--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must all reflect on our motivations…" description: "\"“We must all reflect on our motivations with eyes wide open. Somehow before we know it, we're playing to the gallery, anxious about our popularity like..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/kodo-sawaki-37688_eyes-wide-open_we-must-all-reflect-on-our-motivations-w_1650885.png" --- # We must all reflect on our motivations with eyes wide… ![“We must all reflect on our motivations with eyes wide open. Somehow before we know it, we're playing to the gallery, anxious about our popularity like an entertainer. If our practice is performance for an audience, it cannot be Buddhadharma.” quote by Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/kodo-sawaki-37688_eyes-wide-open_we-must-all-reflect-on-our-motivations-w_1650885.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/kodo-sawaki-37688_eyes-wide-open_we-must-all-reflect-on-our-motivations-w_1650885.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/kodo-sawaki-37688_eyes-wide-open_we-must-all-reflect-on-our-motivations-w_1650885.png) > ““We must all reflect on our motivations with eyes wide open. Somehow before we know it, we're playing to the gallery, anxious about our popularity like an entertainer. If our practice is performance for an audience, it cannot be Buddhadharma.”” [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Practicing for external approval turns spiritual work into performance, losing its authentic purpose **In simple terms:** Seeking audience approval corrupts genuine practice Key Takeaway Practice for inner truth, not applause Themes spirituality authenticity ego Mood contemplative serene Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - teaching - public speaking - creative arts Key Concepts Zen Buddhism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your practice? - How can you keep focus inward? A Different Perspective Public scrutiny can still motivate growth, not always corruptive ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience Buddhadharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-buddhadharma-652785/) [Entertainer Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entertainer-practice-652789/) [Eyes wide open](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-wide-open/) [Gallery Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gallery-anxious-652788/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Motivations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivations/) [Motivations Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivations-eyes-652787/) [Reflect Motivations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflect-motivations-652786/) ## Related quotes > [Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and halfway closed there after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/keep-your-eyes-wide-open-before-marriage-and-halfway-closed-there/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep my eyes wide open all the time I keep the ends out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-keep-a-close-watch-on-this-heart-of-mine-i-keep-my-eyes-wide-open/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [“It takes me five rounds to hit the middle of the target, and when I do, a rush of energy goes through me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-takes-me-five-rounds-to-hit-the-middle-of-the-target-and-when-i-do/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Imagination has given us the steam engine, the telephone, the talking-machine, and the automobile, for these things had to be dreamed of before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/imagination-has-given-us-the-steam-engine-the-telephone-the-talking/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [Ill Keep It Hidden My world is falling, crumbling apart, life is meaningless and that's just the start My hearts so sore, I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockymills/ill-keep-it-hidden-my-world-is-falling-crumbling-apart-life-is/) [RockyMills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockymills/) > [You start out with your eyes wide open, and you've got dreams, and we worked really, really hard, and ours came true. So -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bryan/you-start-out-with-your-eyes-wide-open-and-you-ve-got-dreams-and-we/) [David Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bryan/) > [Often pagans, with their eyes wide open, do not see very clearly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-rouault/often-pagans-with-their-eyes-wide-open-do-not-see-very-clearly/) [Georges Rouault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-rouault/) > [“Imagination has brought mankind through the Dark Ages to its present state of civilization. Imagination led Columbus to discover America. Imagination led Franklin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/imagination-has-brought-mankind-through-the-dark-ages-to-its-present/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [Gossip is a plague that consumes weak, gullible people and blinds them from the truth of reality; it can devour entire city's. I prefer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-spade/gossip-is-a-plague-that-consumes-weak-gullible-people-and-blinds-them/) [David Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-spade/) > [I believe that dreams - day dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing - are likely to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/i-believe-that-dreams-day-dreams-you-know-with-your-eyes-wide-open/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [The earliest storytellers were magi, seers, bards, griots, shamans. They were, it would seem, old as time, and as terrifying to gaze upon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/the-earliest-storytellers-were-magi-seers-bards-griots-shamans-they/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [It hurts to even be breathing with tired eyes wide open, I fear my own tears and my heart of falling love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-harvey/it-hurts-to-even-be-breathing-with-tired-eyes-wide-open-i-fear-my-own/) [Natasha Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-harvey/) > [Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/keep-your-eyes-wide-open-before-marriage-half-shut-afterwards/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Eight-and-twenty years,' said I, 'I have lived, and never a ghost have I seen as yet.' The old woman sat staring hard into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/eight-and-twenty-years-said-i-i-have-lived-and-never-a-ghost-have-i/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“I watched with my eyes, tasted with my tongue, heard with my ears and felt with my fingers as my beautiful girl reached her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raine-miller/i-watched-with-my-eyes-tasted-with-my-tongue-heard-with-my-ears-and/) [Raine Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raine-miller/) ## More by Kodo Sawaki > [You don’t seek the way. The way seeks you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodo-sawaki/you-don-t-seek-the-way-the-way-seeks-you/) [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) > [To be born as a human being is a rare thing, something to be grateful for. But being born as a human being is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodo-sawaki/to-be-born-as-a-human-being-is-a-rare-thing-something-to-be-grateful/) [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) > [Satori has no beginning; practice has not end!