A courtyard full of Zen, with a tranquil design that soothes the soul

A rural Zen courtyard, a dwelling hidden in the countryside,

a Zen life hidden in the mundane world.

- Zen courtyard-

The most beautiful rural Zen space,

is a quiet dialogue with the natural things in the space.

One flower, one world; one tree, one fleeting life;

one blade of grass, one paradise; one leaf, one Buddha;

one grain of sand, one Pure Land; one place, one pure realm;

one smile, one worldly tie; one thought, one moment of calm;

every natural thing is deeply imbued with Zen.

Crystal clear to the bottom, like a mirror. Flowing through the woods, dripping down.

Like the mind: still, awakened, flawless.

Our hearts can be as simple as this,

nimble as water, generous as the woods.

Only with a bamboo heart can one attain Zen; beyond the bamboo, cut off the source of thought.

How can the mind be grasped? In a single moment with the bamboo.

Bamboo is noble and pure, with the bearing of a gentleman, carrying the meaning of the righteous path.

Where there is a bamboo grove, there is a place of stillness, carrying the meaning of cultivating the self and nurturing one's nature.

Stone is especially close to Zen.

People believe there is Zen in stone, and that appreciating stones can awaken Zen,

valuing their plainness, calmness and steadiness,

and admiring their harmony, tranquility and naturalness.

"See one's true nature and directly point to the original mind,"

the flower that "blooms to reveal Buddha-nature" is the lotus,

the lotus emerges from mud yet remains unstained, in its holy purity,

symbolizing detachment from the mortal world, with the four elements all empty.

The Zen spirit of a dwelling represents a realm beyond the worldly and the ordinary,

plain and pure.

Perhaps a simple ornament, or an open window,

or a poetic landscape painting...,

everything lies in naturalness, balance and effortlessness.

May we all,

find our true selves in life

Source: internet

Compiled by Minsuke

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