Not the wind, not the flag. Your mind is moving.

What it means

Two monks argued over whether the flag or the wind was moving. Huineng pointed them back to the one thing they had overlooked. Much of what disturbs us is happening in the watcher.

The source

"Not the wind, not the flag. Your mind is moving." Huineng said it in Wumenguan 29 (also in the Platform Sutra). Translated from the original Chinese by Spartan Surfers.

"祖云。不是風動不是幡動。仁者心動。"

Original Chinese, Wumenguan 29 (also in the Platform Sutra). Text read at zh.wikisource.org.

Who said it

The Zen masters (6th–13th century). Bodhidharma, Huineng, Linji, Zhaozhou, Yunmen, Wumen and Dogen: the Chan and Zen teachers whose sayings, koans and records shaped the school of sudden awakening. Our lines are translated from the Chinese and Japanese originals.

Questions

What does "Not the wind, not the flag. Your mind is moving." mean?

Two monks argued over whether the flag or the wind was moving. Huineng pointed them back to the one thing they had overlooked. Much of what disturbs us is happening in the watcher.

Who said "Not the wind, not the flag. Your mind is moving."?

Huineng (6th–13th century). Source: Wumenguan 29 (also in the Platform Sutra).

What is the original Chinese?

祖云。不是風動不是幡動。仁者心動。. Translated from the original Chinese by Spartan Surfers.

Is "Not the wind, not the flag. Your mind is moving." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Not the wind, not the flag. Your mind is moving." (Huineng, Wumenguan 29 (also in the Platform Sutra), translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/not-the-wind-not-the-flag-your-mind