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodo-sawaki/satori-has-no-beginning-practice-has-not-end/) [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) > [You can't even trade a single fart with the next guy. Each and every one of us has to live out his own life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodo-sawaki/you-can-t-even-trade-a-single-fart-with-the-next-guy-each-and-every/) [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) > [Religion means living your own life, completely fresh and new, without being taken in by anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodo-sawaki/religion-means-living-your-own-life-completely-fresh-and-new-without/) [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) > [We stop the one who can't cease from seeking things outside, and practice with our bodies with a posture that seeks absolutely nothing. 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It is in this giving-themselves-to-each-other that we actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodo-sawaki/heaven-and-earth-give-themselves-air-water-plants-animals-and-humans/) [Kodo Sawaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) > [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/) [Explore all 12 Kodo Sawaki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodo-sawaki/) ## More Eyes wide open quotes > [Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and halfway closed there after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/keep-your-eyes-wide-open-before-marriage-and-halfway-closed-there/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [“Eight-and-twenty years,' said I, 'I have lived, and never a ghost have I seen as yet.' The old woman sat staring hard into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/eight-and-twenty-years-said-i-i-have-lived-and-never-a-ghost-have-i/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/keep-your-eyes-wide-open-before-marriage-half-shut-afterwards/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [It hurts to even be breathing with tired eyes wide open, I fear my own tears and my heart of falling love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-harvey/it-hurts-to-even-be-breathing-with-tired-eyes-wide-open-i-fear-my-own/) [Natasha Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-harvey/) > [The earliest storytellers were magi, seers, bards, griots, shamans. They were, it would seem, old as time, and as terrifying to gaze upon as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/the-earliest-storytellers-were-magi-seers-bards-griots-shamans-they/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [I believe that dreams - day dreams, you know, with your eyes wide open and your brain machinery whizzing - are likely to lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/i-believe-that-dreams-day-dreams-you-know-with-your-eyes-wide-open/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [Gossip is a plague that consumes weak, gullible people and blinds them from the truth of reality; it can devour entire city's. I prefer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-spade/gossip-is-a-plague-that-consumes-weak-gullible-people-and-blinds-them/) [David Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-spade/) > [“Imagination has brought mankind through the Dark Ages to its present state of civilization. Imagination led Columbus to discover America. Imagination led Franklin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/imagination-has-brought-mankind-through-the-dark-ages-to-its-present/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [Often pagans, with their eyes wide open, do not see very clearly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-rouault/often-pagans-with-their-eyes-wide-open-do-not-see-very-clearly/) [Georges Rouault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-rouault/) > [You start out with your eyes wide open, and you've got dreams, and we worked really, really hard, and ours came true. So -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bryan/you-start-out-with-your-eyes-wide-open-and-you-ve-got-dreams-and-we/) [David Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bryan/) > [Ill Keep It Hidden My world is falling, crumbling apart, life is meaningless and that's just the start My hearts so sore, I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockymills/ill-keep-it-hidden-my-world-is-falling-crumbling-apart-life-is/) [RockyMills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockymills/) > [Imagination has given us the steam engine, the telephone, the talking-machine, and the automobile, for these things had to be dreamed of before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/imagination-has-given-us-the-steam-engine-the-telephone-the-talking/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [“It takes me five rounds to hit the middle of the target, and when I do, a rush of energy goes through me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/it-takes-me-five-rounds-to-hit-the-middle-of-the-target-and-when-i-do/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep my eyes wide open all the time I keep the ends out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-keep-a-close-watch-on-this-heart-of-mine-i-keep-my-eyes-wide-open/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [“I watched with my eyes, tasted with my tongue, heard with my ears and felt with my fingers as my beautiful girl reached her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raine-miller/i-watched-with-my-eyes-tasted-with-my-tongue-heard-with-my-ears-and/) [Raine Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raine-miller/) [Browse all 136 Eyes wide open quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-wide-open/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We must all reflect on our motivations with eyes wide open. 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