Ikkyu Sojun

“Like a sword, a word can wound or kill, but as long as it doesn’t touch the body, it’s not an actual weapon.”

“Every day is a good day.”

“The mind is a clear mirror, but it's covered with dust. Wipe away the dust and see your true nature.”

“My heart is a mirror, it reflects everything, but it is not attached to anything.”

“Having no destination, I am never lost.”

“Don't wait for the man to get you, go get the man.”

“A woman's sex is a direct path to enlightenment.”

“I won't die. I'll just go to another place. And you'll see me again.”

“Many paths lead from the foot of the mountain, but at the peak, we all gaze at the single moon.”

“If you are a master of your own mind, you are a master of everything.”

“Look at the cherry blossoms! Their color and scent fall with them, are gone forever, yet mindless.”

“Born like a dream, our life is a dream. We are born, we die; the dream is the same.”

“Study the teachings of the pine, the bamboo, and the plum blossom. The pine is evergreen, the bamboo is strong and flexible, and the plum blossom is fragrant and pure.”

“Break the mirror, and you will see your true face.”

“The rain has stopped, the clouds have drifted away, and the sky is clear again. If your heart is pure, then all things in your world are pure.”