Empty-Handed, I Hold the Hoe

Text

Empty-handed, I hold the hoe. Walking, I ride the water buffalo. Crossing the bridge— the bridge flows, the water stands still.

license: public_domain

Attribution

• Attributed To
  Mahasattva Fu

Lineage: Indian Patriarchs

By Shakyamuni Buddha

• Buddha Twirls a Flowerkoan
• The Girl Comes Out From Meditationkoan
• The Finger Pointing at the Moonproverb
• Sitting Quietly, Spring Comesproverb
• When Hungry, Eatproverb

From Traditional Zen Proverbs

• Landscape of Spring
• Entering the Forest
• Bamboo Shadows
• Scoop Up Water
• Wild Geese Reflection
• A Thousand Mountains
• Ride Your Horse
• Cast Off What Has Been Realized
• Blue Mountains
• Dense Bamboo Forest

Sources

• contentWikisource — English-language free library

  Attributed to Mahasattva Fu; Zenrin Kushu

  Traditional Zen Proverbs: Empty-Handed, I Hold the Hoe