tzu

An instant realization
Sees endless time.
Endless time is as one moment.
When one comprehends
The endless moment
He realizes the person
Who is seeing it.

- Anonymous

eating too much cake evokes the sin of gluttony
however,
eating too much pie is okay because the sin of pi is always zero

His mind is free from all thoughts.
His demeanor is still and silent.
His forehead beams with simplicity.
He is cold as autumn,
And warm as spring,
For his joy and anger
Occur as naturally
As the four seasons.

- Chuang Tzu