“South of Mount Sumeru
Who understands my Zen?
Call Master Kido over-
He's not worth a cent.”
Ikkyu (1394–1481) Japanese Buddhist monk
Lucien Stryk. Encounter with Zen: writings on poetry and Zen, 1981. p. 66.
Japanese Death Poems. Compiled by Yoel Hoffmann. ISBN 978-0-8048-3179-6
“South of Mount Sumeru
Who understands my Zen?
Call Master Kido over-
He's not worth a cent.”
Ikkyu (1394–1481) Japanese Buddhist monk
Lucien Stryk. Encounter with Zen: writings on poetry and Zen, 1981. p. 66.
Philip Kapleau (1912–2004) American Zen Buddhist monk
Zen: Dawn in the West (Garden City, NY: Anchor Books, 1980), p. 83.
Japanese Death Poems. Compiled by Yoel Hoffmann. ISBN 978-0-8048-3179-6; Quoted in: Lawrence Winkler. Samurai Road. 2016. p. 25
Novalis (1772–1801) German poet and writer
Pupils at Sais (1799)
Context: No one, of a surety, wanders farther from the mark than he who fancies to himself that he already understands this marvellous Kingdom, and can, in few words, fathom its constitution, and everywhere find the right path. To no one, who has broken off, and made himself an Island, will insight rise of itself, nor even without toilsome effort. Only to children, or childlike men, who know not what they do, can this happen. Long, unwearied intercourse, free and wise Contemplation, attention to faint tokens and indications; an inward poet-life, practised senses, a simple and devout spirit: these are the essential requisites of a true Friend of Nature; without these no one can attain his wish.
“He that would govern others, first should be the master of himself.”
The Bondman (1623), Act I, scene iii http://books.google.com/books?id=K0cNAQAAMAAJ&q=%22He+that+would+govern+others+first+should+be+the+master+of+himself%22&pg=PA193#v=onepage.
P. L. Travers (1899–1996) Australian-British novelist, actress and journalist
The Paris Review interview (1982)
Context: My Zen master, because I’ve studied Zen for a long time, told me that every one (and all the stories weren’t written then) of the Mary Poppins stories is in essence a Zen story. And someone else, who is a bit of a Don Juan, told me that every one of the stories is a moment of tremendous sexual passion, because it begins with such tension and then it is reconciled and resolved in a way that is gloriously sensual. … A great friend of mine at the beginning of our friendship (he was himself a poet) said to me very defiantly, “I have to tell you that I loathe children’s books.” And I said to him, “Well, won’t you just read this just for my sake?” And he said grumpily, “Oh, very well, send it to me.” I did, and I got a letter back saying: “Why didn’t you tell me? Mary Poppins with her cool green core of sex has me enthralled forever.”
Napoleon I of France (1769–1821) French general, First Consul and later Emperor of the French
Napoleon : In His Own Words (1916)
“He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.”
Laozi (-604) semi-legendary Chinese figure, attributed to the 6th century, regarded as the author of the Tao Te Ching and fou…
Variant: He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty.