[Fragments of Thought] A Symphony of Action and Silence—Life Guidelines Guided by "Zen is Action" and "Do Not Delude Yourself."
[Days of Being Overwhelmed and the Salvation of Zen]
When I was in the advertising industry, I was chased by constant coordination tasks.
Negotiations with a vast number of parties—clients, advertising production companies, mass media, printing companies, and event companies—compounded by internal team staffing and the need for reporting, communicating, and consulting with superiors, left my heart covered in tension that felt as if it would burst at any moment.
Even the morning light streaming through the window of the conference room felt like nothing more than a fleeting rest, and an endless anxiety gripped my chest, pulsing incessantly.
At that time, Zen philosophy cast a quiet light into my inner self.
The sensation of doubts, impatience, and vague anxieties about the future smoldering in my mind being purified one by one—it was not merely mental stability, but the acquisition of the very power to live through life.
I gradually came to understand.
That to place one's consciousness on a single point of reality without stopping in the maze of thought, and to act without hesitation, is the very act of clearing the soul.
And my decision to leave the busyness of the advertising industry and take early retirement was also due to the influence of these two Zen phrases—"Zen is Action" and "Do Not Delude Yourself.".
Clear your mind, discard delusions, and simply follow action.
That was the only path for me to regain true freedom and the preciousness of life.
[Zen is Action—Practice Beyond Thought]
People often sink into a sea of thought, trapped by regrets of the past and anxieties about the future.
The complex coordination of advertising work also leads to delayed decisions and reactive actions the more one tries to analyze it all in one's head.
Here, the teaching of "Zen is Action" resonates.
Those who sink into thought cannot step into reality.
Thought without action is an empty illusion.
Winston Churchill (1874–1965) said.
Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.
Transcending hesitation, making decisions moment by moment, and acting is what gives life power.
Action itself is training and mental discipline—I learned this amidst the complexity of advertising work.
The courage to take a step without disturbing the mind is the true meaning of Zen is Action.
The sharp tension residing in the moment of decision, the pounding of the heart—that was the realization of life and an escape from a world of fiction.
[Do Not Delude Yourself—A Mind Not Trapped by Illusions]
Nothing clouds life more than being captivated by the ghosts of the past or the shadows of the future.
The anxieties and worries in the advertising industry were also often magnified by the shadows of delusion.
Here lies the teaching of "Do Not Delude Yourself."
By casting aside unnecessary thoughts and freeing the mind from delusion, the world reveals its vivid form for the first time.
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
So said Albert Einstein (1879–1955), but if imagination also sinks into delusion, it loses the light of creation.
On the other hand, D.T. Suzuki (1870–1966) further explains.
Zen is not in logic, but in direct experience. By seeing the world as it is with a quiet mind, the truth is revealed for the first time.
By casting aside delusions and clearing the mind, action can pour power into reality sharply, accurately, and without hesitation.
Peace of mind is the only condition for accurately grasping reality.
[Two Teachings—A Symphony of Silence and Power]
Zen is Action and Do Not Delude Yourself.
These two may seem contradictory at first glance, but in reality, they complement each other.
Only with a quiet mind does action become efficient and powerful.
The experience gained through action further purifies the mind, leading to the next action.
Life is a series of quiet awakenings and powerful practices.
I learned this amidst the hard work in the advertising industry.
Do not stop your steps, cast aside delusions, and just take one step.
Even if that step is small, it draws a certain trajectory and scrapes away the confusion of the heart.
Zen is Action and Do Not Delude Yourself are, for me, a compass, a sword, and wings.
The series of judgments and decisions moment by moment is everything in life, and the proof of truly living.
[Application to Daily Life—Unwavering Steps]
Zen is Action and Do Not Delude Yourself reside in the trivial moments of daily life.
In the hustle and bustle of commuting, meetings, and the subtle frictions of work, let go of unnecessary thoughts and act without hesitation.
Do not be swayed by the noise of the outside world that disturbs the mind, and take a step according to your own will and judgment.
Act with a quiet mind, and clear the mind through action.
This cycle is everything in the act of "living" that I desire.
Even in days tossed about by the trifles of the modern age, by discarding hesitation and taking a step, life draws a trajectory quietly but surely.
Living with the two teachings of Zen is Action and Do Not Delude Yourself as an axis is a proof of life that is quiet yet powerful, fleeting yet certain.
