Eugen Herrigel
Eugen Herrigel
Eugen Herrigelwas a German philosopher who taught philosophy at Tohoku Imperial University in Sendai, Japan, from 1924 to 1929 and introduced Zen to large parts of Europe through his writings...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionPhilosopher
CountryGermany
Eugen Herrigel quotes about
artist attachment disturbed fullness german-philosopher practice presence released
Out of the fullness of this presence of mind, disturbed by no ulterior motive, the artist who is released from all attachment must practice his art.
mean reflection mind
This means that the mind or spirit is present anywhere, because it is nowhere attached to any particular place. And it can remain present because, even when related to this or that object, it does not cling to it by reflection and thus lose its original mobility.
teacher artist wish
Far from wishing to awaken the artist in the pupil prematurely, the teacher considers it his first task to make him a skilled artisan with sovereign control of his craft.
lying mastery assuming
Assuming that his talent can survive the increasing strain, there is one scarcely avoidable danger that lies ahead of the pupil on his road to mastery.
inspiration effort meticulous
He grows daily more capable of following any inspiration without technical effort, and also of letting inspiration come to him through meticulous observation.
letting-go failure waiting
The right shot at the right moment does not come because you do not let go of yourself. You do not wait for fulfilment, but brace yourself for failure.
archer cutting thinking
Don't think of what you have to do, don't consider how to carry it out! The shot will only go smoothly when it takes the archer himself by surprise. It must be as if the bowstring suddenly cut through the thumb that held it. You mustn't open the right hand on purpose.
lying archer knowing
The spider dances her web without knowing there are flies that will get caught in it. The fly, dancing nonchalantly on a sunbeam gets caught without knowing what lies in store. But through both of them "It" dances. So, too, the archer hits the target without having aimed-more I cannot say.
waiting
You must learn to wait properly.
art men he-man
The man, the art, the work--it is all one.
archer crafts surprise
The shot will go smoothly only when it takes the archer himself by surprise.
insecure buddhism people
Zen Buddhism does not preach. Sermons remain words. It waits until people feel stifled and insecure, driven by a secret longing.
hands two mind
The hand that guides the brush has already caught and executed what floated before the mind at the same moment the mind began to form it, and in the end the pupil no longer knows which of the two-mind or hand -was responsible for the work.
goal ifs
You must act as if the goal were infinitely far off.