Training of the Zen Buddhist Monk

"The fire of transiency burns everything in the world, and the robbers of the passions are stealthily looking for every chance to take hold of your inner treasure.

Unless you reflect within and strive hard to realise the truth of it, the mere learning of so many Sūtras will be of no real avail to your spiritual welfare. It is like the birds chirruping in the springtime and the insects singing in the autumn nights— they all have no meaning beyond mere making noise. The sutra-reading ought not to be like this. When your study is not yet in complete tune with the truth, it may add to your reputation as a learned scholar or an eloquent speaker. However much you may excel in this, it is like painting your dirt-carrier in vermillion

With those who aspire to denote themselves to the attainment and realisation of things of the highest value in life, how can they think of shrinking before a certain measure of discipline?

from another point of view, sleep is indicative of peace and contentment

only prayer is to be firm in my determination to pursue the study of Truth, so that I may not feel weary however long I have to apply myself to it; to be light and easy in the four parts of my body; to be strong and undismayed in body and mind, to be free from illnesses,

Zendo life may be roughly analysed into (1) life of humility, (2) life of labour, (3) life of service, (4) life of prayer and gratitude, and (5) life of meditation

Dōjō which is the "seat of perfect wisdom" (bodhimanda)

the rise of Bushidō—the Warrior's Way—is co-incident with the spread of Zen among the warrior class.

The point was, however, not to understand what came to them from the outside, but to awaken what lies within themselves.

The teaching of the Prajñāparamita is no other than the doctrine of Śūnyātā, and this is to be briefly explained. Śūnyātā which is here translated "emptiness