When you do not realize that you are one with the river, or one with the universe, you have fear. Whether it is separated into drops or not, water is water. Our life and death are the same thing. When we realize this fact, we have no fear of death anymore.

It is not after we understand the truth that we attain enlightenment. To realize the truth is to live - to exist here and now.

When you sit in the full lotus position, your left foot is on your right thigh and your right foot is on your left thigh. When we cross our legs like this, even though we have a right leg and a left leg, they become one. The position expresses the oneness of duality: not two and not one. This is the most important teaching: not two, and not one. Our body and mind are not two and not one. If you think your body and mind are two, that is wrong; if you think that they are one, that is also wrong. Our body and mind are both two and one.

For Zen students a weed is a treasure. With this attitude, whatever you do, life becomes an art.

Time goes from present to past.

Life is like stepping onto a boat which is about to sail out to sea and sink.

You may say that things happen just by chance, but I don't feel that way.