Concentration comes not from trying hard to focus on something, but from keeping your mind open and directing it at nothing.

We should not be just a fan of dragons; we should always be the dragon himself. Then we will not be afraid of any dragon.

In the beginner's mind there is no thought, "I have attained something." All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. When we have no thought of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can really learn something. The beginner's mind is the mind of compassion. When our mind is compassionate, it is boundless. Dogen-zenji, the founder of our school, always emphasized how important it is to resume our boundless original mind. Then we are always true to ourselves, in sympathy with all beings, and can actually practice.

Big mind is something to express, not something to figure out. Big mind is something you have, not something to seek for.

Even though you try to put people under control, it is impossible. You cannot do it. The best way to control people is to encourage them to be mischievous. Then they will be in control in a wider sense. To give your sheep or cow a large spacious meadow is the way to control him. So it is with people: first let them do what they want, and watch them. This is the best policy. To ignore them is not good. That is the worst policy. The second worst is trying to control them. The best one is to watch them, just to watch them, without trying to control them.

If you think you will get something from practicing zazen, already you are involved in impure practice.

You will always exist in the universe in one form or another.