I don't tell the murky world to turn pure. I purify myself and check my reflection in the water of the valley brook. - Ryōkan

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I don't tell the murky world
to turn pure.
I purify myself
and check my reflection
in the water of the valley brook.

English
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About Ryōkan

Ryōkan (1758–1831) was an eccentric Sōtō Zen Buddhist monk who lived in Echigo, Japan, as a hermit, most famous for his poetry and calligraphy.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Alternative Names: Ryokan • Ryoukan
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Additional quotes by Ryōkan

Too lazy to be ambitious,
I let the world take care of itself.
Ten days' worth of rice in my bag;
a bundle of twigs by the fireplace.
Why chatter about delusion and enlightenment?
Listening to the night rain on my roof,
I sit comfortably, with both legs stretched out.
poetry poems buddhism buddhist hermit philosophy japan monk ryokan seers zen zen-monk poem philosophers japanese
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