Excerpt: The First Principle WHEN ONE GOES to Obaku temple in Kyoto he sees carved over the gate the words “The First Principle.” The letters are unusually large, and those who appreciate calligraphy always admire them as being a masterpiece. They were drawn by Kosen two hundred years ago. When the master drew them he did so on paper, from which workmen made the larger carving in wood. As Kosen...
Reading Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings
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