To know the ten thousand things,
know one well
Miyamoto Musashi, 1584 – 1645, The Book of Five Rings
When you really face the fact that there is nowhere to go and no choice, then you enter your situation completely.
Your mind does not keep saying “Well maybe I’ll do this, maybe I’ll do that”
There is no choice. There is only this moment, moment by moment by moment by moment.
At that point, you can open to the simplicity of your being and of your connection with others.
From that, clear action is possible, compassionate meeting is possible.
Wu Kwang, Zen teacher
Same understanding as yesterday’s quote, but from the Western tradition
I have spoken at times of a light in the deepest self,
a light that is uncreated and uncreatable,
and to the extent that we can turn away from created things, we shall find our unity and blessing in that little spark,
which neither space nor time touches.
Meister Eckhart

From the beginning, we all have a clear, wondrously bright field.
The many lifetimes of misunderstanding come only from distrust, hindrance, and the screens of confusion that we create.
Having turned yourself around, accept your situation;
if you set foot on the path, spiritual energy will marvellously carry you forward.
Contact all phenomena with total sincerity, with not a single atom of dust from outside yourself.
Hongzhi Zhengjue 1091-1157, Chan master, The Misunderstanding of Many Lifetimes