Hojoki Quotes

“The flow of the river is ceaseless; and its water is never the same.
The foam that floats in the pools
Now gathering, now vanishing
Never lasts long. So it is with man
and all his dwelling places on this earth.”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Notebook of a Ten-Square Rush Mat Sized World

“Reality depends upon your mind alone.[34] If your mind is not at peace what use are riches?”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World

“Men of means have much to fear. Those with none know only bitterness. If you entrust yourself to the care of others you will be owned by them. If you care for others you will be enslaved by your own solicitude. If you conform to the world it will bind you hand and foot. If you do not, then it will think you mad. And so the question, where should we live? And how? Where to find a place to rest a while? And how to bring even short-lived peace to our hearts?”
― Kamo no Chomei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World

“The flowing river
never stops
and yet the water
never stays the same.

Foam floats
upon the pools,
scattering, re-forming,
never lingering long.

So it is with man
and all his dwelling places
here on earth”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World

“Then, pilgrim, turn, thy cares forego; All earth-born cares are wrong: Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long.”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Natsume Soseki's English Translation of Hojoki

“The cloud-capp’d towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve. And like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff As dreams are made on and our little life Is rounded with a sleep.”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Natsume Soseki's English Translation of Hojoki

“Using others is a sin.
Why should I wish
to use another?”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World

“Reality depends upon your mind alone.[34]”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World

“Has your discerning mind
just served to drive you mad?”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World

“In their friends
people like to see a certain affluence
in their ready smile

They seldom care for
warmth and truthfulness.

So why not find your friends
in song and nature?”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World

“Aquel que busca ayuda se convierte en esclavo y el que se da a los demás queda prisionero de su propio afecto, El que acata las reglas de este mundo sufre en consecuencia, pero el que no lo hace se nos presenta como un loco. Donde sea que vivamos y hagamos lo que hagamos, ¿es posible acaso que por un solo instante hallemos cómo descansar nuestro cuerpo y cómo apaciguar nuestro corazón?”
― Kamo no Chômei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World

“Ei kukaan voi omistaa kaunista näkymää eikä mikään estä siitä iloitsemista.”
― Kamo no Chōmei, Hojoki: Visions of a Torn World