Hojoki: Ten Foot Square House

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.

Reality depends upon your mind alone.[34] If your mind is not at peace what use are riches?

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?

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.

Then, pilgrim, turn, thy cares forego; All earth-born cares are wrong: Man wants but little here below, Nor wants that little long.

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

Using others is a sin. Why should I wish to use another?

Has your discerning mind just served to drive you mad?

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?

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?