«In the Kamigata area they have a sort of tiered lunch box they use for a single day when flower viewing. Upon returning, they throw them away, trampling them underfoot. [...] The end is important in all things.»

~

Im Richtigen Moment loslassen können.

«A certain person said the following.
There are two kinds of dispositions, inward and outward, and a person who is lacking in one or the other is worthless. It is, for example, like the blade of a sword, which one should sharpen well and then put in its scabbard, periodically taking it out and knitting one’s eyebrows as in an attack, wiping off the blade, and then placing it in its scabbard again.
If a person has his sword out all the time, he is habitually swinging a naked blade; people will not approach him and he will have no allies.
If a sword is always sheathed, it will become rusty, the blade will dull, and people will think as much of its owner.»

~

Ein sehr schönes sprachliches Bild. Die Balance steht hinter allen Dingen. Auch wenn extreme Lösungen; extreme Verhaltensweisen angebracht scheinen, sind sie es langfristig nicht.

«Until one reaches the age of forty it is better to put off wisdom and discrimination and excel in vitality. According to the person and the rank, though a person has passed the age of forty, if he has no vitality, he will get no response from others.»

«The proper manner of calligraphy is nothing other than not being careless, but in this way one’s writing will simply be sluggish and stiff. One should go beyond this and depart from the norm. This principle applies to all things.»

~

Die eigenen Ziele scharf im Auge behalten, Ablenkung vermeiden, einen Fokus aufbauen und aufrechterhalten. Die Kunst dabei ist nun die Spannung nur dort zu halten wo sie nötig ist. Die anderen Bereiche des Geistes können sich frei bewegen; aus Quellen schöpfen, die sonst verborgen oder unerreichbar wären. So wendet man sich von der reinen Pflicherfüllung zur Ausübung einer Kunst.

«It is difficult for a fool’s habits to change to selflessness. In confronting a matter, however, if at first you leave it alone, fix the four vows in your heart, exclude self-interest, and make an effort, you will not go far from your mark.»