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.
I am my own best friend and my own worst enemy. Before coming here, I was thinking I don't deserve it, that i wouldn't be able to meet your expectations, and that you had probably chosen the wrong candidate. At the same time, my heart was telling me that i was being rewarded because i hadn't given up and had fought to the end
Greatness is always built on this foundation: the ability to appear, speak and act, as the most common man.
I need silence, and to be alone and to go out, and to save one hour to consider what has happened to my world, what death has done to my world.
That which neither weapon nor flame could accomplish will be achieved by a sweet speaking tongue in council.
I met Tiger Woods when he was younger. He's amazing - obviously technically, but his mental approach, too. He's really something.
It's possible to take that as a personal metaphor and then multiply it to a people, a race, a sex, a time. If we can keep this thing going long enough, if we can survive and teach what we know, we'll make it.
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