Study the Way: study yourself. Study yourself: forget yourself.

What it means

Dogen says the path leads inward, and the deeper you look the less there is to hold onto. Knowing yourself ends in letting yourself go. Self-study done properly makes you lighter, not heavier.

The source

"Study the Way: study yourself. Study yourself: forget yourself." Dogen said it in Shōbōgenzō, Genjōkōan. Translated from the original Japanese by Spartan Surfers.

"佛道をならふといふは、自己をならふなり。自己をならふといふは、自己をわするるなり。"

Original Japanese, Shōbōgenzō, Genjōkōan. Text read at sotozen.com.

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 "Study the Way: study yourself. Study yourself: forget yourself." mean?

Dogen says the path leads inward, and the deeper you look the less there is to hold onto. Knowing yourself ends in letting yourself go. Self-study done properly makes you lighter, not heavier.

Who said "Study the Way: study yourself. Study yourself: forget yourself."?

Dogen (6th–13th century). Source: Shōbōgenzō, Genjōkōan.

What is the original Japanese?

佛道をならふといふは、自己をならふなり。自己をならふといふは、自己をわするるなり。. Translated from the original Japanese by Spartan Surfers.

Is "Study the Way: study yourself. Study yourself: forget yourself." on a shirt?

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

"Study the Way: study yourself. Study yourself: forget yourself." (Dogen, Shōbōgenzō, Genjōkōan, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/study-the-way-study-yourself-study-yourself-forget