The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the experts, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all possibilities.

If you try to observe the precepts, that is not true observation of precepts. When you observe the precepts without trying to observe the precepts, that is true observation of the precepts.

Life without zazen is like winding your clock without setting it. It runs perfectly well, but it dosen't tell time.

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

Our way is to practice one step at a time, one breath at a time, with no gaining idea.

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

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.