Zen Quotes on Simplicity & the Ordinary Life
12 real, sourced lines — every attribution checked
Zen keeps insisting that the ordinary is enough — the tea, the firewood, the unswept path. Lines in praise of a simpler day.
The quotes
“Smile, breathe, and go slowly.”
“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.”
“No mud, no lotus.”
“The most important thing is to find out what is the most important thing.”
“Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.”
“Take care of things, and they will take care of you.”
“People neglect the root and pay attention to the branches.”
— Huang Po
“The more you talk and think about it, the further astray you wander from the truth.”
— Sengcan
“When you're hungry, eat. When you're tired, sleep.”
“When it's time to get dressed, put on your clothes. When you must walk, then walk. When you must sit, then sit.”
“Every day is a good day.”
“If you want to find the meaning, stop chasing after so many things.”
— Ryokan
More themes
Letting GoImpermanence & Changethe Present MomentInner PeaceStillness & SilenceAcceptanceAll themes →
One teaching like this each morning — and Mu, a companion who remembers your path.
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