--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In doing zazen it is desirable to have a…" description: "\"In doing zazen it is desirable to have a quiet room. You should be temperate in eating and drinking, forsaking all delusive relationships. Setting ever..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/dogen-2979_becoming_in-doing-zazen-it-is-desirable-to-have-a_2990995.jpg" --- # In doing zazen it is desirable to have a quiet room. You… ![“In doing zazen it is desirable to have a quiet room. You should be temperate in eating and drinking, forsaking all delusive relationships. Setting everything aside, think of neither good nor evil, right nor wrong. Thus having stopped the various functions of your mind, five up even the idea of…” quote by Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/dogen-2979_becoming_in-doing-zazen-it-is-desirable-to-have-a_2990995.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/dogen-2979_becoming_in-doing-zazen-it-is-desirable-to-have-a_2990995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/dogen-2979_becoming_in-doing-zazen-it-is-desirable-to-have-a_2990995.jpg) > “In doing zazen it is desirable to have a quiet room. You should be temperate in eating and drinking, forsaking all delusive relationships. Setting everything aside, think of neither good nor evil, right nor wrong. Thus having stopped the various functions of your mind, five up even the idea of becoming a Buddha.” [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A quiet environment and moderation in consumption help calm the mind, allowing one to let go of judgments and the desire for enlightenment. **In simple terms:** Quiet space and moderation quiet the mind. Key Takeaway Practice restraint and mindfulness. Themes mindfulness moderation spirituality Mood calm reflective Type instructional philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - daily routine - stress reduction - spiritual practice Key Concepts Zen non-dualism emptiness Questions to Reflect On - How can you maintain equanimity in daily life? - What habits distract your mind? A Different Perspective Even with calm, attachment to outcomes can arise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Buddhism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddhism/) [Desirable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desirable/) [Doing Zazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-zazen-4507427/) [Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Eating and drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-and-drinking/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Idea Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-buddha-3260640/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Quiet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet/) [Quiet room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-room/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Setting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/setting/) [Settings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settings/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) [Zazen Desirable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zazen-desirable-4701185/) ## Related quotes > [No matter how many years you sit doing zazen, you will never become anything special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodo-sawaki/no-matter-how-many-years-you-sit-doing-zazen-you-will-never-become/) [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) > [The idea of buddha mind is not purely a concept or a theoretical, metaphysical idea. It is something extremely real that we can experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/the-idea-of-buddha-mind-is-not-purely-a-concept-or-a-theoretical/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [“If you remember even a name of Buddha, it would deprive you of purity of heart." The conventional or orthodox idea of Buddha or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/if-you-remember-even-a-name-of-buddha-it-would-deprive-you-of-purity/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [The activities of drawing, eating and drinking, all involve assimilations by the self of desirable elements from the world, a transfer of goodness from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-activities-of-drawing-eating-and-drinking-all-involve/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Set aside all involvements and let the myriad things rest. Zazen is not thinking of good, not thinking of bad. It is not conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/set-aside-all-involvements-and-let-the-myriad-things-rest-zazen-is/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [So there are cakes and pillows and colors galore, but underneath this more obvious patchwork quilt are places like a quiet room where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/so-there-are-cakes-and-pillows-and-colors-galore-but-underneath-this-2/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [If you asked everybody in a quiet room what they think, they'd say, 'What does the NCAA do really well? We run championships really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-r-hill/if-you-asked-everybody-in-a-quiet-room-what-they-think-they-d-say/) [Christopher R. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-r-hill/) > [My friends and I had fun together, but I was more reserved, not at all the life of the party. I would just be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/my-friends-and-i-had-fun-together-but-i-was-more-reserved-not-at-all/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [“It was quiet in the room. Only the clock ticked on in the remorseless, mechanical minutes that men have made for themselves to measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dick/it-was-quiet-in-the-room-only-the-clock-ticked-on-in-the-remorseless/) [R.A. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dick/) > [Acceptance is a small quiet room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/acceptance-is-a-small-quiet-room/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Its so nice sitting in the quiet room every day, nobody hearing how my heart breaks away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-so-nice-sitting-in-the-quiet-room-every-day-nobody-hearing-how-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-frye/do-not-stand-at-my-grave-and-weep-do-not-stand-at-my-grave-and-weep-i/) [Mary Elizabeth Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-frye/) > [Anyone can see that to write Uncle Tom's Cabin on the knee in the kitchen, with constant calls to cooking and other details of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-garlin-spencer/anyone-can-see-that-to-write-uncle-tom-s-cabin-on-the-knee-in-the/) [Anna Garlin Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-garlin-spencer/) > [“You sound like a nice man,” the woman said. “Do I? Well, that’s nice of you to say.” He knew he should hang up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/you-sound-like-a-nice-man-the-woman-said-do-i-well-that-s-nice-of-you/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [You will not find a soulmate in the quiet of your room. You must go to a noisy place and look in the quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/you-will-not-find-a-soulmate-in-the-quiet-of-your-room-you-must-go-to/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) ## More by Dogen > [The whole moon and the entire sky are reflected in one dewdrop on the grass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/the-whole-moon-and-the-entire-sky-are-reflected-in-one-dewdrop-on-the/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [When a buddha is painted, not only a clay altar or lump of earth is used, but the thirty-two marks, a blade of grass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/when-a-buddha-is-painted-not-only-a-clay-altar-or-lump-of-earth-is/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Just as parents care for their children, you should bear in mind the whole universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/just-as-parents-care-for-their-children-you-should-bear-in-mind-the/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Yet you must not cling to the words of the old sages either; they, too, may not be right. Even if you believe them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/yet-you-must-not-cling-to-the-words-of-the-old-sages-either-they-too/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Set aside all involvements and let the myriad things rest. Zazen is not thinking of good, not thinking of bad. It is not conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/set-aside-all-involvements-and-let-the-myriad-things-rest-zazen-is/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Though it has no thought of keeping watch, it's not for naught that the scarecrow stands in the grain field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/though-it-has-no-thought-of-keeping-watch-it-s-not-for-naught-that/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Continuous practice, day after day, is the most appropriate way of expressing gratitude. This means that you practice continuously, without wasting a single day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/continuous-practice-day-after-day-is-the-most-appropriate-way-of/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Whenever learners or those beyond learning awaken the mind, for the first time they plant one buddha-nature. Working with the four elements and five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/whenever-learners-or-those-beyond-learning-awaken-the-mind-for-the/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [“If you are unable to find the truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/if-you-are-unable-to-find-the-truth-right-where-you-are-where-else-do/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Realization doesn't destroy the individual any more than the reflection of the moon breaks a drop of water. A drop of water can reflect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/realization-doesn-t-destroy-the-individual-any-more-than-the/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [“If you attain unsurpassable, complete enlightenment, all sentient beings also attain it. The reason is that all sentient beings are aspects of enlightenment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/if-you-attain-unsurpassable-complete-enlightenment-all-sentient/) [Dōgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/to-study-the-way-is-to-study-the-self-to-study-the-self-is-to-forget/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [“Every man possesses the Buddha-nature. Do not demean yourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/every-man-possesses-the-buddha-nature-do-not-demean-yourselves/) [Dōgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Because mountains are high and broad, the way of riding the clouds is always reached in the mountains; the inconceivable power of soaring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/because-mountains-are-high-and-broad-the-way-of-riding-the-clouds-is/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [Working with plants, trees, fences and walls, if they practice sincerely they will attain enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/working-with-plants-trees-fences-and-walls-if-they-practice-sincerely/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) [Explore all 143 Dogen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) ## More Becoming quotes > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. 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