People are born soft and supple.
Dead, they are stiff and hard.
Plants are born tender and pliant.
Dead, they are brittle and dry.
Thus whomever is stiff and inflexible
Is a disciple of death.
Whomever is soft and yielding
Is a disciple of life.
The hard and stiff will be broken.
The soft and supple will prevail.

~As transcribed from the Tao Te Ching

Empty-handed I entered the world

Barefoot I leave it.

My coming, my going --

Two simple happenings

That got entangled.

~Kozan Ichikyo, died February 12, 1360, at age 77

No one travels
Along this way but I,
This autumn evening.

Blow if you will,
Fall wind...the flowers,
Have already faded.

Autumn waters
Of this world wake me
From my drunkenness.

-Enryo