When one goes to Obaku temple in Kyoto he sees carved over the gate the words \u201cThe First Principle.\u201d The letters are unusually large, and those who appreciate calligraphy always admire them as being a masterpiece. They were drawn by Kosen two hundred years ago.<\/p>\n
When the master drew them he did so on paper, from which workmen made the larger carving in wood. As Kosen sketched the letters a bold pupil was with him who had made several gallons of ink for the calligraphy and who never failed to criticize his master\u2019s work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not good,\u201d he told Kosen after the first effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow is that one?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPoor. Worse than before,\u201d pronounced the pupil.<\/p>\n
Kosen patiently wrote one sheet after another until eighty-four First Principles had been accumulated, still without the approval of the pupil.<\/p>\n
Then, when the young man stepped outside for a few moments, Kosen thought: \u201cNow is my chance to escape his keen eye,\u201d and he wrote hurridly, with a mind free from disctraction. \u201cThe First Principle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA masterpiece,\u201d pronounced the pupil.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The First Principle When one goes to Obaku temple in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12749],"tags":[1367,421,1733,1235,2535,654,653,8410,87,8412,276,705,1540,5108,617,1537,1538,5194,1180,1536,7195,11969,1542,147,10288,3414],"class_list":["post-9450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tumblr","tag-awareness","tag-buddha","tag-buddism","tag-consciousness","tag-dharma","tag-happiness","tag-happy","tag-healthy","tag-inspiration","tag-knowthyself","tag-meditation","tag-mind","tag-mindfulness","tag-mood","tag-quotes","tag-selfawareness","tag-selfrealization","tag-sincere","tag-soul","tag-sunday","tag-sundaydharma","tag-the-first-principle","tag-trueself","tag-zen","tag-zenquotes","tag-zenstory"],"yoast_head":"\n