禅Kobun Chino Otogawa

proverb

Archery Without Arrow

Modern

Traditionally attributed

Text

Draw the bow without an arrow. The bow is heaviest then. After many drawings, the bow becomes part of the arm; only then is the arrow placed.

tr. Zen Lineage editorial

license: cc_by

Attribution

Lineage: Sōtō

By Kobun Chino Otogawa

Sources

  • contentCrooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki

    David Chadwick

No per-field confidence has been recorded for this teaching yet. Treat individual claims with the caution appropriate to the source list below.

Attribution status: traditional — see editorial policy for what this means.

1 supporting citation on record (see Sources above).

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