Ryōkan Quotes

The water of the valley stream Never shouts at the tainted world: “Purify yourself!” But naturally, as it is, Shows how it is done.

The flower invites the butterfly with no-mind;
The butterfly visits the flower with no-mind.
The flower opens, the butterfly comes;
The butterfly comes, the flower opens.
I don't know others,
Others don't know me.
By not-knowing we follow nature's course

In this world of dreams, drifting off still more; and once again speaking and dreaming of dreams. Just let it be.

What shall I compare
Your precious letter in early spring to?
All the jewels and gold
Lose their color.
雨が下に
満つる玉より
黄金より
春の初めの
君が音づれ

See and realize that this world is not permanent. Neither late nor early flowers will remain.

When? When?
How eagerly I've been waiting.
Now that you are here
What more do I want?

Je ne sais pourquoi
Mon cœur est inquiet ;
Il m'empêche de dormir ;
Demain,
C'est le printemps !

In the scenery of spring, nothing is better, nothing worse; The flowering branches are of themselves, some short, some long.

He never preached or exhorted, but his life radiated purity and joy, he was a living sermon.

I don't regard my life
as insufficient.
Inside the brushwood gate
there is a moon;
there are flowers.

Someday I'll be a weather-beaten skull resting on a grass pillow,
Serenaded by a stray bird or two.
Kings and commoners end up the same,
No more enduring than last night's dream.

The rain has stopped, the clouds have drifted away,and the weather is clear again. If your heart is pure, then all things in your world are pure... Then the moon and flowers will guide you along the Way

The thief left it behind:
the moon
at my window.

I must go there today -
Tomorrow the plum blossoms
Will scatter.

It's a pity, a gentleman in refined retirement composing poetry: He models his work on the classic verse of China. And his poems are elegant, full of fine phrases. But if you don't write of things deep in your own heart, What's the use of churning out so many words?