Great Throughts Treasury
This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.
Haku'un Ryoko Yasutani, aka Yasutani Roshi
Japanese Zen Master, Founder of the Sanbo Kyodan Zen Buddhist Organization, First abbot of the Sanbō Kyōdan (Fellowship of the Three Treasures)
"The fundamental delusion of humanity is to supposed that I am here and you are out there."
"These days many voices proclaim the sanctity of human life. Human life should of course be valued highly, but at the same time the lives of other living beings should also be treasured. Human beings snatch away the lives of other creatures whenever it suits their purposes. The way of thinking that encourages this behavior arises from a specifically human brand of violence that defiles the self-evident laws of the universe, opposes the growth of the myriad things in nature, and destroys feelings of compassion and reverence arising from our Buddha-nature. In view of such needless destruction of life, it is essential that laymen and monks together conscientiously uphold this precept."
"Unless you can explain Zen in words that a fisherman will comprehend, you don’t know what you’re talking about. "