Yoshida Kenkō: Doing

Yoshida Kenkō was japanese writer. Explore interesting quotes on doing.
Yoshida Kenkō: 62   quotes 2   likes

“A bystander… remarked, '… One day of life is weightier than ten thousand pieces of gold…. It is not because they do not fear death, but because they forget the nearness of death that men do not rejoice in life. One may say that he has grasped the true principle who is unconcerned with the manifestation of life or death.' When he said this people scoffed at him more than ever.”

Yoshida Kenkō

Source: Tsurezure-Gusa (Essays in Idleness), p. 93

Life , Death , Men , People

“A man who would be a success the world must first of all be a judge of moods, for untimely speeches will offend the ears and hurt the feelings of others, and so fail in their purpose. He has to beware of such occasions.
But falling sick and bearing children and dying — these things take no account of moods. They do not cease because they are untimely. The shifting changes of birth, life, sickness, and death, the real great matters — these are like the surging flow of a fierce torrent, which delays not for an instant but straightway pursues its course.
And so, for both priest and layman, there must be no talk of moods in things they must needs accomplish. They must be free from this care and that, they must not let their feet linger.”

Yoshida Kenkō

Tsurezure-Gusa (Essays in Idleness)

Life , Death , Children , World

“Action and principle are fundamentally the same. If the outstanding appearances do not offend, the inward reality is certain to mature. We should not insist on our unbelief, but honour and respect these things”

Yoshida Kenkō

i.e., religion
Tsurezure-Gusa (Essays in Idleness)

Religion , Reality , Appearance

“The hour of death waits for no order. Death does not even come from the front. It is ever pressing on from behind. All men know of death, but they do not expect it of a sudden, and it comes upon them unawares. So, though the dry flats extend far out, soon the tide comes and floods the beach.”

Yoshida Kenkō

155b
Tsurezure-Gusa (Essays in Idleness)

Death , Men , Waiting

“Why is it so hard to do a thing Now, at the moment when one thinks of it.”

Yoshida Kenkō

Source: Tsurezure-Gusa (Essays in Idleness), p. 92

Thinking

“To while away the idle hours, seated the livelong day before the inkslab, by jotting down without order or purpose whatever trifling thoughts pass through my mind, truely this is a queer and crazy thing to do!”

Yoshida Kenkō

Tsurezure-Gusa (Essays in Idleness)

“Leave undone whatever you hesitate to do.”

Yoshida Kenkō

One of the sayings of the venerable sages, called Ichigon Hödan.
Tsurezure-Gusa (Essays in Idleness)