Nothing special. Get dressed, eat, and when you're tired, lie down.

What it means

Linji says there is no special effort in the Way: just ordinary life, including the bathroom, done without fuss. Fools laugh, he adds, but the wise understand. Stop straining and live the plain day well.

The source

"Nothing special. Get dressed, eat, and when you're tired, lie down." Linji said it in Record of Linji, instructing the assembly. Translated from the original Chinese by Spartan Surfers.

"佛法無用功處，秖是平常無事——屙屎、送尿、著衣、喫飯、困來即臥"

Original Chinese, Record of Linji, instructing the assembly. 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 "Nothing special. Get dressed, eat, and when you're tired, lie down." mean?

Linji says there is no special effort in the Way: just ordinary life, including the bathroom, done without fuss. Fools laugh, he adds, but the wise understand. Stop straining and live the plain day well.

Who said "Nothing special. Get dressed, eat, and when you're tired, lie down."?

Linji (6th–13th century). Source: Record of Linji, instructing the assembly.

What is the original Chinese?

佛法無用功處，秖是平常無事——屙屎、送尿、著衣、喫飯、困來即臥. Translated from the original Chinese by Spartan Surfers.

Is "Nothing special. Get dressed, eat, and when you're tired, lie down." on a shirt?

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

"Nothing special. Get dressed, eat, and when you're tired, lie down." (Linji, Record of Linji, instructing the assembly, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/nothing-special-get-dressed-eat-and-when-youre